IntheEUDefenceDeclassifiedpodcast,EDAofficialsandsomeoftheforemostexpertsdiscusstoday’smostpressingdefenceissuesandtrendsinEuropeanUnionmilitarycooperation.
IfyouarecuriousaboutEUdefenceandEDA,thentheEUDefenceDeclassifiedpodcastisforyou.
EUDefenceDeclassified,broughttoyoubytheEuropeanDefenceAgency(EDA),delvesintotheworldofEuropeandefenceanddiscussessomeofthemostpressingchallengesfortheEU:howtobetterprotectitscitizens,defenditsvaluesandsafeguarditsinterests.
Inconversationswithourexpertsandinvitees,EDA’scommunicationsteamhelpstoanalysetoday’sissues,whethertheybenicheindustrialtopicsorthehistoricalsweepofEUintegration.IfyouarecuriousaboutEUdefenceandEDA,thentheEUDefenceDeclassifiedpodcastisforyou.
Inthisspecialepisode,wedelveintothehistoryandachievementsoftheEuropeanDefenceAgency(EDA)asitcelebratesits20thanniversary.Joinusasweexplorethepivotalmoments,challengesovercome,andtheevolvingroleoftheEDAinshapingEuropeandefence.WefeatureinsightsfromEDAChiefExecutiveJií?edivyandEDA’sfirstChiefExecutiveNickWitney,nowwiththeEuropeanCouncilonForeignRelations(ECFR).
CyberdefenceplaysacrucialroleinprotectingEUcitizens.WithDavidLopezAntunes(EDA)andMerleMaigre(e-GovernanceAcademy),wediscussthenatureandevolutionofcyberthreats,theirimpactonconflictssuchasRussia'swarofaggressionagainstUkraine,andtheethicsofcyberattacks.WealsoaddressthequestionforaunifiedEuropeancyberstrategy,EDA'sinitiativestoenhanceMemberStates'cyberdefence,andhearinsightsfromtheprivatesector.Lastly,wehighlightthemostdisruptiveemergingtechnologiesincyberspace.
MilitarymobilityiscrucialfortherapidandefficientmovementofmilitaryassetsacrossEurope.Againsttoday’sgeopoliticalbackdrop,weexplorewhyenhancingmilitarymobilityisessentialforastrongEuropeandefence.Wealsodiscusstheconceptofa"militarySchengen,"thechallengesoftransportingmilitaryresources,andtheinitiativesbytheEU,EDA,andNATOtoimprovemobility.Wealsodiscussfundingissuesandbalancingsecuritywithtransparency.JoinMajorGeneralAndréDenk(EDA)andGeneralBenHodges(formerCommandingGeneralUSArmyEurope)foranin-depthdiscussion.
UnmannedAerialSystems(UAS),commonlyknownasdrones,arerevolutionizingmoderntechnologyandwarfare.WithJo?oCaetano(EDA)andRossMcKenzie(NATO),wediscussdrones'rapidtransformationandkeyrole,especiallyinconflictssuchasRussia'swarofaggressionagainstUkraine.Wecoverlegalandethicaltopicsinwarfareandcivilianuse,militarydrones'integrationintocivilianairspace,andNATO-EDAcooperation.Lastly,weexplorethepotentialforfullyautonomousoperationsinthefuture.
WomenhaveservedindiverseandimpactfulrolesthroughoutEuropeanmilitaryhistory.Despitetheircontributions,womenremainaminoritywithinthearmedforces.Today,astheEUprioritisestheUNWomen,PeaceandSecurity(WPS)agendaandNATOadaptsits2018WPSpolicytoaddresscurrentsecuritychallenges,asignificanttransformationisunderway.Inthisepisode,weinvestigatethebarriersthathinderwomenfromjoiningandadvancingwithinthemilitary.WealsoassessEUandMemberStates’sstrategiestoenhancewomen'sparticipation,andreviewtheprogressmadetodate.
Inatimeofrapidinnovation,manyEUcountrieslaginresearchanddevelopmentinvestment,whileinvestorsgrapplewithethicalconcernsandthedefencesector'spublicimage.Astechnologyevolves,questionsariseaboutinnovationdynamics,financingsustainability,andindustrystrength.FedericaValente(EDA)andJanPie(Aerospace,Security&DefenceIndustriesAssociationofEurope)provideinsightsintoinnovationshifts,EDA'sHubforEUDefenceInnovation(HEDI),andfinancingstrategies.Wealsoexplorenurturinginnovationculture,politicalsupport,andimprovingindustry-governmentpartnerships.
PollsshowcitizensexpecttheEUtoprotectthem.We'vewitnessedRussia'ssenselessinvasionofUkraine,butwealreadyhavenationalmilitariesandNATO.Inthisfirstepisode,wediscusswithJií?edivy,EDA’sChiefExecutive,whyweneedEUdefencecooperationandwhytheEUshouldhavethecapacitytoact.
Afteryearsofdeclinesindefencespending,it'ssafetosaythere'sanewpoliticalwilltoreinforcetheEuropeandefenceindustry.Inthissecondepisode,wediscusswithPieterTaal,EDA’sHeadofUnitforIndustryStrategy&EUPolicies,whethertheEuropeandefenceindustryisingoodshape,ifthereisenoughcooperationbetweencountriesandindustry,andwhethertherecaneverbeapan-Europeandefenceindustry.
EUleadershavepledgedtoprotectEUcitizensandtheirvalues.Butwe'vealsoseenthatRussia'swarinUkrainehasgivenNATOasenseofrenewalanditisinfactNATOthatmanyEuropeangovernmentshavegravitatedtowards.Inthisthirdepisode,wediscusswithMaximeRoclore,EDASeniorPolicyOfficer,wheretheEuropeanUnionfitsintothepuzzleofcollectivedefenceandwhatexactlyitmeanstobroadenanddeepencooperationbetweenNATOandtheEU.
Climatechangeisoneofthedefiningissuesofourtimeandalsoforthedefenceandsecuritysectors.Weknowthatmilitariesareaheavypolluterandtheyareevendefinedbysomeassignificantcontributorstoclimatechange.Inthisfinalepisodeoftheseries,weaskMajaKuzel,EDA'sProjectOfficerforEnergySupport,andConstantinosHadjisavvas,ProjectOfficerforEnergy,howEUdefencecanbecomegreener,lesspolluting,andhelpbuildamoresustainablefutureforall.