In Bonn, Germany, on October 31, 2023, a contract for the HYDEF (Hypersonic Defence Interceptor Study) project was signed between OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement) and Spanish Missile Systems (SMS). The HYDEF project of the consortium around SMS (including, amongst others, Escribano Mechanical & Engineering, GMV, and SENER AEROSPACIAL) from Spain and Diehl Defence from Germany was able to position itself by signing the contract with OCCAR. This allowed the project to position itself as the first European programme for defence against hypersonic threats, especially by Russian hypersoic missiles.
At this point, the beginning of the project can be deemed to have started in an official capacity. The consortium is made up of thirteen different enterprises hailing from seven different countries in Europe.
The Chief Executive Officer of Diehl Defence, Helmut Rauch, referred to this event as a significant milestone for the HYDEF project. He said that work can now get on in Europe to actualise tomorrow’s air defence, specifically targeting hypersonic threats.
Within the context of the HYDEF project, the management of the project falls under the purview of the Spanish business SMS. Diehl Defence, a German company that specialises in the research and production of air defence systems and has its headquarters in Lake Constance, is in charge of the technical implementation, which includes everything from the creation of the overall system to the production of the interceptor itself. Hypersonic cruise missiles (HCMs) and highly nimble hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) will be able to be detected and destroyed by the whole system in the not-too-distant future. All of this will be accomplished by networking numerous, partially space-based sensors, and the deployment of the interceptor system will be based on the already existing NATO Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) command and control systems wherever possible. The consortium has the best possible qualifications to find a solution to this extremely difficult and multifaceted problem of system integration.
Diehl Defence release states that the company has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience in air defence solutions over many years of service. Diehl Defence, the system leader, along with its partners HENSOLDT and Airbus, is responsible for the design, development, and production of the medium-range ground-based air defence system known as IRIS-T SLM. The protection of the Ukrainian populace is being accomplished through the system’s successful deployment in Ukraine. In addition to this, Diehl Defence is a trustworthy partner of the German Bundeswehr as well as worldwide armed forces in the areas of missiles, ammunition, training, and protection systems.
The successful signing of the contract in July 2022, when the European Commission confirmed the HYDEF project as the contest winner, is the foundation upon which the HYDEF project is built. At that time, the HYDEF project had a distinct advantage over its rivals and was in a position to win the competition that was being held across Europe. Both HENSOLDT and Airbus are participating as national partners in the HYDEF project on the German side. The expansion of Germany’s technological leadership and the delivery to the user of completely accessible and open parts of the system are the primary objectives.
Developing an entire endo-atmospheric interceptor concept for air defence is the focus of HYDEF, which has tight ties to the PESCO EU project “Timely Warning and Interception with Space-based Theatre Surveillance” (TWISTER). This project is receiving funding for one hundred million euros.
