European TBM programme: First elements of RoX and technical performance assessment for DEMO breeding blankets

•European TBM Programme (description).•European DEMO Breeding Blanket Programme (description).•Technical Requirements on the Breeding blanket for DEMO.•TBM Program implementation: elements of RoX and support to demonstration of breeding blanket technical requirements. The strategy for the development of the European DEMO Breeding Blanket (BB) and the TBM (Test Blanket Module) Programme have been recently realigned with the objective to mitigate the risks associated with the development of tritium breeding and power extraction technologies in a DEMO Fusion Plant. In such a context, a clear definition of the key technical requirements of the DEMO Breeding Blanket (BB) is essential not only to drive a consistent BB design but also to allow the TBM Programme to provide its contribution to the preliminary demonstration of compliance with those requirements. Such contribution is substantiated through all phases of the TBM Programme life cycle, from the TBS (Test Blanket System) conceptual design up to its installation in ITER, operation and final dismantling. After a recall of the status of development of the European BB DEMO and TBM Programme, the paper describes the strategy and the status of the activities for the preliminary demonstration of compliance with a selected group of DEMO BB requirements. Through the elements given in this paper it is highlighted the importance to have a continuous and strict connection between the DEMO BB development and the execution of the TBM Programme.