The CEO of Norway‘s Kongsberg Gruppen stated that adapting civilian platforms for military applications can accelerate defense production and enhance standardization, particularly as the pressure for increased military spending in Europe intensifies under President Donald Trump. In an interview with Reuters, Geir Haoy emphasized the need for simplified processes to achieve this acceleration.

He noted that the defense sector is increasingly asking how commercial products and systems can be integrated into military frameworks. Recently, the Trump administration surprised European allies by urging them to take greater responsibility for their own security and to reduce reliance on the U.S., while also initiating discussions with Russia regarding the conflict in Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth encouraged European nations to raise their military expenditures to 5% of GDP, cautioning that “stark strategic realities” would limit U.S. focus on European security.

Following these comments, European defense stocks experienced an uptick. As various nations aim to modernize and expand their naval capabilities, Haoy suggested that one effective approach would be to standardize vessels by adapting civilian designs for military use, thereby addressing the challenges posed by varying standards and platforms. He explained that by making vessels as civilian as possible while ensuring they meet military requirements, production can be expedited, costs reduced, and sophisticated vessels developed. Haoy also pointed to the situation in Ukraine, where the complexity of managing multiple supply chains for different weapon systems has led to increased time and expenses.

Standardizing processes, utilizing civilian platforms, and enhancing their military applications by integrating necessary capabilities and capacities could serve as a viable solution to accelerate our operational effectiveness.

In addition to developing their own capabilities, major defense firms must prioritize the security of their supply chains, which typically involve smaller and medium-sized enterprises that often struggle to make significant upfront investments.

“We are currently exploring in Europe how to maintain this supply chain while increasing capacity and identifying effective sourcing strategies.”