Britain joins first project backed by new EU defence research fund

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Fifteen European Union countries including Britain signed the first project under its new defence research fund on Wednesday, the latest small step towards integrating European militaries and their industries.

While the 35-million-euro ($43 million) EU grant for naval surveillance technology is modest, the fund aims to grow from its pilot phase to a multi-mullion-euro undertaking from 2021.

“It’s an important moment, we’ve managed to gather together 42 companies from 15 member states,” European Industry Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska told reporters following a signing ceremony.

Italy’s aerospace and defence group Leonardo SPA will lead the Ocean2020 project that also includes Estonia, France, Greece, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

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