In an era of heightened geopolitical tensions, the importance of military preparedness and sustainment of any war effort is more pressing than ever. The Trump presidency has once more underscored the need for Europe to be able to fend for itself. Unfortunately, Europe is currently falling short in a number of critical capabilities if called upon to go alone.
European NATO-members states strongly depend on US capabilities for their defence operations. Besides technological dependence, most NATO members in Europe lack sufficient preparation to sustain prolonged warfighting.
These dependencies sharply contrast with the desire of the EU to pursue ‘strategic autonomy’. The strategic autonomy agenda stresses a higher level of self-sufficiency and a better diversification of economic relations. However, Europe is still a long way from achieving this policy goal. From upstream (raw materials) to downstream (equipment producers), the EU lacks an integrated defence industrial base to support the strategic autonomy of the continent.
This position paper will give an overview of the most pressing topics in the defence industry sector and will provide recommendations for future policy agendas.
Authors: Ron Stoop and Michel Rademaker
Image Source: Canva AI Generated
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