€945 million in total research effort: 12 visionary projects selected within CAJU’s Call 3
The Governing Board of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking has launched €945 million in total research effort* for 12 new Clean Aviation Projects.
The selected initiatives in the field of new aircraft concepts and innovative propulsion technologies and systems will complement those funded under Clean Aviation’s First and Second Calls for Proposals. Projects will start beginning of 2026 and first flight tests are planned for 2028-2029. The projects will help reduce net emissions of greenhouse gases for commercial air travel by no less than 30% compared to 2020 state-of-the-art technologies, and will pave the way for cleaner aircraft by 2035.
The results of Call 3 also mark the start of a new cooperation in regional aviation between the EU and Canada: PHARES (Powerplant Hybrid Application for Regional Segment), has been selected to receive €69 million in EU funding. The project, which will advance hybrid-electric propulsion for regional aircraft, is coordinated by a Canadian aircraft engine manufacturer.
"Europe will not fly into the future with yesterday’s technologies. Together with trusted partners, like Canada, we set our course toward CO2 emission reductions by 30% – to stay competitive, secure sustainable growth, and keep our industry ahead of other world regions."
Ekaterina Zaharieva
(European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation)
"Achieving our climate goals and advancing sustainable aviation can only be done if public and private actors work hand in hand. By supporting the brightest minds, fostering technical excellence and encouraging novel solutions, we can accelerate the breakthroughs our industry needs. The projects selected under Clean Aviation Call 3 represent an important milestone on this journey."
Sabine Klauke
(Co-chair of the Governing Board, Head of Digital Design Manufacturing and Services “Next Gen”, Airbus)
Overall, 12 projects will receive funding in the following areas:
- €199 million EU funding for Ultra-efficient Short-Medium Range aircraft technologies
- €144 million EU funding for Ultra-efficient Regional aircraft technologies
- €20 million EU funding for Fast Track Areas (FTAs)
- Transversal projects dedicated to Aircraft Concept Integration & Impact Assessment have been awarded €15 million EU funding.
| ULTRA-EFFICIENT SHORT-MEDIUM RANGE AIRCRAFT | |
|---|---|
|
TAKE OFF SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES |
|
|
LEIA AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH |
|
|
UNIFIED ROLLS-ROYCE PLC |
|
 | ULTRA-EFFICIENT REGIONAL AIRCRAFT |
|---|---|
|
PHARES PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP. |
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|
DEMETRA AVIONS DE TRANSPORT REGIONAL |
|
|
OSYRYS SAFRAN ELECTRICAL & POWER |
|
 | FAST-TRACK AREAS |
|---|---|
|
CRYOSTAR UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DELLA CAMPANIA LUIGI VANVITELLI |
|
|
MODABAT FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV |
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POWER4AIR SKYLIFE ENGINEERING SL |
|
|
LIME ASCENDANCE FLIGHT TECHNOLOGIES |
|
 | AIRCRAFT CONCEPT INTEGRATION & IMPACT ASSESSMENT |
|---|---|
|
HERACLES AVIONS DE TRANSPORT REGIONAL |
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|
ACI&I AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH |
|
"The results of Call 3 show the variety of innovative technological concepts to boost the entry-into-service of highly efficient aircraft by 2035. These projects have high potential to make major advancements towards climate neutrality and sustainability."
Axel Krein
(Executive Director of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking)
Call 3 introduced a new initiative to advance disruptive technologies, the Fast Track Areas (FTAs). The FTAs are designed to de-risk alternative or complementary technical solutions offered by Research Centres and SMEs. They put the focus on proposals that can rapidly advance impactful technologies to the development phase and are closely connected to the Short-Medium Range and Regional aircraft coordinators. Four promising projects were selected within this realm.
All selected projects are in line with the Clean Aviation Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA).
*€945 million equates to the total value of the public and private contributions in the Clean Aviation Call 3 projects including relevant complementary R&I projects and activities identified as in-kind contributions. The projects’ official start is subject to successful completion of grant preparation targeted for the end of 2025.
About the Call for Proposals
The Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking’s third call for proposals launched in February 2025 and closed in May. The call was open to competition in accordance with the general provisions of the European Union’s research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe, of which it is a part.
About Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking
The Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking is the European Union’s leading research and innovation programme for transforming aviation towards a sustainable and climate-neutral future. It is a successful European public-private partnership between the European Commission through Horizon Europe, the EU research and innovation programme, and the European aeronautics industry. It has a budget of €4.1 billion divided into €1.7 billion in EU funding and no less than €2.4 billion in private funding. The programme’s disruptive clean aviation technologies will help reduce the emission footprint of short-medium range and regional aircraft by no less than 30% compared to 2020 state-of-the-art aircraft. Clean Aviation builds on the knowledge and expertise of the Clean Sky programmes (2008-2024).
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