Defence sovereignty: Europe races to build low-cost weapons of the future (theguardian.com)

• Europe pushes for affordable drone swarms and AI-guided weapons
• Aims to cut dependency on US arms and increase strategic autonomy
• Coordination hurdles across national defence industries and standards

"Europe is accelerating efforts to develop low-cost weapon systems to enhance defence sovereignty, focusing on drones, AI-guided munitions, and autonomous vehicles. These initiatives aim to reduce reliance on non-European suppliers, particularly the US, and boost military autonomy amid geopolitical tensions. Key challenges include harmonizing national requirements and ensuring interoperability across European forces."