Western Media: Insufficient Innovation in European Defense Threatens Strategic Autonomy

According to a report by Reference News Network on March 1, the website of the Spanish newspaper published an article on February 26 titled "Insufficient Innovation Capability and Bureaucracy Threaten Europe's Strategic Autonomy," authored by Yolanda Rodríguez. The full translation is as follows:

A new report from Roland Berger, titled "Winning Through Innovation: A Vision for Building a European Defense Innovation Ecosystem," warns that due to an innovation ecosystem that is "fragmented, slow, and risk-averse," the European continent faces the risk of falling behind in military and technological competition with other major powers in the world.

The report points out that the EU allocates only 0.03% of its GDP to military innovation, while the United States allocates 0.37%. This reflects a structural gap, which is further exacerbated by long R&D cycles typically measured in decades and a bureaucratic style that stifles defense startups.

Some highly promising technologies are mired in what is known as the "valley of death," where R&D results are slow to translate into actual application capabilities. Meanwhile, the global competition for technological superiority in the defense sector is accelerating, and Europe remains in a lagging position.

The report also notes that Europe's current innovation ecosystem is "severely underfunded," with fragmented institutional setups, rigid procurement processes, and border barriers hindering the real-world application of laboratory results on the battlefield.

Juan Luis Bilches, a senior partner at Roland Berger, warns that Europe does not lack talent and technology; what is missing is an ecosystem that can drive the rapid deployment of these infrastructures across the European continent.

This analysis emphasizes that the nature of contemporary warfare is undergoing a paradigm shift: speed, digitization, and software are becoming key factors that determine the landscape of war.

Conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East indicate that real-time innovation, cost-effective large-scale solutions, and continuous experimental iterations are key to gaining an advantage.

In contrast, Europe continues to rely on systems designed for stable periods, where the core goal of its procurement system is to minimize risk rather than adapt to the demands of modern warfare for rapid response.

The inefficiencies caused by bureaucracy are exacerbated by long-term funding shortages. The fragmented investment models among member states weaken overall strategic influence and hinder the emergence of leading technology companies at the European level.

Meanwhile, many innovative technologies remain stuck between R&D and large-scale production, unable to cross the "valley of death" due to a lack of institutional support and flexible public procurement mechanisms.

The study points out that "disruptive ideas often stagnate before reaching practical application maturity," attributing this stagnation to a "too conservative" procurement system that has a low tolerance for experimental exploration.

The report cites the cases of Israel and Ukraine, two countries that have transformed operational urgency into an engine for innovation. In both countries, close collaboration has formed between the military, industry, and startups, reducing the iteration cycle of equipment systems from "years" to "weeks."

The consulting firm analyzes that "Israel's innovation practices are characterized by short cycles, iterative development, small agile teams, and continuous real-world testing," further emphasizing that "failure is seen as an integral part of the learning process rather than a subject of punishment, which fosters bottom-up innovation."

As for Ukraine, the report notes that its survivability "does not rely on incremental improvements but on rapid iterative development cycles from conception to battlefield deployment."

Roland Berger outlines a roadmap based on three pillars: simplifying regulatory and procurement processes through more flexible frameworks and rapid assessment mechanisms; strengthening the synergy between industry, technology, and defense to promote more effective multinational cooperation; and coordinating strategic funding at the European level to align innovation funds and industrial policies with actual combat needs.

The message conveyed by the report is very clear: innovation is not optional but a prerequisite for deterrence. In a rapidly changing global landscape, where the integration of civilian and military technologies is deepening, maintaining strategic significance requires changing the rules of the game.

Roland Berger warns that without profound reforms, Europe will face the risk of becoming dependent in defense affairs, unable to maintain its strategic autonomy. (Translation/ Wang Meng)