Civil aircraft development under this scheme includes the whole of activities aimed at increasing the possibilities for Netherlands businesses and knowledge infrastructure for participating during the development and the production of civil aircraft.

The objective of the Strategic Research Programme is to develop basic aeronautical (aircraft) knowledge on the basis of governmental and general aeronautical market requirements. This incorporates concrete mid-term technology development in those niches that are coupled to the thematic areas which are part of the memorandum or Understanding (MoU) with Airbus or that are otherwise important to the Netherlands (e.g. engine components).