AI and System Integration: Future of Europe’s Defence

Interview with Hubertus Bardt, IW Koeln "AI and Systems Integration will be Crucial to the Future of Europe’s Defence Industry."

2026-07-29 From Detlev Karg 6 min Reading Time

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Europe's defence industry is entering a new era, driven by the need to scale up production and strengthen strategic autonomy, particularly from the United States. Yet significant challenges remain, as Prof. Hubertus Bardt of the German Economic Institute (IW) in Cologne explains in an interview with Aerospace & Defence.

Hubertus Bardt: Not every supplier will automatically benefit from the defence boom.(Picture: IW Koeln) — Hubertus Bardt: Not every supplier will automatically benefit from the defence boom.
(Picture: IW Koeln)

Where do you see Europe's strengths and weaknesses in the defence industry?

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