Read more about the article The Impact of Intergovernmentalism on Interoperability in Developing a Common European Defence
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The Impact of Intergovernmentalism on Interoperability in Developing a Common European Defence

As Europe faces evolving security challenges, the need for a unified and common approach to defence within the EU has never been more pressing. Yet the intergovernmental model of governance, with its emphasis on national sovereignty, significantly hampers the EU's ability to develop a cohesive defence ecosystem. This article investigates this issue from the perspective of interoperability, defined as the ability of different systems or actors to work together in an efficient and coordinated manner. Given the plasticity of this concept, it can be articulated in various ways, and in this case is tripartite in its institutional, material and strategic dimensions. Therefore, this paper dissects the impact of intergovernmental logic on these interoperability dimensions while highlighting the European Commission's emerging role in transcending these limitations through entrepreneurial political activities. In conclusion, this analysis highlights the critical interplay between national sovereignty and collective defence efforts within the EU.

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6 March 2025
Read more about the article Beyond Exquisite: Europe’s Defence Strategy in the Era of Precise Mass
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Beyond Exquisite: Europe’s Defence Strategy in the Era of Precise Mass

As precision strike capabilities proliferate globally, European states face the strategic dilemma of finding the right balance between mass and precision in their defence posture. Historically reliant on high-quality, exquisite systems, a legacy of the Cold War, their militaries must adapt to an era where lower-cost, mass-produced precision weapons are reshaping modern warfare. While the United States is recalibrating its strategy toward a mix of stealth and scale, Europe must craft its own approach, factoring in its industrial capacity, geopolitical imperatives, and alliance commitments. Successfully developing and integrating attritable systems without undermining technological superiority will be necessary to strengthen European armed forces and ensure long-term operational readiness. This article argues that European defence planners must rethink force structures and procurement strategies, striking the right balance between quality and quantity to enhance flexibility and credible deterrence in a volatile regional environment.

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5 March 2025
Read more about the article Checks and Balances in the High North: The British Vision of the Arctic
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Checks and Balances in the High North: The British Vision of the Arctic

The UK’s Arctic strategy is shaped by evolving geopolitical, military, and environmental challenges. Although not a part of the Arctic, the British Army plays a crucial role for the greater securitisation of the region. This paper examines the UK's defence contributions in the High North, focusing on military cooperation with Arctic states, strategic deterrence measures, and environmental considerations. Key initiatives such as Project Heimdall, the F-35 Lightning II program, and the Littoral Response Group (North) illustrate the UK’s commitment to NATO’s Arctic security framework. Additionally, UK partnerships with Arctic nations highlight collaborative approaches to Arctic governance. With increasing Russian and Chinese activity in the region, the UK’s role is crucial in maintaining stability through joint exercises and surveillance initiatives. The paper also explores future policy directions, including UK-Scandinavian security alignment and transatlantic defence shifts. Balancing military preparedness with environmental stewardship remains a core challenge for UK policymakers. As Arctic geopolitics continue to evolve, the UK's strategic role will be integral to shaping a secure and sustainable Arctic future.

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4 March 2025
Read more about the article From Paper to Precision: Streamlining Weapon Issuance and Maintenance Through Automation
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From Paper to Precision: Streamlining Weapon Issuance and Maintenance Through Automation

This paper treats the topic of Weapon Management Systems and the benefits their automation would have on Innovation and Interoperability in the defence sector. It argues, specifically, that automation provides a way of improving the military landscape in its entirety with a bottom-up approach. Methodically, the research draws from the contemporary relevance of the concepts of Innovation and Interoperability to highlight how digitalising and streamlining military administration can have positive and lasting effects on the defence sector. In that, this paper finds that automation can benefit Innovation by furthering broad sections of the world of defence and the entanglement between these sections. Particularly here, the bottom-up perspective becomes an important aspect of how automation can improve the military land- scape. In the discussion about Interoperability, the bottom-up perspective offers insights into the flaws of current European frameworks in enhancing the military by making it more in- teroperable. The automation of Weapon Management Systems therefore serves as an overview of how seemingly smaller initiatives can positively impact relevant features of current defence needs. This research thus makes a bold attempt in trying to present new ways of implementing important steps in European defence.

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3 March 2025
Read more about the article Where are the Women? Hegemonic Masculinity and the Struggle for the Integration of Women into the Military
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Where are the Women? Hegemonic Masculinity and the Struggle for the Integration of Women into the Military

This research argues that the underlying problems behind the integration of women into the military lie in the hegemonic masculinity that embodies the institution as a whole. The research begins by theoretically outlining how this hegemonic masculinity takes form in institutional structures and how it constructs masculinised gender configurations. This is used as a foundation for an exploration of the practical dimensions of how hegemonic masculinity hampers the integration of women. The research finds that symbolism, language, and actions within the institution of the military are construed around hegemonic masculinity and that this is fundamentally obstructing the integration of women into the military, which has major Civil-Military and political implications on the current security context of Europe.

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27 February 2025