Defense Industry Leaders Support EU’sโค Proposed Drone Defense System
October 2, โ2025 -โ Major European defense companiesโ – BAE Systems, Saab, and โฃRheinmetall – have โฃexpressed support for the European Union’s initiative to establish a comprehensive drone defense system, often referred to as a “drone wall,” alongโข its eastern flank. The โplan gained momentum as EUโข leaders convened on Wednesday, with several nations contributing anti-drone equipment, โคexpertise, and personnel to bolster Denmark’s defenses.
Rheinmetall, in particular, advocates for a โขlayered approach to counter-drone technology, emphasizing the cost-effectiveness of cannon-based systems. “We believeโ that a combination of several countermeasures must be implemented,with cannon-based drone defenseโค taking centre stage in our view,as this is the only cost-effective measure,” a Rheinmetall spokesperson stated. Thay furtherโค clarifiedโ thatโ a cannon-basedโข system represents the “ideal means” of defending against drones at close range, balancing cost, efficiency, and reliability.
Theโข progress of the drone defense system is also being welcomed by smaller players in the defense sector. Jens Holzapfel,โ business director at Swedish defense droneโ company Nordic Air Defense (NAD), described the plan as “bold and ambitious,” adding, “I think it is indeed very critically important and we certainly welcome that initiative as every investment in drone defenseโข is much โคneeded and, of course, it is very pleasant to see that European leaders are uniting around a common perception of the threat.”
Though, Holzapfel cautioned against oversimplification, noting that the “drone wall” will require a complex โคnetwork ofโข interoperable radars, sensors, and countermeasures. He also highlighted the potential for droneโ attacks originating within EU territory, referencing Ukraine’s earlierโค “spiderweb” drone attack on targets deep inside russia as a possible inspirationโ for non-state actors orโ nation-stateโ adversaries.
Holzapfel expressed concern thatโ bureaucraticโ hurdles and internal disagreements between EU member states could hinder the project’s timely implementation. “My concern is that theโข establishment of the drone wall will drown in โคthe regular โEuropean bureaucracy and haggling betweenโ member โstates over who’s calling the shots, and whichโ companies will be involved, andโค so forth,” he said. โ”It’s last minute to establish a drone wall and I’m worried thatโ we will not be able toโ pull this โoff at the speed that is required.”
Ukraine, with significant experience in drone warfare after three years of conflict with Russia, is also contributing its anti-drone expertise to the effort.