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.
Khamenei's successor to be announced as Trump says the United States "don’t need people that join ...
U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran to expect further strikes on Saturday (7 March). In a post on social media, he said Iran would be '...
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened further attacks on Iran on Saturday (7 March), while the Uni...
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s second largest city in the early hours of Saturday (7 March) killed 10 people, inc...
Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport came under attack in heavy airstrikes on early Saturday morning (7 March), Iranian ne...
U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran to expect further strikes on Saturday (7 March). In a post on social media, he said Iran would be 'hit very hard'. His comments came a week into the conflict with Iran, which has spread across the Middle East.
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened further attacks on Iran on Saturday (7 March), while the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia continued to shoot down missiles in their airspace. Meanwhile, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would stop attacking its neighbours.
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s second largest city in the early hours of Saturday (7 March) killed 10 people, including two children. Kharkiv mayor, Ihor Terekov, said 10 residents died after a Russian ballistic missile hit a five storey apartment block in the city.
Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport came under attack in heavy airstrikes on early Saturday morning (7 March), Iranian news agencies reported.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran to expect further strikes on Saturday (7 March). In a post on social media, he said Iran would be 'hit very hard'. His comments came a week into the conflict with Iran, which has spread across the Middle East.
The Azerbaijani State Security Service has said it has stopped Iran committing terror attacks against four targets in the country: Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, the Israeli Embassy in Azerbaijan, a leader of the Mountain Jews religious community and the "Ashkenazi" synagogue.
The Israeli military says it has destroyed an underground bunker beneath Iran’s leadership complex in Tehran that it claims was built for former supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Global market valuation of virtual currencies has surged to an unprecedented $2.73 trillion, approaching half the value of the world’s gold reserves. Yet for many investors, the promise of decentralisation is overshadowed by a growing concern: digital assets may be seized without prior warning.
U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” almost a week into the conflict with Tehran. Trump made the comments on social media on Friday (6 March), hours after the Iranian president said unspecified countries had begun mediation efforts.
Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD is pushing to make charging an electric car almost as quick and convenient as filling up a traditional petrol vehicle - a move that could help remove one of the biggest barriers to wider electric vehicle adoption.
South Korea will soon cease to be one of the few countries where Google Maps does not function fully, after its security-conscious government reversed a two-decade-old policy and approved the export of high-precision map data to overseas servers.
New research suggests 40,000-year-old carved objects from south-western Germany bear repeated marks arranged in organised sign sequences similar to early proto-cuneiform, although they are not regarded as a form of writing.
The chief executive of Google DeepMind, Demis Hassabis, has called for more urgent research into the risks posed by artificial intelligence, warning that stronger safeguards are needed as systems become more advanced.
NASA successfully completed a critical fueling rehearsal on Thursday (19 February) for its giant moon rocket, Artemis II, after earlier hydrogen leaks disrupted preparations for the next crewed lunar mission. The launch is scheduled for 6 March, according to the latest information from NASA.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment