Capability
Source · Europe’s Defence Industry Faces Consolidation Challenges
What is the central argument of “Europe’s Defence Industry Faces Consolidation Challenges”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
As Europe dramatically increases defence spending, attention is turning to the continent’s fragmented defence industry – and whether it can consolidate to meet new demand and compete globally. Europe’s defence sector remains splintered along national lines, with numerous mid-sized firms and duplicate development programs in different…
Capability
Source · GovSat-2 and the Reconstitution of Secure Satcom as a European Defence Enabler
What is the central argument of “GovSat-2 and the Reconstitution of Secure Satcom as a European Defence Enabler”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
The GovSat-2 vote in Luxembourg’s Chamber of Deputies should be read as a capability decision that sits at the intersection of deterrence credibility, operational resilience, and Europe’s effort to reduce single-point dependencies in satellite communications. On 21 January 2026 the Chamber approved, with 57 votes in favour, the draft law…
Capability
Source · Forging Europe's Defence Backbone: The Strategic Reawakening of the Franco-German Axis
What is the central argument of “Forging Europe's Defence Backbone”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
In the post–Cold War period, European security relied heavily on the U.S. nuclear umbrella, which for decades was regarded as a cornerstone of transatlantic solidarity. At the same time, many European countries—Germany foremost among them—significantly reduced their defence budgets. The German Bundeswehr, for example, underwent “years of…
Capability
Source · Intelligent Surfaces for Dual Wireless Communication and Environmental Sensing
What is the central argument of “Intelligent Surfaces for Dual Wireless Communication and Environmental Sensing”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
The development of intelligent wireless networks is entering a phase in which communication and sensing functions are no longer separate but coexist within the same physical structures. A new class of programmable materials, known as space-time-coding metasurfaces (STCMs), makes this convergence possible. These ultra-thin electronic…
Capability
Source · Fiscal Power, Undersea Deterrence and Chip Design: East Asia’s New Strategic Equation
What is the central argument of “Fiscal Power, Undersea Deterrence and Chip Design”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
Japan is moving toward a more assertive defence posture by changing both how it raises money at home and what it is prepared to sell abroad. Within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, discussions are under way on an income tax increase from 2027 explicitly earmarked to sustain higher defence outlays, in linea with the government’s…
Capability
Source · NATO and the Warsaw Pact: Collective Security, Strategic Projection, and Internal Divergences
What is the central argument of “NATO and the Warsaw Pact”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
The Cold War produced not only a global confrontation between two superpowers but also the crystallization of two opposing military alliances that defined the strategic geography of Europe and much of the wider international system. NATO and the Warsaw Pact were conceived as collective security arrangements, yet their structures, logics…
Capability
Source · Local Conflicts and Bipolar Stability: When the Tail Wags the Dog
What is the central argument of “Local Conflicts and Bipolar Stability”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
One of the most significant interpretive issues of the Cold War concerns the nature of peripheral conflicts that marked the post-1945 international order. The label of “proxy wars” has become conventional to describe conflicts such as Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East, and Afghanistan. According to this view, the superpowers deliberately…
Capability
Source · Financial and Fiscal Architecture for Defence: Europe’s Capital System for Strategic Autonomy
What is the central argument of “Financial and Fiscal Architecture for Defence”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
Europe’s ability to defend itself no longer depends solely on its arsenals or its industries but on its capacity to finance deterrence at scale and over time. The Financial and Fiscal Architecture for Defence , the economic cornerstone of the Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030 , represents a structural shift in how the European Union…
Capability
Source · Dual-Use Infrastructure and Military Mobility in EU Funding
What is the central argument of “Dual-Use Infrastructure and Military Mobility in EU Funding”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
Recitals in the amended cohesion regulation explicitly encourage the financing of defence infrastructure and mobility. The text underlines that Member States are allowed to transfer cohesion resources into the military mobility envelope of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), ensuring coordinated support along the Union’s Priority…
Capability
Source · AI-Driven Beamforming for Reliable 6G Vehicle Communications on Highways
What is the central argument of “AI-Driven Beamforming for Reliable 6G Vehicle Communications on Highways”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
High-speed vehicular networks are a cornerstone of next-generation intelligent transportation systems. In highway environments, maintaining reliable communication between vehicles and roadside infrastructure is difficult because of high mobility, Doppler shifts, and interference. Researchers from Hanoi University of Science and…
Capability
Source · Lessons from the Ukrainian War and the Role of Private Digital Infrastructures
What is the central argument of “Lessons from the Ukrainian War and the Role of Private Digital Infrastructures”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
The war in Ukraine has become a defining case study for understanding the transformation of modern conflict through digital infrastructures. Unlike previous wars where the decisive factor lay in the mobilization of industrial capacity or the deployment of conventional firepower, the Ukrainian experience demonstrates that resilient…
Capability
Source · Rome Without Walls: Power, Deterrence, and the Foundations of Political Fear
What is the central argument of “Rome Without Walls”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
In contemporary European strategic discourse, security is frequently conflated with defense—as if the construction of physical barriers, the deployment of military assets, or the expansion of surveillance capabilities could, in and of themselves, guarantee strategic stability. Yet the historical experience of Rome presents a strikingly…
Capability
Source · Rethinking Post-Industrial Warfare: A Critical Response to The Economist’s Vision
What is the central argument of “Rethinking Post-Industrial Warfare”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
Contemporary debates on the future of warfare increasingly revolve around the question of whether technological innovation—particularly in autonomous systems, additive manufacturing, and AI-driven logistics—can compensate for the erosion of traditional industrial defence capabilities. In an era marked by digital transformation, shrinking…
Capability
Source · Private Equity Firms Target Defence Assets Amidst Geopolitical Shifts
What is the central argument of “Private Equity Firms Target Defence Assets Amidst Geopolitical Shifts”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
Private equity firms are increasingly targeting defence industry assets as geopolitical shifts make the once-avoided sector attractive for investment and potential windfall gains. The past two years have seen a remarkable about-face: where many PE funds previously shunned defence companies due to ethical concerns or slow growth, they are…
Capability
Source · Performance Drone Works: From Racing to Military Tech
What is the central argument of “Performance Drone Works”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
Performance Drone Works (PDW), an Alabama-based startup, has charted an unconventional path from the adrenaline-fueled world of drone racing to becoming a supplier of cutting-edge military drones for the U.S. Army. Founded in 2018 by former drone racing enthusiasts, PDW was born out of the Drone Racing League culture , where engineers…
Capability
Source · Technological Innovation and the Space Race: Strategic Rivalry and Civilian Spillovers
What is the central argument of “Technological Innovation and the Space Race”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
The Cold War functioned as a permanent laboratory of technological innovation, where the strategic rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union was expressed not only in military arsenals but also in an accelerated process of scientific and industrial research. The technological dimension became an integral part of the logic of…
Capability
Source · The European Defence Industry Programme: Institutional Governance and Multilevel Decision-Making
What is the central argument of “The European Defence Industry Programme”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
The Regulation establishing the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) creates a structured and legally coherent framework for managing the Union’s industrial defence policy through a multi-level governance system. Its foundation rests on the combined authority of the European Parliament, the Council, and the European Commission…
Capability
Source · Defence Skills and Training through the ESF+ Reform
What is the central argument of “Defence Skills and Training through the ESF+ Reform”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
The 2025 amendment to the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) represents a decisive step in linking social policy with Europe’s strategic defence needs. Traditionally, ESF+ has focused on social inclusion, employment activation and skills development in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights. With the geopolitical context shifting…
Capability
Source · STEP, IPCEIs and the Alignment of EU Cohesion with Defence Technologies
What is the central argument of “STEP, IPCEIs and the Alignment of EU Cohesion with Defence Technologies”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
The 2025 amendments to cohesion policy explicitly align EU structural funds with the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) and with Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs). Recital (11) states that investments contributing to STEP objectives, including advanced defence and dual-use technologies, should not…
Capability
Source · The European Defence Industry Programme: Environmental, Authorisation, and Labour Provisions
What is the central argument of “The European Defence Industry Programme”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
A key element of the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) , adopted by the Council of the European Union on 7 November 2025 ( Council document 14814/25 ), is its capacity to accelerate industrial production without compromising essential legal safeguards. To ensure that Europe’s defence manufacturing base can expand rapidly in…
Capability
Source · Exclusion of Security-Conflicting Third Countries from Defence Supply Chains under EDIP
What is the central argument of “Exclusion of Security-Conflicting Third Countries from Defence Supply Chains under EDIP”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
Regulatory scope and legal basis EDIP embeds a direct supply-chain exclusion rule in Article 10 by conditioning Union-supported actions on the origin of components and by introducing a security-based sourcing prohibition. Where procurement is carried out pursuant to Articles 11, 13 and 35 and is supported by Union funding, the cost of…
Capability
Source · Financing Europe’s Defence Industrial Base: The Strategic Role of Banks in the DSR Ecosystem
What is the central argument of “Financing Europe’s Defence Industrial Base”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
The financial dimension of European defence is emerging as one of the decisive arenas in the continent’s effort to rebuild industrial readiness and technological sovereignty. For decades, the relationship between the banking sector and defence manufacturing was marked by moral hesitation, risk aversion, and a preference for distance. Yet…
Capability
Source · Startups, Patents, and Investments in Dual-Use Technologies
What is the central argument of “Startups, Patents, and Investments in Dual-Use Technologies”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
The EU and NATO have launched new instruments to spur innovation in dual-use and defence technologies , recognizing that startups and small firms are key sources of disruptive ideas. One major initiative is the EU Defence Innovation Scheme ( EUDIS ), introduced by the European Commission to support defence-related startups and SMEs…
Capability
Source · The Privatisation of Strategy and Defence Innovation
What is the central argument of “The Privatisation of Strategy and Defence Innovation”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
The centre of gravity in defence innovation is shifting from public laboratories and prime contractors to a wider, privately led ecosystem embedded in digital capitalism. Computing, cloud, AI and data-extractive platforms have become the backbone of contemporary doctrines and operations, and these capabilities are overwhelmingly…