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.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education, living costs and military service proposals. Violence erupted in Fra...
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's f...
Since 2021, only 9 per cent of $8 billion in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan can be traced beyond initial recipients in public re...
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
Two of the United States' largest technology companies reported robust revenue growth in their latest quarterly results, underscoring the continued impact of artificial intelligence and cloud computing on the sector.
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has praised Kazakhstan’s AI ambitions, highlighting its potential to become a global hub for Physical AI, launch startups and transform industries.
Türkiye is preparing to sue Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, over age-inappropriate content on social media, Turkish Education Minister Yusuf Tekin has said.
A judge in the U.S. state of New Mexico has ordered Meta to pay $25 billion after a jury found the company misled consumers, in a case linked to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment