EU Allocates €910M to Boost Defence Innovation

The European Union has allocated €910 million under its latest European Defence Fund (EDF) round to spur cutting-edge defence innovation and close critical capability gaps. Announced in May 2025, this investment will finance 62 collaborative defence R&D projects across Europe, focusing on high-priority areas such as drones, next-generation combat aircraft, hypersonic missile defense, and other emerging technologies. It represents the largest annual tranche of EU defence research funding to date, reflecting the bloc’s determination to foster a strong and innovative military-industrial base. “This is a major step to reinforce Europe’s strategic autonomy,” said EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, emphasizing that the EDF support spans both advanced R&D and real-world capabilities. The €910 million allocation is part of the EU’s broader push (through the EDF 2021–2027 budget of nearly €8 billion) to ensure European armed forces have access to home-grown cutting-edge solutions.