The HYDEF (European Hypersonic Defence Interceptor) project, the main European initiative aimed at increasing air defence capabilities, especially against hypersonic threats, played a prominent role at the stand of Sistemas de Misiles de España (SMS) at the International Defence and Security Fair of Spain 2025 (FEINDEF 25).
Under the coordination of SMS, the project has successfully completed the first phases of mission definition and will soon determine the concepts and main technologies to meet operational needs, in accordance with the planned schedule.
At FEINDEF 25, SMS presented the latest developments and progress of the project. An axially sectioned model of the HYDEF interceptor (not to scale), with interchangeable building blocks, demonstrated the modularity of the design of the different concepts. Through this model, videos and other materials, visitors were able to learn first-hand about the progress of the project, which is crucial for the future of European defence.
Mr. Joachim Sucker, Director of OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement) —Granting Authority on behalf of the European Commission (EC) and Contracting Authority on behalf of the Participating States—, and EC representatives, Mr. Krastio Preslavsky (Deputy Head of Unit B.1, Defence Industrial Programming Coordination, DG DEFIS) and Mr. Francisco Casalduero (Programme Manager, Defence Research and Development Programmes, DG DEFIS), attended the HYDEF progress exhibition at the stand of SMS and highlighted the role of SMS as coordinator, which is of key importance for the continuity of the programme.
SMS and OCCAR’s HYDEF Programme Division also took advantage of FEINDEF 25 to hold their follow-up meeting and agree on the final details for the upcoming Concept Selection Workshop #5 and Concept Selection Milestone, which will take place at Diehl Defence’s facilities in Überlingen (Germany).
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 HYDEF project by the European Commission and the Participating States.
