EU defense remains heavily reliant on the United States

EU militaries continue to rely heavily on US weaponry. This was again evident at July's NATO summit in Turkey's capital, Ankara, which also included the high-level Defense Industry Forum, at which US companies were able to secure lucrative contracts.

It was also decided that European governments would play a bigger role in producing and maintaining the missiles that are so crucial to the continent's defense. Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly produce ATACMS missiles in Germany. This is one step towards increasing stockpiles without upsetting the United States, but in the long term Europe is aiming for greater independence.

Patriot air and missile defense systems best symbolize the dependence of European NATO members on the United States. For decades, the missiles have been used in NATO countries, and more recently they have been used to protect strategically important targets in Ukraine.

European governments have opted to develop several systems to decrease dependence on Patriots. France and Italy have created the SAMP/T NG system to intercept threats at high altitudes. The new generation will be capable of detecting ballistic missiles thanks to additional sensors. The first units are scheduled to be available from 2027.

The IRIS-T, developed by the German company Diehl, is one of the systems intended for medium-range defense. It is already in use in Ukraine, operating at a maximum range of 40 kilometers (approx. 25 miles) and altitude of 20 kilometers. The IRIS-T SLX, which is slated to be available from 2029, will have a range of 80 kilometers at an altitude of 30 kilometers.

Though European governments cannot replace the US Patriots yet, in the long term they hopes to be able to use EU systems to protect the bloc's airspace, for example from Russia.

Germany to buy more Tomahawks from US

European governments are not only considering defense. When European militaries plan deep precision strikes behind enemy lines, they currently also rely on US systems, such as Tomahawk cruise missiles.

As became clear at the NATO summit, Germany is banking on precisely this solution in the short term. The German government has brokered a memorandum of understanding with Washington regarding the purchase of Tomahawk cruise missiles and ground-based Typhoon launch systems. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that it would "close an important strategic gap in our defenses." But once again, it highlighted the fact that Europe will continue to depend on the US so long as European systems remain in development.

The European Long-Range Strike Approach (ELSA) is an international project, involving six governments, including France, Germany and Britain, to develop a conventional ground-launched missile system. Apart from the Euro Multi Missile Launcher, several highly complex cruise missiles, as well as more affordable long-range drones with a range of 500 to 2,000 kilometers are being developed.

Though efforts toward interim solutions are underway, true independence on the battlefield is not expected to be achieved until the 2030s.

Optimism for DECODER

When it comes to the "kill chain," a military concept that identifies the structure of an attack, which comprises the identification of a target, dispatching forces to it, initiating an attack and destroying the target, the EU is also dependent on the US. Without a joint self-sufficient network of sensors, satellite reconnaissance and command structures, European missiles will not be able to identify targets on their own.

In the Russia-Ukraine war, drones are being employed on an unprecedented scale. They are shaping the situation on the front as well as deep behind enemy lines.

The Drone and Counter Drone European Resolve (DECODER) aims to equip EU militaries with drones and counterdrone systems to help make them less dependent on the US.

At the moment, much of the development in this area is taking place at the national level. German defense companies and startups producing drones have benefited from the Ukraine war, as well as new contracts with the Bundeswehr. The DECODER project could help to align national developments on a European scale. All of the European Union's 26 member states are currently involved, alongside Norway and Ukraine, whose experience is considered to be crucial.

The European Commission has estimated that DECODER, which at the moment is not a fully developed program but a framework, will need investment ranging from €3.5 billion to €5 billion ($4-5.7 billion) by 2033.

Drone warfare: German startup draws on Ukraine's experience

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IRIS²: Europe's answer to Starlink

Starlink, a US telecoms subsidiary that provides broadband Internet service around the world, has been essential on the battlefields of Ukraine. The bloc is currently developing IRIS² so that it has its own multi-orbit satellite service. It will comprise 290 satellites that will be used for defense purposes as well as to enable secure communication between government agencies. Costing more than 10 billion, it is scheduled to be in operation by 2030.

NATO operates a fleet of Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft for air surveillance, command and control, battlespace management, and communications. Some of these aircraft, which were derived from the US Boeing 707, are operated from a NATO air base in Geilenkirchen in western Germany.

In Ankara, NATO announced that it had entered formal negotiations with the Swedish company Saab to replace the Boeing-derived systems with GlobalEye early-warning aircraft, which could be ready by 2030.

FCAS project fails

In recent years, many European countries have bought fifth-generation F-35s, which are currently the most advanced fighter jet in the West. They are state-of-the-art but another sign of European dependence on the US.

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS), a sixth-generation fighter jet comprising swarming drones and a "combat cloud" was supposed to be the European Union's response, but the project collapsed over a number of disputes regarding management, division of labor, key technologies and national interests, particularly between France and Germany.

This is a major setback for EU autonomy at a time when the bloc is trying to become less dependent on the US.

This story was originally published in German.