Germany is rapidly reinventing its defence sector, channelling billions into Artificial Intelligence (AI), drone tech, and military innovation with start-ups like Helsing leading a once-unthinkable arms race in Europe.
Gundbert Scherf, co-founder of Helsing, says Europe is undergoing a defence revolution that mirrors the scale of the Manhattan Project.
His Munich-based AI and military drone start-up has soared in valuation to $12 billion, signalling Europe’s dramatic pivot.
“Europe this year, for the first time in decades, is spending more on defence technology acquisition than the U.S.,” Scherf said.
Germany, long shaped by postwar pacifism, is now unleashing a surge in defence spending — planning to nearly triple its budget to €162 billion ( $185.4 billion) by 2029.
Since U.S. President Donald Trump's return to the political stage and his renewed questioning of America's commitment to NATO, Germany has committed to meet the alliance's new target of 3.5% of GDP on defence spending by 2029 - faster than most European allies.
In line with this increased defence commitment, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s administration is prioritizing AI, autonomous systems, and battlefield innovation. This transformation is reshaping Berlin’s traditionally cautious military procurement model, with a new draft law easing funding for startups and reserving bids for European Union firms.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius made it clear, “Money is no longer an excuse, it’s there now.” The message has sparked a gold rush in military innovation.
From swarm-controlled cyborg cockroaches to unmanned submarines and battlefield robots, Germany’s tech scene is going military fast.
Germany is now the second-biggest military supporter of Ukraine and the de facto leader of Europe’s defence future.
“We want to help give Europe its spine back,” said Scherf, and with the Mittelstand powering production and top-tier talent flooding in, the German defence awakening is no longer theoretical, it's operational.
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Servic...
Russian parliamentary elections have delivered a comfortable win to the ruling United Russia party, which is closely aligned to President Vladimir ...
A powerful typhoon was approaching Japan’s Pacific coast on Monday, bringing torrential rain, strong winds and a heightened risk of landslide...
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes military action against Tehran.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday (19 September) the creation of an “AI Force” and plans to appoint an artificial intelligence (AI) czar, while rejecting calls to slow the development of increasingly powerful AI systems.
Google’s Gemini AI model accessed the internet and hacked three companies during a cybersecurity test, in what is believed to be the first known case of the company’s AI systems autonomously carrying out such activity.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 18 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in the field of science.
French prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into suspected sexual harassment involving smart glasses, amid mounting global concern over the privacy risks posed by the devices.
Some of the world’s most powerful technology executives are lobbying U.S. President Donald Trump over artificial intelligence regulation, exposing growing divisions within the industry over how governments should respond to rapidly advancing AI.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment