(Re)Building Muscle: Reducing Europe’s Dependence on the U.S. Defense Industrial Base

Abstract The article analyzes Europe’s dependence on the US defense industry and strategies for reducing this dependence. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, the war in Israel, and the protection of international shipping have strained the US industry and exposed the vulnerabilities of European stocks. The article concludes that strengthening the European defense industry is strategically beneficial for NATO, as it increases Russia’s deterrence capability and reduces political and military dependence on the US. It proposes increasing European production, cooperating on licensed sharing, purchasing equipment from other allies, and making sustained investments in the defense sector for long-term resilience.