Capability
NATO and Emerging Technologies: Direction 2026
What capability problem does NATO and Emerging Technologies address for European deterrence, readiness and strategic autonomy?
The relationship between military need and technological progress is as old as warfare itself, but NATO is now attempting something qualitatively different.
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Platform publication · DFM Analysis report · 2026-06-13
The relationship between military need and technological progress is as old as warfare itself, but NATO is now attempting something qualitatively different. Rather than waiting for mature technologies to trickle into defence procurement, the Alliance is building an institutional architecture designed to identify, fund, test, and field dual-use innovations within months instead of decades. Capitalised at more than one billion euros by its participating Allied nations, NIF operates with a mandate that would be familiar to any deep-tech VC fund—yet its shareholder table is composed of governments, not limited partners in the traditional sense.
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NATO and Emerging Technologies: Direction 2026
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What is NATO and Emerging Technologies: Direction 2026?
The relationship between military need and technological progress is as old as warfare itself, but NATO is now attempting something qualitatively different.
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