• arma et scientia ex officio

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The Defense Research Programme FORTE is the first of its kind in Austria. It closes the thematic gap in national research funding programs in the area of security policy and complements the existing Security Research Programme KIRAS, which explicitly excludes genuine arms and defense research. FORTE effectively contributes to the protection of citizens and state and therefore promotes the compliance of an indispensable constitutional duty.

There is a close coordination concerning the content of the (funding-)activities between BMLRT and BMLV. Hence, the BMLV decides on the thematic funding priorities.

Together, the Defense Research Programme FORTE and the civil Security Research Programme KIRAS form the „Safety Pin“, which concentrates all Austrian security policy research funding for efficiency-maximization and costs-minimization.

Funded Projects

The programme responsibility for the Austrian Defense Research Funding Programme FORTE lies with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism (BMLRT). The Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) under the authority of the BMLRT carries out the programme management, particularly on the project level.