EU Sets 2026 Launch for Continental Drone and Anti-Air Initiatives
The European Commission plans to launch large-scale defense projects by 2026, including drone systems, air defense, and missile defense systems, as part of an ambitious five-year plan to rearm the continent.
The Gaze reports this, referring to Bloomberg.
The document, prepared by the European Commission, provides for a complete overhaul of military planning and procurement in the EU. By the end of 2027, the plan aims to carry out 40% of defense procurement jointly, which is more than double the current level (less than 20%).
“Militarised Russia poses a persistent threat to European security for the foreseeable future,” the document reads.
The plan will be presented on Thursday before leaders discuss it next week at a summit in Brussels.
“Tomorrow, we will propose clear objectives and milestones to close capability gaps, accelerate defense investments across Member States,” said commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier.
The document pays particular attention to joint projects in the areas of air and missile defense, drones, and countermeasures. Coalitions to manage these projects are to be formed by early 2026, with implementation scheduled to begin by mid-2026.
All contracts and financing must be concluded by the end of 2028 in order to achieve the ultimate goal of full EU combat readiness by 2030.
To support the build-up of defense capabilities, the bloc has already set up a €150 billion fund to finance various military projects.
At the same time, the document notes that despite the defense budget almost doubling from €218 billion in 2021 to €392 billion in 2025, member states' spending remains partially uncoordinated.
The European Commission plans to create covering drones, air and missile defense systems, and a space shield. These include new flagship EU defense projects such as the European Defense Against Drones initiative and the Eastern Flank Surveillance project.
Unlike the original “drone wall” concept, this plan does not focus exclusively on the eastern flank, but now covers the entire continent.
The document also proposes the creation of a fund of up to €1 billion with the participation of the European Investment Bank to support defense projects until 2026.
As The Gaze informed earlier, military aid to Ukraine declined sharply in the summer of 2025, despite the launch of NATO's new PURL initiative, while financial and humanitarian support remained stable.