OCCAR, EuroMIDS and industry partners gathered for the EMIDS 2 Kick-Off Meeting launching a new common European capability development phase.
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Press Release, Bonn, 28 July 2026: OCCAR , EuroMIDS and industry partners, including Vanesa Martinez Tamargo, ESSOR Programme Manager, and Pedro Hernández Jiménez, Programme Director of EuroMIDS, gathered today for the EMIDS 2 Kick-Off Meeting, officially launching a new phase in the development of a common European capability for secure and interoperable military communications. The meeting follows the recent signature of the ESSOR-MIDS Stage 2 (EMIDS 2) contract, a major milestone for the ESSOR (European Secure Software Defined Radio) community and a strong example of the benefits of European cooperation in defence programmes.
Building on the achievements of the ESSOR programme, EMIDS 2 will develop a common European terminal based on the ESSOR architecture, enhancing interoperability and addressing future operational requirements of European armed forces. A central objective of the programme is the development of the Fighter ESSOR Multifunctional Information Distribution System (F-EMIDS), a next-generation radio terminal designed to replace the current MIDS Low Volume Terminal (LVT). F-EMIDS will provide Link 16 tactical data link capabilities for both existing European combat aircraft and future sixth-generation fighter platforms. The current two-year EMIDS Stage 2 contract will deliver the first F-EMIDS demonstrators.
The Kick-Off Meeting enabled stakeholders to align on programme objectives, governance, planning, and key technical activities, while reaffirming their shared commitment to delivering a capability suited to increasingly demanding operational environments. Participants highlighted that the success of EMIDS 2 is founded on the strong cooperation, expertise, and commitment of Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Looking ahead, EMIDS 2 is expected to pave the way for EMIDS Stage 3, which would launch the production phase of the F-EMIDS programme and support the deployment of terminals across current and future European combat aircraft fleets.
The launch of EMIDS 2 represents not only a major programme milestone, but also an important contribution to strengthening Europe’s technological and industrial base and enhancing its strategic autonomy in tactical communications. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment from all partners to continue working together with the same professionalism, trust, and cooperative spirit that have brought the programme to this important stage.
While the ESSOR MIDS Stage 1 contract established the overall concept and requirements for the entire EMIDS family of terminals, including F-EMIDS, H-EMIDS, M-EMIDS and S-EMIDS, the EMIDS Stage 2 Programme focuses specifically on the initial development of the F-EMIDS terminal and the definition of the associated enabling systems required to support its future operational deployment.
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