“New Defence” in Europe: How Disruption and Dual-Use Technologies Recast European Security

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European security and defence policy is undergoing a profound transformation characterised by accelerated rearmament and an increased adoption of dual-use emerging and disruptive technologies (EDTs). This prologue situates these shifts within a liminal geopolitical state, neither peacetime nor outright war in Europe, which has enabled exceptional policy measures while blurring civilian-military boundaries. It foregrounds the concept of “New Defence”, which describes the EU’s evolving defence paradigm, marked by the infusion of venture capital approaches, software-first innovation, and startup-style agility into the European defence ecosystem. Drawing on recent EU initiatives, especially the EU’s 2025 Defence Industry Transformation Roadmap, the prologue argues that disruption has become a central governance logic rather than a descriptor of technological change. By examining the socio-political construction of disruption, the analysis highlights risks associated with the militarisation of civilian research, democratic oversight, and increasing dependence on private technology actors. The prologue lays the conceptual groundwork for analysing Europe’s defence transformation as a highly political and contested process with significant societal and international consequences.