Integration of Dual-Use Innovation Ecosystems: Building Europe’s Technological Core for Readiness 2030

The White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030 and the Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030 both identify innovation as a decisive pillar of Europe’s capacity to achieve strategic autonomy and technological sovereignty. The documents establish that readiness in the twenty-first century depends not only on military equipment or industrial output but on the ability to continuously generate, absorb, and deploy new technologies. Innovation is explicitly described as a defence capability enabler and a structural condition of deterrence. The texts state that the full potential of innovation for defence — including dual-use technologies — must be “tapped” to maintain Europe’s competitiveness and resilience. This marks a conceptual shift from traditional armament strategies to a model of dynamic technological readiness. Within this framework, innovation becomes both a scientific and industrial process: the conversion of research into operational capabilities through coordinated governance. By embedding innovation into Readiness 2030, the European Union positions technological leadership as the connective tissue linking science, industry, finance, and security, ensuring that each research investment contributes directly to the Union’s strategic posture.