HYDEF Consortium ready to continue the development of the European interceptor after successful completion of first phase

MADRID, Spain – On October 22nd, the HYDEF Consortium formally concluded the preliminary development of the European interceptor against hypersonic threats during the End-of-Project milestone event held at the facilities of the Spanish Centre for National Defence Studies (CESEDEN).

After the selection of the concept in August 2025 and the approval of the Preliminary System Requirements in August 2026, which marked the completion of the technical development, the HYDEF Consortium presented the general results and outcomes achieved along the three years of the project to OCCAR and the representatives of the Participating States (Spain, Germany, Poland, Belgium and Norway).
Among the key achievements, the high level of technical maturity attained across all subsystems, exceeding the initial target, was highlighted. This accomplishment demonstrates the commitment and capabilities of the HYDEF Consortium and ensures a successful continuation of the development programme.
In addition, the strong degree of collaboration among the participants was emphasised. This cooperation has not only contributed to building the capacities of the companies and their teams but has also established an industrial foundation whose impact will extend well beyond the current project.
As a closing point of the meeting, an overview of the short-term roadmap was presented. To support the continuation of the project, the original HYDEF Consortium has been strengthened with new members, bringing the total to 41 participants from 16 European countries. Leveraging the results of the first phase, the HYDEF2 Consortium, with its broad representation of industrial talent and capabilities, reaffirms its ambition and readiness to deliver this critical capability for Europe.
On behalf of the HYDEF Consortium, SMS wishes to thank the European Commission, OCCAR, national representatives, beneficiaries and subcontractors for their trust and effort, and commits, together with its HYDEF partners, to keep on demonstrating that remarkable results can be achieved through genuine collaboration among industries to deliver operational and sovereign critical capability.
“The European Hypersonic Defence Interceptor (EU HYDEF) is a project co-funded by the European Union, under the European Defence Fund, and Belgium, Germany, Norway, Poland and Spain. OCCAR has been entrusted the management of the EU HYDEF project by the European Commission (EC) and the Participating States.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.”