Europe needs to wake up and revolutionize arms production, says NATO commander

NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Admiral Pierre Vandier, has called for urgent and comprehensive reforms in defense procurement, spending, and technological innovation amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The interview comes as Europe seeks to rearm in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with EU countries working to boost weapons production but still lagging behind Russia in ammunition output.

Talking to Politico, Vandier criticized Europe’s current defense approach, particularly its overly cautious regulatory environment.

“Europe can’t win the future arms battle with the rules they’ve imposed on themselves today,” he stated, highlighting the continent’s tendency towards “over-compliance” in military equipment development.

The French admiral identified several critical weak spots in European defense capabilities, including space technologies, information technology, and military mobility. Specifically, Vandier pointed out that European militaries have been spending on expensive, long-life satellites, while companies like SpaceX can launch multiple small satellites cost-effectively.

Addressing the challenges posed by the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, Vandier emphasized that modern warfare demands unprecedented flexibility across multiple domains, including land, sea, air, space, cyber, and information spheres.

A key recommendation is increasing defense spending. Vandier suggested that the current NATO target of 2% of GDP is insufficient, proposing that 3% might become the new objective within the next 18 months. He recalled that during the Cold War, military expenditure reached 4-5% of GDP.

Vandier remains optimistic about European defense capabilities, believing that European firms can be more than mere subcontractors to American companies.

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