Published on 1 July 2026

2026 Flagship call: Resilient and Secure Technologies for Defence and Mobility

The Flagship Initiative aims to foster systemic innovation that helps to overcome major challenges for the economy and society. In addition, its purpose is to strengthen the competitiveness of the Swiss economy and/or contribute to the wellbeing of society by creating new value along the value chain by increasing efficiencies, reducing costs or re-solving socially relevant challenges in the public interest.

With a joint 2026 Flagship call, Innosuisse and the Federal Office for Defence Procurement armasuisse aim to strengthen research, development and innovation in the field of security and defence, while also creating concrete momentum for the civilian economy and society. The focus is on dual-use technologies that are beneficial for both civilian applications and applications related to security and defence (see media release of 30.04.2026).

The call, jointly funded by Innosuisse and armasuisse, combines the expertise and strategic mandates of both organisations. It is intended to help strengthen Switzerland’s resilience, technological sovereignty and defence capability. At the same time, it contributes to the implementation of the Federal Council’s armament policy strategy.

The topic of the 2026 Flagship call is:

Resilient and Secure Technologies for Defence and Mobility

To address this overarching objective effectively, the 2026 call concentrates on three complementary focus areas. They cover key technological enablers that are of strategic importance both for defence capabilities and for secure, highly available mobility. The Flagships are expected to develop systemic solutions that integrate one or several of these areas and thus make a measurable contribution to Switzerland’s technological sovereignty and resilience.

The three focus areas of the call are:

• 1. Resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT)

  Precise and reliable positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) systems already form the backbone of modern society, the economy, national security and defence. Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) such as GPS and Galileo are essential for numerous critical infrastructures. They not only determine precise location and movement for applications such as avia-tion and vehicle tracking but also provide highly accurate timing signals that synchronize critical infrastructures, including telecommunications networks, power grids, and financial trans-action systems. However, GNSS signals are extremely weak and therefore particularly susceptible to radio frequency interference (jamming) and signal manipulation (spoofing). In recent years, the frequency of such interference, especially spoofing attacks, has increased dramatically. It is estimated that over one thousand flights are unintentionally affected by GNSS-spoofing every day. These disruptions are primarily caused by military electronic war-fare systems operated by state actors in conflict zones, used, for example, to defend against drones or to influence GPS-guided munitions.

  A GNSS failure is expected to have far-reaching and cascading consequences that go far beyond security-critical systems. Given the current vulnerability of GNSS-based PNT solutions, the use of multiple independent, complementary technologies to create a resilient over-all system is becoming increasingly important. Ensuring future-proof PNT capabilities re-quires both efforts to enhance the resilience and robustness of existing systems, and the development of alternative GNSS-independent technologies that do not rely on exposed infra-structures. Such technologies offer significant potential in both civil domains, such as aviation, critical infrastructure, autonomous systems and emergency response, and in the field of defence, underlining their dual-use character and their overall economic and societal im-portance.

  Strengthening national PNT resilience across critical civil and security-related applications requires a trans- and interdisciplinary approach. The aim of this focus area is to foster systemic innovation that develops and demonstrates sovereign, complementary PNT solutions capable of improving GNSS resilience or operating independently of GNSS. This includes exploring and integrating a broad range of technologies, such as inertial sensors, quantum-based timing and navigation methods, precision clocks, innovative antennas, new anti-jamming algorithms and software-based solutions, while remaining open to additional technologies and novel approaches. Also the integration of cyber resilience and anomaly detection is within scope to enhance the robustness and trustworthiness of PNT solutions.

• 2. Photonics for communication and sensor applications

  Photonics, the science of manipulating light, is becoming essential for modern defence technologies. With evolving security threats, defence systems require advanced capabilities for rapid threat detection, secure communication, and reliable operation in complex environments. Switzerland’s strong photonics research and innovative industry make it well-positioned to develop cutting-edge photonics solutions that will strengthen national defence and technological sovereignty.

  The aim of the focus area is to develop next-generation photonic components and integrated systems specifically tailored for defence applications, while also enabling dual-use innovations with broad industrial impact. In scope are photonics technologies for sensor and communication applications (not limited to the examples below) such as:

  • secure high-bandwidth optical communication technologies, incorporating quantum-safe encryption and anti-jamming features to protect sensitive defence information;
  • quantum key distribution technologies and Quantum photonics techniques, to future-proof defence communication systems against emerging security threats, enabling ultra-secure communication by using quantum mechanics principles to distribute encryption keys in a way that any interception attempt can be detected, making them highly relevant for protecting sensitive data;
  • low probability of intercept optical communication channels to minimize detectability and resist electronic warfare and cyberattacks;
  • high-power, tunable laser sources optimised for LIDAR applications, providing precise 3D mapping and target detection even in adverse weather or battlefield conditions;
  • hyperspectral and thermal imaging sensors to enable detection of concealed threats through advanced spectral analysis and to enhance night vision capabilities;
  • active imaging to image through camouflage, vegetation, smoke and fog;
  • low-photon techniques and detection of optics for the affordable adoption of high-performance photon counting technologies in active and passive imaging including advanced SPAD (Single-Photon Avalanche Diode) technologies; retroreflection detection is a powerful means of locating adversary sighting systems; low-photon techniques reduce the probability that retroreflection systems themselves are detected;
  • low-power neuromorphic imaging and computing optimized for military applications, where digital readout technology of neuromorphic sensors promises to reduce electrooptical/infrared (EO/IR) system costs and power consumption while delivering greater performance compared to conventional sensor designs; neuromorphic inspired pre-processing framework combining optical-domain and electronic computing to accelerate onboard image processing.

  The call encourages interdisciplinary approaches that leverage Switzerland’s strengths in photonics, quantum technologies, space technologies, artificial intelligence, and systems integration to deliver innovative photonics solutions with relevance for both defence and civilian applications.

• 3. Innovative technologies to counteract drones (C-UAV)

  Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) pose a major challenge to the security of society, the economy and critical infrastructure. The rapidly increasing availability and advancing technology of drones are creating new opportunities for both civilian and government actors, but at the same time they pose substantial risks through hostile use. Counter-UAV (C-UAV) systems are therefore crucial to effectively mitigate threats related to hybrid conflicts and warfare, including espionage, sabotage, and attacks on critical infrastructure. The strategic im-portance of C-UAV technologies will continue to grow in the coming years and is vital not only on the battlefield but also for protecting airports, urban areas and other critical infrastructures.

  Current C-UAV systems face various challenges. Limited detection accuracy for discriminating drones from other flying objects such as birds and the limited detection range make it difficult to identify drones. Additionally, the speed and manoeuvrability of drones make it difficult to detect drones quickly and the limited response time makes it even more challenging to take effective countermeasures in time. The ongoing improvements in drone technology are resulting in an evolving threat landscape. Some drones contain signature-reducing technologies or are equipped with jamming/spoofing protection technologies, making current mitigation strategies less effective. Furthermore, fibre-optic cable drones, capable of operating over distances up to 50 km, have been used in Ukraine, and coordinated drone swarms are expected to be the next major threat. In addition to the technical and tactical challenges, there is also the challenge posed by the asymmetry of costs, which currently favours the attackers. The measures required to defend against attacks can far exceed the cost of the attacking drone itself. This leads to the consumption of expensive ammunition that is actually designed for combating high-value assets. In addition, collateral damage risks arising from the countermeasures must be reduced.

  C-UAV systems consist of three key elements:

  • detection, identification and tracking, through technologies such as advanced sensor and radar technologies, radio frequency spectrum monitoring, electro-optical and infrared imaging and acoustic detection arrays;
  • resilient command & control architecture, including multi-modal sensor fusion and integration platforms and software-based solutions;
  • and active counter-drone measures, such as directed energy weapons, electronic war-fare systems, kinetic interceptor systems and drone interceptors.

  The development of effective and deployable C-UAV systems requires a transdisciplinary approach. Only by doing so can solutions be created that meet the high requirements for safety and efficiency and consider the legal and ethical challenges. The Flagship Initiative aims to promote systemic innovation that contributes significantly to strengthening national resilience and protection of the population and infrastructure from hostile drone threats.

Dual-use requirement:

Flagship proposals submitted in the framework of the Call 2026 and their targeted innovations must be designed to provide a clear dual-use perspective, i.e. they must be relevant for both civil and defence-related applications. Projects that pursue a purely defence or a purely civil single-use objective are not eligible for funding under this call. This dual-use character will be explicitly queried in the application forms and must be substantiated by the consortium in the (pre-)proposal.

To submit an application:

Participants must submit their applications via the Innosuisse application platform.

Useful documents:

Below you find the guidelines with all relevant information regarding the call 2026 of the Flagship Initiative as well as frequently asked questions:

• Guidelines call for projects Flagship Initiative 2026

  PDF596.54 kB30 June 2026

• FAQ Flagship Initiative call for projects 2026

  PDF330.03 kB1 July 2026

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