The Future of Military Sustainment: Humans, Machines, and Autonomous Systems

This article explores the transformative potential of Human-Machine Teaming (HMT) and Human-Autonomy Teaming (HAT) in enhancing sustainment operations for European land forces. It examines how these paradigms can revolutionise logistics, battlefield repair, and medical support by combining human adaptability with autonomous precision and efficiency. By exploring the increasing demands of dynamic and contested environments, the paper highlights the strategic importance of adopting these technologies for European militaries to achieve greater resilience and operational effectiveness in future large-scale combat scenarios.

Comments Off on The Future of Military Sustainment: Humans, Machines, and Autonomous Systems

Ceasefire in Gaza: The Fragile Agreement Between Israel and Hamas

On December 19th, 2024, a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into force in Gaza, halting the onslaught that has razed most of the Strip to the ground in the past fifteen months (Ewing, 2025; Shotter et al., 2025). The agreement followed months of draining negotiations brokered by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, with the backing of the United States (Mills & Mackenzie, 2025). It involves three stages, the first of which started with a few hours delay, displaying the truce’s fragility (Boxerman, 2025). The deal should last 42 days and provide for the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli prisons (Livni & Boxerman, 2025). Moreover, Israel will have to withdraw its forces from Gaza’s population centres to areas no more than 700 metres inside Gaza’s border with Israel, allowing civilians to return to what remains of their homes and a surge of aid into the enclave (Al Jazeera Staff, 2025).

Comments Off on Ceasefire in Gaza: The Fragile Agreement Between Israel and Hamas

EU-Japan Strategic Partnership: Asian Influence on European Defence

The EU-Japan Security and Defence Partnership marks a transformative chapter in transregional cooperation, reflecting shared values of democracy, multilateralism, and the rule of law. This paper explores the brief evolution, core components, and strategic implications of the partnership that highlight its significance in addressing contemporary security challenges. Japan’s departure from its pacifist stance and increased integration into global defence frameworks, such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) and NATO interoperability, complement the EU’s aspirations for strategic autonomy and expanded influence in the Indo-Pacific. Key areas of the proposed cooperation include military collaboration, cybersecurity, and space defence. Both actors agree on the alignment of strategic interests to counter threats from authoritarian regimes, regional instabilities, and hybrid warfare. The partnership also emphasises capacity-building initiatives to promote peace and stability globally. The paper argues that this partnership serves as a model for navigating geopolitical tensions in the Pacific theatre, including the challenges posed by China, North Korea, and Russia. Amidst uncertainties, such as the impact of the invasion of Ukraine and foreign policy shifts in the American presidency, the EU-Japan alliance represents a pivotal step toward resilient strategic autonomy in the region.

Comments Off on EU-Japan Strategic Partnership: Asian Influence on European Defence

The Economies of Scale of Joint Defence Procurement

This paper examines the role of economies of scale in addressing inefficiencies within the fragmented European defence sector. Despite ongoing geopolitical challenges, Europe’s defence industry struggles with duplicated efforts, inflated costs, and a lack of standardisation due to its decentralised structure. The analysis explores the historical roots of fragmentation, evaluates current debates on defence spending efficiency, and outlines strategies such as aggregating demand, increasing joint procurement, promoting consolidation, fostering cross-border collaboration, and reinforcing European preference in procurement. Theoretical insights into economies of scale highlight the potential for reducing costs and enhancing production capabilities, particularly through unified procurement and joint industrial efforts. The study further investigates the constraints faced by both major defence contractors and SMEs, as well as recent European Commission initiatives, including coordinated R&D at the pan-European level. Concluding with actionable policy recommendations, the paper provides a roadmap for consolidating Europe’s defence industry, emphasising the necessity of strategic integration and collective investment to enhance the continent’s strategic autonomy and industrial resilience.

Comments Off on The Economies of Scale of Joint Defence Procurement

Episode 6: European Military Support for Ukraine

In this episode of StrategicALLY, hosts Zsigmond Tar and Katharina Brzuska discuss with Gustav Gressel, an expert in Eastern Europe, Russia and in military affairs, the European military support for Ukraine. Drawing from valuable experience at the Austrian Ministry of Defence and the European Council on Foreign Relations, he offers details on the current situation in Ukraine and explains how the war has evolved through nearly three years. As we address areas such as the coordination of arms deliveries, the role of advanced weapons and drone warfare, this episode aims to provide insight into the challenges Ukraine faces in maintaining its defence and sovereignty. The sounds for this podcast were edited by Irina Antonescu.

Comments Off on Episode 6: European Military Support for Ukraine