Securing Europe's Defence Microelectronics: Challenges, Dependencies, and Strategic Solutions

The ability of European defence systems to function, evolve, and maintain strategic relevance increasingly hinges on access to advanced microelectronics, semiconductors, and integrated electronic subsystems.

These components underpin virtually all modern military capabilities—from radars, communication systems, and guided munitions to autonomous platforms and cyber-defence infrastructure. Yet, the European defence ecosystem faces a critical structural bottleneck: a dependency on non-European supply chains for the design, fabrication, packaging, and qualification of key electronic components.

This analysis answers: What is the landscape of microelectronics, semiconductors and integrated subsystems underpinning European defence capabilities? How do design, fabrication, packaging and qualification dependencies on non-European supply chains create structural bottlenecks? Which actors and capability gaps shape Europe's defence-microelectronics vulnerability across radars, comms, guided munitions and autonomous platforms? What strategic solutions, policies or investments could reduce Europe's microelectronics dependencies?