Based on an analysis of the European land defence industry, the European Defence Agency has identified distinct areas for prioritised common actions on European demonstrator programmes, on key enabling technologies and technologies of dual nature as well as on further activities to support and strengthen the land related European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB).
The overall turnover of the European land defence industry is 17 billion Euros annually and it directly employs almost 130.000 high-skilled workers. The land defence sector produces a whole range of products needed by Member States’ armies. Land sector industrial activity is mainly supported by the domestic market enabling six billion Euros of exports annually outside the European Union. “The land defence industry is not only vital for ensuring key capabilities but also for growth and competitiveness in Europe”, says Claude-France Arnould, Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency.
Future Land Systems Study
To complement its work in the land sector, EDA launched a 12-month Future Land Systems (FLS) study to provide a comprehensive review of the land systems industrial sector, examining the demand and supply side challenges, with the overall aim of contributing to more cohesive, effective and stronger European defence capabilities.
The FLS study used a methodology based approach to collate all available information on future military capability requirements. In parallel, a detailed stocktaking of the global land related Defence Technological and Industrial Base was undertaken. The resultant gap-analysis identified critical areas for action, providing as well roadmaps with short, mid and long term actions up to 2030, to address the identified shortfalls. Some of the findings address areas of transversal and cross-sectorial nature and as such, will contribute to the EDA’s broader European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) work.