An EU navy is impossible; Fortunately, it’s not necessary.

EnergySource
Nov 14, 2024

Europe’s new industrial plan faces formidable obstacles

By
Andrei Covatariu

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promised to put forth in her second term a new Clean Industrial Deal to mobilize investment in infrastructure and industry, and reduce dependence on energy imports. But energy supply challenges and geopolitical hurdles risk undermining plans to restore Europe’s industrial competitiveness.

Defense Industry
Energy & Environment

An EU navy is impossible; Fortunately, it’s not necessary.

New Atlanticist
Oct 30, 2024

In defense of Draghi’s defense idea: Three models for a centralized defense procurer for the EU

By
Thomas Goldstein

Only a European defense procurer can provide the institutional reform to overcome intra- and intergovernmental paralysis and invest at scale.

Defense Industry
Defense Policy

An EU navy is impossible; Fortunately, it’s not necessary.

New Atlanticist
Oct 28, 2024

The US needs a stronger defense industrial base. Option contracts can help.

By
Michael Hogan

The US government would pay a premium on current orders, but it would then have the option to purchase a larger amount within a fixed timeframe.

Defense Industry
Defense Policy

Content

Defense Industrialist

Aug 30, 2017

An EU navy is impossible; Fortunately, it’s not necessary.

By James Hasik

To rebuild robust naval forces, Europeans should think less like Americans, and more like Russians. As I noted yesterday, Brexit has opened all sorts of talk about the future of British and European military activities. To continue the argument today, let’s tack towards naval matters. In “All the Queen’s Ships” (Proceedings of the US Naval Institute, January […]

Defense Industry European Union

Defense Industrialist

Aug 29, 2017

An EU army is impossible; Fortunately, it’s not necessary.

By James Hasik

To rebuild robust land forces, Europeans should think a little like Americans, a little like Russians, and otherwise for themselves. Shortly after the Brexit vote last June, those-in-the-know in Europe started calling for a renewed effort at a common European military force. A year ago this month, General Vincenzo Camporini, former head of the Italian general staff, told […]

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Defense Industrialist

Aug 17, 2017

Can defense industrialists work with Trump?

By James Hasik

Whatever opprobrium the president is owed, his administration’s more important initiatives deserve attention. Donald Trump’s twin business advisory panels have collapsed. Members of both the Manufacturing Council and the Strategy & Policy Forum had been resigning quickly, and according to today’s Wall Street Journal—“CEOs Scrap Trump Panels”—they voted yesterday just to disband. At first, the president […]

Defense Industry Economy & Business

Defense Industrialist

Aug 4, 2017

How to be like Ike

By Steven Grundman

Project Solarium as a model for assessing defense-industrial policy It is hard not to read a pretext for protectionism into the Executive Order President Trump signed last month under the ponderous title, “Assessing and Strengthening the Manufacturing and Defense Industrial Base and Supply Chain Resiliency of the United States.” And yet, the Administration also has gone […]

Defense Industry Economy & Business

Defense Industrialist

Jul 31, 2017

Maybe not so rare after all

By James Hasik

As the long term prognosis for the rare-earths business shows, the administration should move carefully in “strengthening supply chain resiliency.” On 21 July, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on “assessing and strengthening the manufacturing and defense industrial base and supply chain resiliency of the United States.” Within 270 days, the departments of defense, commerce, […]

China Defense Industry

Defense Industrialist

Jul 24, 2017

“The whole network needs to mesh in wartime”

By James Hasik

Avoiding despair about military radio communications is the first step towards robust solutions. The US Army may be taking a knee in its pursuit of modernizing its battlefield radio communications. After fifteen years of pursuing its Warfighter Information Network Tactical (WIN-T) program, the service seems to be reconsidering the specifics of its path towards robust, on-the-move […]

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

Jun 21, 2017

No, Senator, it’s not 90 percent.

By James Hasik

Senator John McCain of Arizona was rather tough on the administration’s nominee to be deputy defense secretary. The senator is simply incorrect about the concentration of supplier power in defense in the United States. The Pentagon’s five biggest supply accounts were awarded 27.8 percent of the gross value of its new contracts in 2014. None of these figures approach 90 percent.

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

Jun 15, 2017

Is imported aluminum a threat to American national security?

By James Hasik

Indeed, price is the point. Whether by Chinese mercantilism or Canadian hydropower, the price of raw aluminum in the US has dropped about 20 percent in the past four years, benefiting American producers of automobiles, aircraft, and those trendy-again beer cans. So how is that not good?

Defense Industry Economy & Business

Defense Industrialist

Jun 7, 2017

What’s the real effect of America First on the arms trade?

By James Hasik

Volvo’s sale of Renault Trucks Defense won’t be a test of anything. The report in Defense News this week on how “Three bidders emerge in battle to buy Renault Trucks Defense” contains a prediction of just who won’t win that auction. For some time, Volvo has been aiming to sell RTD, and bids are now in from […]

Defense Industry Economy & Business

Defense Industrialist

May 27, 2017

Exports and end-use

By James Hasik

We can ask the US Army to arm, advise, and assist its allies in the Iraqi Army, or we can ask the Army to consolidate its spreadsheets. For Iraqis, this fight is existential, and I’d rather they simply crushed ISIS. Wars may be audits themselves, but wars this hot may be no time for audits.

Arms Control Defense Industry
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Experts

Staff

Alexander Young

Project Assistant

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Jongsun Kim

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Fellow

Hannah Hunt

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Technologies

Fellow

Owen J. Daniels

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Fellow

Tom Mancinelli

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Staff

Maeve Cuddy

Assistant Director

Forward Defense

Defense Industry Defense Policy
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Events

Public Event Thu, July 24, 2025 • 4:15 pm ET

SAIC CEO Toni Townes-Whitley on mission integration in the defense ecosystem

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—SAIC CEO Toni Townes-Whitley discusses the role of mission integrators in today's defense industrial base and the future of the US defense ecosystem.

Defense Industry Defense Policy Defense Technologies Security & Defense