Airbus chief warns Europe is not ready for military confrontation with Russia

In an interview with The Guardian published on March 11, Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, Europe's largest defense and aerospace company, said the continent's defense industry is at a "decisive moment" as the Russia-Ukraine conflict enters its third year.

European nations have become too dependent on the United States for security and equipment, and have become “under-reliant” in key defense areas, Faury said, calling on the European Union (EU) and Britain to “join forces” and merge competing fighter jet programs.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury warns Europe is too dependent on the US for security and equipment

Mr Faury’s warning comes amid a series of threatening rhetoric from Russian officials. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently warned NATO countries that there was a risk of nuclear war if the West sent troops into Ukraine, after French President Emmanuel Macron urged allies not to rule out the possibility.

"I don't think Europe really has the level of preparation needed for a conflict between Europe and Russia. It's just a matter of saying it. And it seems like Russia is increasing its defense capabilities," Mr. Faury assessed.

"We are now almost 80 years removed from World War II, with a different system designed primarily to deter others from attacking, not really preparing for a conflict. If we want to be ready for engagement and the conflicts that may occur at different levels, then we need to accelerate," said the Airbus CEO.

Mr Faury, a former military helicopter test pilot who became Airbus CEO in 2019, said former US President Donald Trump's warnings about withdrawing from NATO should be seen as a wake-up call for Europe on both security and the readiness of its arsenal. Mr Trump has repeatedly called on Europe to spend more on defense and recently said he would encourage Russia to attack NATO members he deemed "unaffordable".

In recent decades, Europe has become increasingly dependent on American hardware, contributing to the erosion of its own industrial base. Lockheed Martin’s F-35 stealth fighter is used by countries including Britain, Germany, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands. Boeing supplies Britain with Apache and Chinook helicopters, C-17 heavy transport aircraft, P-8 surveillance planes and E-7 surveillance planes, all of which are made in the United States.

Mr. Faury said that the development of Europe's sixth-generation fighter jet must not repeat the mistakes of the past, when resources were divided between three competing aircraft models: the Eurofighter (multinational), the Swedish Gripen and the French Rafale. He said that the number of European orders for the F-35 has exceeded the number of orders for the Eurofighter and Rafale combined.

Britain, Japan and Italy are teaming up to build a new fighter jet called the Tempest, with tank and jet maker BAE Systems, engine maker Rolls-Royce, helicopter and systems maker Leonardo, and missile maker MBDA involved. Meanwhile, France, Germany and Spain are developing the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), which involves Airbus and Dassault (the maker of the Rafale).

"It is clear that we need to find a way to pool our efforts as a whole in Europe to have superior capabilities in weapons systems. Is it reasonable for us not to cooperate for security and defense, given the level of insecurity we see on Europe's borders? No, I think there is no other option," said Mr. Faury.

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