An overview of the defence industry of EU member states

Abstract

This study examines the transformation of the defence industry of EU member states in the context of postmodern geopolitical challenges and the strategic autonomy that has gained prominence in the wake of the Russo-Ukrainian war. Through an analysis of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base’s land, air, maritime, space and cyber capabilities, it identifies the structural constraints arising from raw material dependence, financing asymmetries and industrial fragmentation. The assessment of geopolitical vulnerabilities in production chains shows that capacity expansion alone — for example, the 155 mm ammunition programme — does not by itself guarantee resilience or sustainable industrial capacity. The study concludes that, in the 2025–2030 period, the future of the EU as a global defence-industrial actor will depend on cooperative production models and the alignment of national industrial policy with deeper European integration, or else it may remain confined to the periphery of the weapons market.