“Rapid transformation of Europe’s economic power into military power” is its “slogan” for the next five years, as the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Policy, Security and Defense Affairs put it, presenting, together with the European Commission, the “Roadmap for Defense Readiness 2030” in Brussels on Thursday.
“Defence is essential for peace and Europe’s defense capabilities are not yet as strong as they should be. The roadmap we presented today is a proposal to change that. In the coming years, we are planning a significant increase in European capabilities across the Union, in line with its objectives,” Callas said.
The European Commission sees this document as a comprehensive plan to strengthen European defense capabilities.
Four axes
The “roadmap” proposes four “flagship projects for European preparedness”: the European Unmanned Vessel Defense Initiative, the Eastern Flank Defense Strategy, the European Air Shield and the European Space Shield.
“They will strengthen Europe’s deterrence and defense capabilities on land, in the air, at sea, in cyberspace and in space, contributing directly to NATO’s defense capability objectives,” Brussels says.
He emphasizes that “strengthening Europe’s defense also implies steady support for Ukraine.”
The plan unveiled calls for EU member states to complete the creation of “defence capability alliances” in key areas through joint development and procurement.
These include air and missile defense, strategic actors, military mobility, artillery systems, cyber security, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, missiles and munitions, unmanned and anti-unmanned aircraft, ground combat and naval forces.
The roadmap calls for strengthening the defense industry, leveraging innovative potential, including Ukrainian experience, and increasing investment.
“By 2030, the aim is to create a genuine pan-European market with harmonized rules that will enable the defense industry to supply products quickly and in large volumes,” explains the Commission.
It is also reported that the European Commission and Callas will present this roadmap to the European Council on October 23, including proposals for pan-European flagship projects.
