The OCCAR-managed European Hypersonic Defence Interceptor (EU HYDEF) programme has completed its first development stage, establishing a technically viable concept for an endo-atmospheric interceptor against hypersonic threats and manoeuvring ballistic missiles. The milestone was formalised at an End-of-Project event in Madrid on 22 October, after approximately three years of work led by Diehl Defence and Spain’s Sistemas de Misiles de España (SMS).
The event at Spain’s Centro Superior de Estudios de la Defensa Nacional brought together representatives of OCCAR, the European Commission, the consortium and the five participating countries: Belgium, Germany, Norway, Poland and Spain. The first stage combined feasibility work with the early maturation of critical technologies and designs, and followed HYDEF’s successful Preliminary Requirements Review on 26 August.
All critical technologies for the Block 0 interceptor configuration reached at least Technology Readiness Level 3. Several high-priority technologies advanced to TRL 4-6 following numerical simulations, technical analysis, functional testing and validation in relevant environments.
The results include development plans, physical and functional concepts, and a functional architecture for the interceptor. They will support the proposed EATMI II follow-on effort and a roadmap targeting a TRL 6 technology demonstrator by 2030. The next stage will require further design, integration and validation; the completed phase does not represent an operational European interceptor.