2026 Transatlantic Defense Tech: Building the Next Chapter

Описание: On 10 March, Baker McKenzie, R+ VC, and RAINCLOUD DEFENSE had the pleasure of bringing together 200 leaders from all over the world and across the defense, technology, investment, and government communities for Transatlantic Defense Tech: Building the Next Chapter, hosted at the Baker McKenzie office in Warsaw.

Discussions at the event reflected a broader shift shaping the European defense landscape today: from policy commitments to operational delivery. As defense budgets increase across NATO, the key question is no longer whether to invest, but how to translate funding into deployable capabilities, at speed and at scale.

Several themes emerged consistently across conversations with leaders from government, military, investment, technology and engineering sectors:

➡️ Procurement models are under pressure. Legacy multi-year processes are often misaligned with the pace of technological change, particularly in areas such as drone and counter drone systems.
➡️ Private capital is becoming a critical enabler. It is not only a source of funding, but also a mechanism for absorbing early stage risk and accelerating dual use innovation.
➡️ Ukraine is redefining innovation cycles in defense. Rapid feedback loops between battlefield needs and technology development are setting a new benchmark for adaptability.
➡️ Interoperability remains a structural challenge. Fragmented systems across NATO continue to limit the full operational potential of combined capabilities.
➡️ Strategic autonomy in supply chains and emerging technologies, including space and advanced systems, is moving higher on the European agenda.