Sounds Strategic The Military Balance 2026
Feb 24, 2026
Henry Boyd, expert on US–China military dynamics and PLA modernisation. Ruben Stewart, specialist in land warfare and unmanned systems. Esther Sabatino, analyst of defence procurement and European support for Ukraine. Fenella McGerty, defence economist tracking spending and industrial policy. They discuss Europe’s spending surge and procurement bottlenecks. They cover institutionalised drone warfare, Gulf industrialisation and shifting US–China military competition.
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Gulf Industrialisation Through National Champions
- Gulf states are pursuing industrial localisation via national champions: EDGE employs 15,000+ and SAMI aims for top-25 by 2030.
- These conglomerates are central to Saudi and UAE plans to secure sovereign supply chains and tech.
Shift Funding From Procurement To Readiness
- European governments must rebalance spending from procurement/R&D to sustainment and readiness as new equipment enters service.
- Countries should time the shift to O&M, personnel, and readiness to avoid procurement-heavy blind spots.
Bureaucracy Is Europe's Procurement Bottleneck
- European procurement bottlenecks are bureaucratic: slow parliamentary approvals, risk-averse administration, and legacy processes hinder speed.
- Germany's new law uses direct allocation and Article 346 to speed procurement but may erode EU trust.