European procurement schemes and the European Defence Fund (EDF): how should academic research develop?

Abstract

Because of the recent deterioration of security and stability in the world, disruption of supply chains due to COVID-19, paying attention to national security and defence industries became of supreme importance for the stable development of European defence and security within both the Allied and the European frameworks. This article addresses the current trends in European security cooperation, with a narrower focus on national military-industrial complexes and defence industrial cooperation in the European Union (EU). The article analyses a few academic books on the subject and a wider academic/professional debate in order to illustrate which aspects of coverage are beneficial, which are missing with respect to the objectives of the European Defence Fund (EDF) and which spheres need to be developed further. The primary suggestion is to increase interdisciplinarity and the empirical/military capabilities side of defence research designs. In this way, a more significant impact and participation in policy shaping and capabilities development can be achieved.