Capabilities - Missiles, Drones, Space, Sanctions and the Neutrals

Curated by Robin Ashby

May - July 2026

This paper — the third in a series of four — addresses the capability layers that give the institutional architecture of Paper II its operational substance. Papers I and II established the strategic case and the institutional framework. Paper IV addresses the industrial and procurement foundation. This paper covers missiles and air defence; drones and the lessons of Ukraine; Galileo as the space-based navigation layer; sanctions as economic collective defence; and the contribution framework available to the EU's neutral and non-aligned member states.

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The Institutional Architecture - connecting the Assets That Already Exist

Curated by Robin Ashby

May - July 2026This paper — the second in a series of four — addresses the institutional architecture needed to give Article 42.7 of the Treaty on European Union genuine operational weight. Paper I established the strategic case: the closing window, the hybrid threat scenarios, the five gaps, the command and control debate including the February 2026 JFC command transfer, and the decision-making reforms available within existing treaty law. This paper addresses what the collective defence architecture should concretely look like: the communautaire assets that already exist and need connecting; the bilateral and minilateral frameworks that provide working models; and the maritime dimension. Paper III addresses capabilities and Paper IV the industrial and procurement foundation.

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