Specific Support for Defence Research Projects and Innovation (ASTRID)

The French National Research Agency (ANR), in partnership with the French Armaments Procurement Agency (DGA), has launched the 2016 ASTRID programme, providing "specific support for defence research projects and innovation". The programme is entirely funded by the DGA and implemented by ANR.

ASTRID positions itself as a programme dedicated to supporting research projects of a highly exploratory and innovative nature. Maximum funding is €300 k and project duration is between 18 and 36 months. Applications for such research are dual-use (both civilian and military).

This call for proposals aims to:

• Open up new research areas and maintain innovation efforts on defence-related topics in accordance with the guidelines of DGA S and T orientation document 2014-2019 (POST).
• Explore scientific and technical blockages by promoting skills development and identifying technological breakthroughs, a source of innovation beneficial to defence and civilian research and industry.

Follow-up projects may be submitted within the ASTRID Maturation programme or DGA funding mechanisms such as RAPID or upstream studies.

The transverse nature of the ASTRID programme is borne out by the following nine thematic areas:

• Information engineering and robotics
• Fluids, structures
• Acoustic and radioelectric waves
• Nanotechnology
• Photonics
• Materials, chemistry and energy
• Biology and biotechnology
• Men and systems
• Environment and geosciences

An additional theme is devoted to “interdisciplinary priorities” (big data, humanities and social sciences).