Europe's defense revival: Joint weapon programs redefine security

The concept of European transnational programs for the procurement and design of new armaments is not new. For decades, countries across Europe have tried to collaborate and jointly design new weapon models, with varying degrees of success.

This endeavor faces significant challenges, such as differing expectations among countries, leading to design assumptions that are sometimes hard to reconcile.

As a result, transnational armament programs in Europe often end up as compromises, affecting the technical specifications of the equipment developed to satisfy the diverse expectations of different countries.

A notable example of successful cooperation is the SEPECAT Jaguar strike aircraft. Developed in the 1960s, it was designed to meet the needs of the air forces of both the United Kingdom and France.

This lightweight, relatively simple aircraft turned out to be a success. The partners initially planned to acquire 200 units each, and foreign buyers like Oman and India also showed interest. Ultimately, about 600 units of the Jaguar were produced, and both France and the United Kingdom used them during operations such as Desert Storm.

Even though the Jaguar is now over half a century old, it remains in service. Its last user is the Indian Air Force.

The Panavia Tornado is another success of international cooperation, built by the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy, with the Netherlands participating briefly. This twin-engine, two-seat aircraft with variable-sweep wings served as a heavy fighter, strike aircraft, and electronic warfare machine, capable of flying at low altitude by contouring the terrain.

The aircraft's radar scanned the ground ahead, creating a real-time map of obstacles, which highly advanced avionics ensured were automatically avoided. As a result, the Tornado could attack at supersonic speeds just 100 feet above the ground.

Although the Tornado aircraft first flew in 1974, the latest versions are still in service with the air forces of Italy and Germany, and outside Europe, with Saudi Arabia.

The Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft represents the biggest transnational success of the European defense industry to date. It is a multi-role, twin-engine machine with a canard aerodynamic design (triangular wings and front canards), classified as generation 4+.

This project was realized through the cooperation of four countries: Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy. The Eurofighter, which first flew in 1994, is still in development and continues to gain increased capabilities through successive production variants (versions Tranche 1, 2, 3, 4, 4+, and 5).

As it evolves, the Eurofighter is transforming from primarily a fighter aircraft into a versatile, multi-role machine, also capable of ground attacks and electronic warfare.

A prime example of longstanding and fruitful cooperation is the European anti-tank missile programs. The lightweight MILAN missile, developed in the 1970s by France and Germany, became a European standard for many decades. Licensed production was undertaken by countries such as the United Kingdom and Spain. Originally designed for infantry soldiers, the missile was also integrated into infantry fighting vehicles like the German Marder.

A missile with greater range, also jointly developed by France and Germany, is the HOT anti-tank guided missile, which holds capabilities comparable to the American TOW missile.

The wire-guided HOT has a range of up to 2.5 miles and was equipped on military vehicles and helicopters, becoming a European export hit used by around a dozen armies worldwide. Developed at the end of the 1970s, HOT found an international successor in the Trigat missile.

Another result of international collaboration is the air-launched cruise missiles Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG, jointly developed by France and the United Kingdom. In 2024, France, Germany, Poland, and Italy signed a letter of intent for the joint development of a ground-launched cruise missile.

The European Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopter is another example of collaboration, jointly built by France, Spain, and Germany. Development of this narrow-fuselage machine began during the Cold War. The helicopter incorporates innovative solutions, such as extensive use of composite materials and stealth (low observability) features.

Production was divided among the involved countries: the front part of the fuselage was made in Germany, the middle in France, and the rear in Spain. Each country then independently assembled their own helicopters from these components.

Despite its modernity, the Tiger helicopters encountered maintenance challenges due to high failure rates, partly related to issues with access to supplies and spare parts. As a result, Germany decided to retire the Tiger helicopters earlier than planned and replace them with lighter H145 machines.

Alongside the successful European armament programs, there have been initiatives that did not reach a successful conclusion. A prime example is the attempts to develop a European tank, undertaken through various initiatives since the 1950s.

The first attempt at tank cooperation between France and Germany resulted not in a joint machine but in two competing tanks: the Leopard 1 and the AMX-30.

The British-German program MBT-80 (and the earlier American-German MBT-70) also ended unsuccessfully. Work begun in the 1970s was meant to produce a joint next-generation tank, but both countries ultimately opted for independently developed vehicles: the Leopard 2 and the Challenger.

The idea of building a European tank has not been completely abandoned. France and Germany are currently working on it within the framework of the MGCS program. After nearly a decade of work, the project remains a general concept with a division of labor. The tank, if it comes to fruition, will not be built until the 2040s.