Defending European borders – EU leaders have the opportunity to shape the European defence landscape for decades to come, writes Guillaume Faury
Defending European borders – EU leaders have the opportunity to shape the European defence landscape for decades to come, writes Guillaume Faury
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Tl;Dr – we need our own military industrial complex. Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus writes in support of the Strategic Compass and the Commission’s proposals that will be voted on tomorrow
> The signs are encouraging. In March, the EU Council endorsed the first ever EU Strategic Compass on defence, following an assessment of the risks of the future. Proposals include equipping European defence with new capabilities, such as a rapid deployment force, increased funding, improved cyber security and the strengthening of partnerships with critical allies like NATO and the UK. All of which would leave the EU better placed to respond to current and future threats to its borders.
> In the same month, the Versailles summit of Europe’s leaders called for the Commission to propose urgent measures to strengthen Europe’s defence industrial base. The Commission has answered with concrete, innovative suggestions to encourage the joint procurement and funding of military equipment in Europe – something that has been frustrated by legal or budgetary technicalities for too long. These proposals will be debated and, hopefully, endorsed at the upcoming EU Council meeting on 30-31 May.
> Why does European defence cooperation matter? Europe is blessed with a defence industry that is competitive on the global stage. The industry will play a vital role in realising the EU’s defence ambitions by developing the defence and security systems of the future. There’s no question we have the skills and technological capabilities. But progress will ultimately be determined by our ability to forge the deep, strategic partnerships that have underpinned our sector’s past successes.
> To understand why cooperation matters, you only have to look at the next generation of defence systems. The Future Combat Air System, a partnership between France, Germany and Spain – and one that must be informed by a true spirit of cooperation – will encompass new combat and unmanned aircraft, satellite technology, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and much more. It’s an integrated defence system on a scale unimaginable even 20 years ago.
> Such a project cannot be developed by one European country alone. We need to pool our expertise and financial resources to bring it to fruition. In Europe, we are stronger together and not when we fall back behind national borders and interests. The Commission’s latest proposals would foster this cooperation.
> Finally, Europe’s defence industry needs access to finance. Some people have called for defence businesses to be excluded from financial services on the grounds that, by the very nature of their activities, they are socially irresponsible businesses. But recent events have proven otherwise. European democracy must be defended with hard military power. And the threats to our way of life are real. The financial sector should be encouraged to support security and defence.
> CEO of Airbus writes…
Much like Faury’s helicopters, we seem to have hit a major flaw early on.
We won’t because to be profitable or to break even you need to sell. A European defense industry won’t be able to do that.
Yeah no thanks.
In Germany realpolitik is too strong, and France cares only about own industry. This is what this article is about, Airbus CEO saying European countries buy more Airbus products.
That is why Poland bought M1 instead of Leopard 2A7+. And why we have to look for industrial partners in South Korea. When Poland wanted to join “Leopard 3” development France and Germany said no.
Well Guillaume, the DGA, Dassault and Onera are already moving on from the FCAS project.
It seems Airbus is still insisting on having the lead on flight controls despite having little experience on the matter and absolutely zero experience when it comes to carrier landings…
Lol. There’s no loyalty to other countries in the EU except for close neighbours in some cases.
French and Germans running the show?
No thanks we have seen how happy they are to work with Russians at the expense of other Europeans next time it will be Estonians or Poles that have to subject to Moscow to allow Putin to “keep his image”