Krakow, Poland. Europe’s five biggest defence powers have agreed on a multi-million euro project to bring low-cost air-defence systems, including autonomous drones or missiles, into production within 12 months, ministers said on Friday.
Ministers agree on low-cost air-defence initiative
The European Group of Five Defence Ministers, which includes France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Britain, met in Krakow as European leaders work to boost defence capabilities amid increased European doubts about Washington’s commitment to protecting the continent.
Britain’s Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard said the effort was a “multi-million pound, multi-million euro commitment” to advance the technology. He said ministers were hopeful it would produce an “effector” that would be in production within 12 months.
In military terminology, “effectors” are the components of a system that produce a physical effect, while “autonomous platforms” are unmanned systems capable of independent decision-making.
LEAP programme and delivery timeline
The initiative, called the ‘Low-Cost Effectors and Autonomous Platforms’ programme and known as LEAP, involves developing advanced low-cost air-defence systems such as autonomous drones or missiles, according to a separate UK government statement.
The UK government said the first project under LEAP will be delivered by 2027.
Ukraine war cited as driver of change
Ministers referenced lessons from the war in Ukraine, which has shown how autonomous interceptor drones can provide an effective alternative to costly air-defence missiles, and said Kyiv’s European allies are keen to learn from its experience.
Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said the countries had signed a commitment on the joint development of drone-based strike capabilities, low-cost joint production, and joint procurement of low-cost drone effectors and payloads. He said technologies were changing and that governments must respond quickly.
What do you think the LEAP initiative could change about how European countries develop and procure air-defence systems?