How laser weapons could change the economics of European air defence

Europe’s air defence challenge is changing rapidly. Drones, ballistic and hypersonic missiles are creating new threats, while governments face difficult questions about how quickly – and affordably – they can strengthen their defences. In this episode of Designed for Advantage, Lord John Hutton, former UK Secretary of State for Defence and former chair of the Royal United Services Institute, joins Shephard to discuss how European countries can respond. Hutton examines the economics of intercepting low-cost threats with expensive conventional systems and considers the role high-energy laser weapons could play in a layered air defence network. He also explores NATO cooperation, gaps in European capabilities and why governments may need to rethink traditional defence procurement timelines. The discussion covers lessons emerging from recent conflicts, the challenge of protecting critical national infrastructure and deployed forces, and whether Europe can acquire new air defence capabilities quickly enough to respond to a rapidly evolving threat environment. Topics include: the changing air threat; the economics of air defence; high-energy laser weapons; NATO cooperation; European capability gaps; and accelerating defence procurement. To learn more and view earlier episodes, visit the Designed For Advantage content hub (https://www.shephardmedia.com/content...) .