Read more about the article Policy recommendations for defence considering Von der Leyen’s speech on the State of the Union
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Policy recommendations for defence considering Von der Leyen’s speech on the State of the Union

On the morning of the 14th of September 2022, in the European Parliament, the State of the European Union (SOTEU) took place. Ursula Von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, had a very passionate speech touching upon the main priorities of the European Union for the present and the future. In her discourse, but more in general on all the interventions of the other European Parliament Members, some interesting insights for the European defence industry, and European militaries can be drawn.  Even if military affairs were not explicitly mentioned, the priorities and the guidelines they established should be applied also to the management of the armed forces. This InfoFlash analyses the main points of Von der Leyen’s speech to apply them to the defence sector and guide future investments in a European framework of cooperation and sustainability.

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15 September 2022
Read more about the article Legal Uncertainty Around the use of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems in International Armed Conflicts
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Legal Uncertainty Around the use of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems in International Armed Conflicts

Autonomous weapons systems incarnate one of the most debated evolution in warfare. War is based upon a simple negative definition of a lawful targets and the conduct of hostilities. Hence, only an authorised party can legally kill another according to the jus in bello. However, with the development of new technologies, legal questions arose around the use of lethal autonomous weapons systems in international or non-international conflicts.

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8 September 2022
Read more about the article How Italian Military Expenditure Reveals Rome’s Defence Strategy
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How Italian Military Expenditure Reveals Rome’s Defence Strategy

At the end of July 2022, the Italian Ministry of Defence presented to the Parliament the yearly Documento Programmatico Pluriennale (DPP), a policy paper outlining both the provisional and final defence budget for the 2022 fiscal year and the 2022-2024 triennia. The document offers insight into the activities involving the Ministry of Defence, as it defines the political priorities that the Ministry’s technical and administrative apparel must implement through the management of the allocated financial resources.

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7 September 2022
Read more about the article <strong>Implications of the Polish Land Forces Modernisation</strong>
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Implications of the Polish Land Forces Modernisation

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Belarus’ alignment with Russia, Poland went on a shopping spree and returned with 1.000 K2 tanks and 672 K9 self-propelled howitzers from South Korea (Dmitruk, 2022). Earlier, Poland ordered 336 M1 Abrams tanks and requested 500 HIMARS and eight Patriot batteries in the United States (Tiles, 2022). Although most contracts have yet to be approved, the announcements signal Poland’s military ambitions of becoming the foremost land army in Europe. The numbers are reminiscent of Western Germany during the Cold War. As a frontline state, Western Germany fielded over 2.000 Leopard 2 tanks and several thousand Leopard 1 tanks. Besides the sheer numbers, the choice of suppliers is equally noteworthy. What does this paradigm shift tell us and how could it affect the European security landscape and the defence industry?

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31 August 2022
Read more about the article Forming New Generation of Cyber-Fighter: How Armies Are Trying to Improve Military’s Education and Training Panoply on Cybersecurity Issues
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Forming New Generation of Cyber-Fighter: How Armies Are Trying to Improve Military’s Education and Training Panoply on Cybersecurity Issues

As cyber security became a more prominent issue in modern conflict, armies must adapt education and training given within schoolhouses to their military. Some of them already reviewed their program and infrastructure to rise substantially the level of skills and knowledge detained by their soldier. Although the recent aggression of Russia gives some food for thought and helps West’s armies to incorporate lessons from the battlefield, many states did not waited for a high-intensity conflict to develop their cyber security architecture and capacities. 

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29 August 2022