LEAP initiative
2026 Feb 20Europe Builds Its Own Defense
On February 20, 2026, defense ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the UK gathered at Krakow to launch the Low-cost Effectors and Autonomous Platforms (LEAP) initiative — jointly developing affordable air-defense systems including autonomous interceptor drones and missiles.
When Russian drones violated Polish airspace in September 2025, a cost-asymmetry problem was exposed: NATO scrambled multimillion-dollar jets against drones costing a few thousand dollars. LEAP is the direct response.
The program signals a broader European pivot toward defense self-reliance. With NATO members under pressure to raise spending toward 5% of GDP and US commitment to European security increasingly uncertain, Europe's largest military powers are pooling resources and industrial capacity. The question is whether pooling is enough.