In Brussels, defense ministers signed four letters on defense cooperation

On Tuesday, the defense ministers of the EU countries approved the annual report on defense in the European Union, the so-called CARD. It identifies opportunities for member states to cooperate to jointly develop key military capabilities.

For the first time, the adoption of the report is combined with the signing of letters of intent by member states in four areas: air and missile defense, electronic warfare, loitering munitions and surface ships.

– CARD's 2024 report is clear: national efforts, while necessary, will not be enough. The geopolitical landscape makes our cooperation, in addition to increased spending, essential to be ready for high-intensity war. Total defense spending of member states is expected to reach 1.9 percent of EU GDP in 2024, said the head of EU diplomacy and head of the European Defense Agency. Josep Borrell.

He believes that additional defense funds should be spent as efficiently as possible and using some of them through joint European capability investments would be helpful.

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– We have identified specific opportunities for cooperation – and member states are taking action, as confirmed by four letters of intent signed by defense ministers to jointly take specific actions in these specific areas – he emphasized.

The scope of the letters of intent includes joint procurement, modernization and upgrades, as well as the long-term development of future capabilities. They can be implemented through the European Defense Agency or as part of the so-called permanent structured cooperation projects (PESCO).

In the case of integrated air and missile defense (IAMD), several member states (including Poland) have declared their intention to cooperate by purchasing anti-aircraft systems against unmanned aerial vehicles, ground-based anti-aircraft defense and ammunition.

In the medium term, Member States want to develop technologies to counter drone swarms and high-speed threats. In the long term, they plan to build a “robust IAMD architecture.”

In the case of electronic warfare, several member states (including Poland) also confirmed their willingness to jointly increase their capabilities through joint purchases of equipment, creation of data-sharing platforms and development of common doctrines, training and exercises. In the longer term, they want to focus on developing future systems, especially for jamming and counter-jamming.

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When it comes to loitering munitions, several EU countries (including Poland) share the intention to jointly purchase these systems and work on their further development. They will also work on the use of these systems by creating operational concepts, as well as conducting joint training, exercises and tests.

In the case of the European combat ship, several Member States have declared their intention to develop the next generation of ships. They plan to harmonize requirements, develop a business plan and prepare for joint procurement by 2040.

Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) is key to protecting Europe's critical infrastructure, urban areas and armed forces against an increasingly complex range of air threats, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial systems.

Electronic warfare plays a key role in modern conflicts, enabling the disruption of enemy communications and sensors while protecting allied forces from detection and disruption. This can ensure information dominance and protect security.

Loitering munitions are versatile systems that combine intelligence gathering with precision strikes. Recent military operations have confirmed the potential of this capability.