The European Commission and the High Representative have presented a new strategic plan, the ‘Preserving Peace – Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030’, aimed at significantly strengthening the European Union’s defence capabilities and industrial base.
The roadmap, presented to EU Member States, outlines a series of objectives and milestones intended to address critical capability gaps and accelerate defence investment across the continent. This initiative signals a clear direction for future procurement and presents significant opportunities for prime contractors and sub-contractors within the European defence supply chain.
At the core of the plan are four initial European Readiness Flagships designed to foster a joint approach in high-priority areas. These include the European Drone Defence Initiative, the Eastern Flank Watch, the European Air Shield, and the European Space Shield. These flagships are structured to enhance deterrence and defence across all domains and are intended to align directly with NATO capability targets, indicating specific areas where industrial innovation and production will be focused. For businesses, these flagships highlight emerging markets and long-term investment priorities for the coming years.
To achieve its readiness goals, the roadmap calls for the formation of Capability Coalitions across nine key areas. These coalitions are designed to close capability shortfalls through joint development and procurement in sectors including air and missile defence, artillery systems, cyber and electronic warfare, drones and counter-drones, ground combat, and maritime systems. This framework provides a clear guide for industry, outlining the specific operational domains where new technologies, manufacturing capacity, and specialised expertise will be in high demand.
A central objective of the roadmap is the creation of a resilient and technologically advanced European defence industrial base. The plan aims to establish an integrated European defence equipment market by 2030, complete with harmonised rules to enable industry to scale up production and achieve greater economies of scale. The Commission will begin by tracking industrial capacity for air and missile defence, drones, and space systems to ensure urgent requirements can be met. Furthermore, the plan includes measures to secure defence supply chains by reducing dependencies on critical raw materials and other inputs. The roadmap, supported by the financial levers within the ReArm Europe Plan, will now be presented to the European Council for implementation.
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Post written by: Vicky Maggiani
Vicky has worked in media for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.
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