Indeed, innovation has always been crucial in conflict.
Armour made knights safe until the crossbow came along.
High walls protected cities until cannons emerged.
Trenches were made obsolete by fast-moving mechanised forces.
The lesson: a military that cannot innovate is one that falls behind.
Against a backdrop of serious geopolitical unrest and diplomatic realignment, this must change.
The gap between the US and Europe in defence innovation is striking.
This is not an accident.
The US government has deliberately nurtured an environment where defence innovation thrives.
Their projects have also had enormous impacts on civilian technologies.
It was DARPA funding, for instance, that led to the first self-driving cars.
This led tothe launch of Waymo, an autonomous vehicle company now worth 35bn.
Europe, in contrast, remains wedded to an antiquated system.
Across the continent, defence startups are treated as speculative ventures rather than essential contributors to national security.
There, war has been reshaped by innovation.
Small, nimble startups have builtthe inexpensive dronesthat are taking out enemy tanks worth millions.
Engineers fresh out of university are programming weapons that would have been unthinkable a decade ago.
Those suppliers could dictate terms or withhold critical resources in times of crisis.
Europe needs to rethink its defence industrial strategy from the ground up and then get moving.
The first step is joint procurement.
We have a multitude ofincompatible weapon systemsbecause of this.
Secondly, supply chains must be diversified and scrutinised.
Ensuring a steady and secure flow of critical resources should be a priority, not an afterthought.
There are serious gaps in our supply chains.
These must be closed fast.
We must back entrepreneurs
European governments must also change the way they think about procurement.
Startups cannot flourish if they are locked out of big contracts from the outset.
Defence innovation does not happen in boardrooms of established firms.
It happens in the labs and workshops of those willing to challenge the status quo.
European investments in defence startups are absolutely vital, and I choose that word deliberately.
Nowadays, a single drone can cripple a convoy.
A well-placed electronic warfare tool can render an air-defence system useless.
A targeted electromagnetic pulse (EMP) detonated over the continent could blackout Europe overnight.
AI-driven jamming can blind enemy satellites.
These technologies are shaping the future of warfare.
They exist now, and they are increasingly accessible.
European governments are already behind the competition.
If they do not act now, they may find themselves permanently so.
It is time for Europe to recognise what the US has understood for decades: innovation wins wars.
And innovation starts with those who dare to disrupt.
