Report More PESCO Projects Enter Delivery Phase

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A growing number of projects are reaching the delivery phase, the new 2026 Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects Progress report shows. 

The annual PESCO Projects Progress report provides an overview on the status of PESCO projects, including overarching trends, developments, and lessons learned. The report also highlights progress across several of the EU's priority capability areas, with particular impact this year in military mobility, cyber defence, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and maritime security.

In the area of military mobility, projects developing transport aircraft are defining common requirements, while efforts to harmonise airlift pilot training continue to advance. More recent projects focused on unmanned solutions for air-to-air refuelling and the evacuation of injured soldiers have established foundations for joint development. Concurrently, separate lines of work continue to address obstacles that slow down the movement of troops and equipment across EU borders.

In the maritime domain, the Essential Elements of European Escort (4E) has agreed on common operational requirements for future European escort ships, while the Critical Seabed Infrastructure Protection (CSIP) is preparing demonstrations of technologies designed to help protect Europe's critical underwater infrastructure. Several maritime projects have completed their planning phase and are progressing towards procurement.

Regarding the cyber domain, the Cyber Rapid Response Teams (CRRT) continue supporting EU missions and operations, while the Quantum Enablers for Strategic Advantage (QUEST) project is contributing to the growing ambition of armed forces to exploit quantum technologies for defence purposes.

From development to delivery

In the PESCO framework, participating Member States often begin their cooperation by defining common requirements, followed by the development of demonstrators and collaborative testing. To turn prototypes into deployable capabilities, joint procurement activities for assets developed through PESCO are channelled through intergovernmental organisations or through national procurement agencies acting on behalf of participating Member States.

One of the report’s key findings is the increasing number of projects progressing towards such procurement phases, including Cyber Threats and Incident Response Information Sharing Platform (CTIRISP), Maritime (semi) Autonomous Systems for Mine Countermeasures (MAS MCM) and the Medium-size Semi-Autonomous Surface Vehicle (M-SASV). Member States’ cooperation continues across several projects through the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), including the European Patrol Corvette (EPC), European Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (Eurodrone), European Secure Software defined Radio (ESSOR) and the Anti-Torpedo Torpedo (ATT).

The report highlights the close connection between PESCO, EU funding instruments, the European defence industry, and research and technology organisations as a significant contributor to progress in intergovernmental cooperation. Notably, 30 PESCO projects are linked to European Defence Fund (EDF) programmes, with EDF industrial consortia receiving a 10% funding bonus through each link. An equal number of projects also involve research and technology organisations. Furthermore, the report highlights that projects benefiting from EDA expert support tend to demonstrate stronger progress and greater operational maturity.

P for permanent

Beyond developing new technologies, many projects are evolving into lasting European defence structures. The Cyber and Information Domain Coordination Centre (CIDCC) is transitioning into a permanent establishment: the EU Cyber Defence Coordination Centre. This evolution will ensure long-term cyber support for EU missions and operations. Additionally, Network of Logistic Hubs in Europe and Support to Operations (NetLogHubs) is now operational, having established a network of multiple logistics hubs across Europe. The Joint EU Intelligence School (JEIS) is also moving towards permanent capability status driven by a closer integration with the European Security and Defence College (ESDC).

Next steps 

Looking ahead, the report highlights a continued focus on turning defence cooperation into functioning capabilities. A key priority for the Member States is to ensure that collaborative projects deliver tangible results for European defence, including through deepening partnerships with industry and leveraging EU funding instruments. PESCO remains a central framework for translating shared priorities into concrete military capabilities at a time when the EU is working to deliver on its defence readiness agenda.

Background

European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European External Action Service (EEAS), including the EU Military Staff (EUMS), form the PESCO Secretariat, supporting the participating Member States in the implementation of PESCO.