In recent years, Europe has seen a sharp rise in demand for air‑defence and missile systems, especially after the war in Ukraine and the heightened threat from Russia. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) notes that while European countries’ need for multi‑layered defence systems has surged, global production capacity has not kept pace.
The United States, long the main supplier of advanced systems such as Patriot to Europe, now faces production limits and shifting strategic priorities, potentially reducing Washington’s ability to meet its allies’ needs. The report suggests South Korea could help fill the gap, as the country has become a major defence industry player and has exported significant air‑defence systems worldwide. Europe is now in a phase where security demand outstrips defence production, a gap that could reshape NATO’s arms‑supply equations in the coming years.