Dawn of the Drones : Europe's security response to the cyber age / by Henna Hopia; Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies.

Cont.: Introduction -- Drones: debatable but indispensable devices -- Cyber-attacks: complex and camouflaged -- Conclusions -- Policy recommendations.

This research paper examines two modern disruptive military technologies that are being used increasingly frequently: remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) and cyber-attacks. Europe is falling behind in developing or even dealing with new technologies. Insufficient investment has been made in research and development (R&D) and, due to a decline in military technology programmes, the European defence industry is suffering. If this continues we might lose important capabilities that have already been jeopardised by defence-budget cuts in recent years, and the existence of European military technology know-how could even be endangered. Creating European projects, such as a common RPAS, and economies of scale will be necessary to support the European defence industry.