Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury highlighted on Friday at Forum Europa in Brussels that Europe invests significantly less in military equipment than the United States, emphasising that there is no freedom or prosperity “without security.”
“We have taken security for granted for too long,” Faury noted at this event, organized by the New Economy Forum in the EU capital. He reiterated that “defence facilitates security, freedom, and prosperity.”
Faury acknowledged the differences in political visions between Europe and the United States, noting that while Europe spends roughly 20% of what the U.S. invests in defence, the fragmented nature of European defence procurement further compounds the challenge.
“Nearly all the military equipment the U.S. buys is from its domestic suppliers, while Europe sources less than half of its defence equipment from European manufacturers. This lack of scale is exacerbated by each country operating its own defence procurement processes to meet national needs,” he explained.
Faury called for a “consolidation of both demand and supply” across Europe’s defence ecosystem. “The consolidation of supply cannot happen without the consolidation of demand,” he stressed.
As an example of successful European collaboration, Faury pointed to Airbus Helicopters: “A German, French, Spanish, and European company that is the global leader in helicopters. This demonstrates what can be achieved when countries work together.”
However, he warned that similar progress has not been made in many other defence assets, adding that the situation in space is “even more fragmented” despite its strategic importance for Europe. “In industries where scale matters, fragmentation is a recipe for failure,” Faury stated.
He also emphasised the importance of transatlantic relationships. “This is not about the U.S. against Europe or vice versa. We compete, but we also cooperate extensively, and NATO remains vital in today’s world,” Faury said.
Concluding, he underscored that “defence, space, aerospace, and aviation are not optional - they are essential pillars of Europe’s future in connectivity, mobility, and security. Only bold, coordinated actions by governments, institutions, and industry will lead to success.”
Airbus calls for greater European defence cooperation to strengthen security and autonomy
