The value of 2021 MCM ITP & CW ITP conference not underestimated
Over the 27th and 28th October 2021, MBDA hosted the biennial Anglo-French innovation and technology partnership (ITP) in Nice, France. It was the first since it became the Complex Weapons ITP (CW ITP), taking over from its predecessor the Materials and Components of Missiles ITP (MCM ITP).
CW ITP (and MCM ITP before it) is a UK Ministry of Defence and French Direction générale de l’armement (DGA) sponsored research fund open to all French and UK companies and Academic Institutions.
The event was a great opportunity for present the outputs from the remaining MCM ITP funded research projects. It was also an opportunity to inform delegates from across industry, SMEs and academia of the new framework of CW ITP. One underpinned by the requirements of the customers.
Ed Dodwell, the Head of CW ITP, said:
“Hosting a bilateral conference following the global pandemic has been a challenge, but one well worth working to overcome. I’m thankful to all the participants, delegates and speakers who attended and took part.
“The value of peers in this area of research coming together to discuss and understand capability requirements and opportunities should not be underestimated. Interactions at this event can spark ideas and the serendipity of some of these can be the launch pad for future research projects that can benefit from three opportunities for annual funding from CW ITP.
“What the conference also does is maintains visibility and openness of ongoing projects. Peers can question and learn from them. They can avoid duplication, or even better find convergence and/or collaboration on their own ideas or projects. This also ensures the shareability across the research community of the outcomes of research that the CW ITP strives to deliver.
“When this happens, my hope is that attendees positively spread word of CW ITP amongst their professional networks, and in turn the diversity and mix of industry, SMEs and academia grows.
“Building on the 13 years of MCM ITP, the launch of CW ITP is seeing this already. In our last call for proposals for research projects to fund, over sixty percent of the work is from SME’s. As we open further innovation calls as part of the CW ITP, I hope we can see a similar expansion with Academia.
“Innovation is not the sole domain of defence, and by looking outward into other sectors and industries there are partnerships to be found and research that can benefit from funding.”
To find out more about how the CW ITP funds proposals from Industry, SMEs and Academia on an annual cycle with the aim of developing novel, exploitable technologies for generation-after-next missile systems, visit the CW ITP website here.