AI, drones, cyber tools. The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East show that modern conflict runs on software-driven systems developed in weeks, not years. Can the EU's AGILE programme scale up fast enough to keep pace?
New technologies develop faster than they can be bought and deployed, so many become outdated before they are even used.
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At the same time, smaller and more agile companies drive much of the innovation but often cannot access the slow and complex EU funding programmes: the European system is strong in long-term research and large joint projects, but lacks tools for fast, flexible innovation. This creates a gap between the development of new technologies and their actual use in real-world situations.
The EU wants to adapt its defence approach to keep pace with this new pace of innovation. Part of this effort is a proposal called AGILE, a new funding programme to accelerate the development and deployment of innovative defence technologies. It aims to fund defence-oriented startups and SMEs to support new real-world military solutions faster than traditional EU programmes.
Can the EU react faster to new threats and keep up with the pace of modern warfare? Our poll is anonymous and takes just a few seconds to complete. The results will feature across the EU. XL coverage -in videos, articles, and newsletters- and will help shape our reporting as we explore how Europe can secure its place in the age of artificial intelligence.