European defense modernization is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, driven by NATO spending pressure and a rapidly evolving threat landscape, with investment surging into battle management systems, counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS), and artificial intelligence deployed at the tactical edge.
According to Bill Guyan, Senior Vice President of Business Development and President of International Business at Leonardo DRS, decades of deferred modernization have left many European forces vulnerable. “The combination of the administration’s pressure and attention, and also because of the change in the threat environment, we’re seeing dramatic spending increases and modernization of forces across Europe,” Guyan said. Key growth areas include air and missile defense, C-UAS, and next-generation command and control (C2), though industrial capacity constraints may delay procurement.
Battle Management Systems Move from Differentiator to Table Stakes
Battle management systems have evolved from simple GPS-based force tracking to sophisticated platforms capable of sharing text, graphics, and operational orders. “Battle Management System capabilities used to be a real differentiator. Now they’ve become table stakes for modern armies,” Guyan noted. The proliferation of Class 1 drones, which overwhelm traditional integrated air-and-missile-defense systems, has made a common operational picture (COP) essential for every soldier and vehicle.
A battle management system enables the rapid dissemination of threat data from sensors across the force. This COP is critical for countering the low-cost, high-volume drone threat, which can be as deadly as advanced systems if it finds its mark.
Layered C-UAS Architectures Require a Mosaic of Sensors
There is no single solution for the diverse drone threat, which ranges in speed, altitude, and payload. “Multiple types of detection and defeat mechanisms have to be employed in an integrated, overlapping way so they can reinforce one another and nothing can slip through,” Guyan explained. The enemy will target high-value, exquisite sensors, making resilience through layered defenses paramount.
Leonardo DRS advocates for a mesh of lower-cost, mobile, and transportable radars that can serve as gap fillers or, in extremis, be networked to provide a meaningful COP. “The quantity of those radars provides a quality unto itself because it provides built-in resiliency,” Guyan said, citing operational deployments in Israel and Ukraine where such systems are saving lives.
Pushing AI to the Edge for Real-Time Tactical Advantage
While much AI work occurs at the headquarters and cloud level, Leonardo DRS argues for pushing artificial intelligence down to the platform level. The U.S. Army’s Next Generation C2 (NGC2) exercises at the 4th and 25th Infantry Divisions are demonstrating how AI can be enabled on the battlefield. “They’re linking the problem of how to get AI on the battlefield, how to set up the data management layer, and how to transfer data across different systems to identify a target with one system and engage it with another,” Guyan said.
This shift toward real-time, edge-based AI processing allows commanders to act on sensor data faster than ever before, turning raw information into decisive action.
What This Means for European Defense
The convergence of battle management, layered C-UAS architectures, and edge AI signals a fundamental shift in how European forces will fight. The next decisive edge will not come from more missiles but from better data, smarter sensors, and AI pushed forward. For defense planners, the imperative is clear: invest in resilient, networked systems that can survive first strikes and maintain a shared, actionable picture of the battlefield.
— Originally reported by Breaking Def.. Adapted and republished with editorial context for SpaceSecurityNews.
