The Apollo missions brought us rechargeable hearing-aid batteries and quakeproof buildings. The European defense industry is now looking for its own “NASA moment”

The Apollo missions yielded numerous innovations that found civilian applications, from rechargeable hearing-aid batteries to quake-proof buildings. The European defense industry, envious of these successes, is now seeking its own "NASA moment." Defense spending has surged in recent years due to geopolitical tensions, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war and America's waning willingness to accept an all-encompassing alliance.

In the UK, defense turnover reached £36.5bn ($49.6bn) in 2026, a 65% increase over the past decade, while EU defense turnover now stands at €148bn ($172.3bn) annually, a 60% rise since 2021. The defense sector is reviving once-bankrupt engineering and manufacturing industries, attracting investment and creating well-paid jobs in areas previously plagued by manufacturing decline.

To generate a "NASA moment," the EU defense industry must promote the civilian benefits of defense innovation, demonstrating that even bomb and drone production yields civilian advantages beyond mere protection. The U.K. has launched the Technology and Growth Alliance to foster this connection, with spin-offs like BAE Systems' ultrasound technology for oil and gas and nuclear power plants, and Stirling X developing drone technology to map critical infrastructure.

In France, the Agence Innovation Defense promotes dual-use technologies, while NATO's DIANA (Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic) performs a similar role. Google was partly funded by the U.S. defense sector, underscoring the potential for defense innovations to drive long-term economic growth.