The BraveTech EU initiative and its potential role in dual-use logistics: A comprehensive analysis of infrastructure development

Overview of the BraveTech EU Initiative – The 100 Million Pact with Ukraine

The BraveTech EU initiative represents a significant milestone in European defense cooperation and marks a turning point in the development of dual-use technologies and infrastructure. Since its announcement at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome in July 2025, this €100 million initiative has attracted the attention of the European security and logistics community. The joint funding of €50 million each from the European Union and Ukraine underscores the equal nature of this partnership and signals a new era of technological cooperation in defense.

The initiative connects the Ukrainian BRAVE1 defense technology platform with established EU instruments such as the European Defense Fund and the EU Defense Innovation Program. This network creates a unique bridge between battle-tested innovations from Ukraine and Europe's industrial capacity. Since the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian defense technology landscape has evolved dramatically: from just seven drone manufacturing companies in 2022, the sector has grown to over 500 companies producing more than four million units annually. This impressive expansion also extends to other areas such as electronic warfare, where the number of companies has increased from 10 to over 300.

Core components of dual-use logistics in the European context

Definition and strategic importance

The term "dual-use" in the logistics context refers to infrastructure, technologies, and systems that can serve both civilian and military purposes. This dual use is gaining particular relevance in the current geopolitical situation, as Europe faces the challenge of strengthening its defense capabilities without compromising the economic efficiency of its transport networks. The EU Dual-Use Regulation 2021/821 provides the legal framework for this and regulates the export and use of dual-use goods.

The strategic importance of dual-use logistics is particularly evident in Europe's current security situation. Germany acts as a central hub for NATO operations and provides comprehensive support services for allied forces under the concept of "Host Nation Support." This function requires a robust and flexible transport infrastructure capable of handling both everyday commercial traffic and military deployments.

Trimodal logistics systems as the backbone of dual-use infrastructure

Trimodal logistics systems that integrate rail, road, and waterway transport form the core of an efficient dual-use infrastructure. These systems combine the specific advantages of each mode of transport: the flexibility of road transport for local distribution, the capacity and environmental friendliness of rail transport for long-distance travel, and the high loading capacity of inland waterway transport for heavy goods. A single inland waterway vessel, for example, can transport the load of up to 100 trucks, offering significant logistical advantages.

The European landscape boasts a dense network of trimodal container terminals that facilitate this integration. Euro Terminal Kehl, for example, leverages its strategic location on the Rhine to serve as a multimodal hub for international trade. With direct access to the Rhine, it efficiently connects the most important economic centers in Europe and beyond. Similar infrastructures can be found in the ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg, which serve as gateways for European container traffic.

Military Mobility and Integration into the TEN-T Network

Development of EU policy on military mobility

The development of European policy on military mobility was significantly influenced by the experiences of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The Military Mobility Action Plan, originally introduced in 2018, was expanded in 2022 with the "Military Mobility Action Plan 2.0," which pursues a more comprehensive approach to the challenges of troop deployment in Europe.

The revised TEN-T Regulation now officially recognizes military mobility as a key component of the trans-European transport network. Four strategic corridors have been identified in cooperation with NATO and the European External Action Service, encompassing over 500 priority projects. These projects range from strengthening bridges and widening tunnels to building rail sidings, which are to be treated as a priority.

Financing and implementation of dual-use infrastructure projects

The European Commission has allocated a total of €1.76 billion for military mobility through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). These funds were fully awarded in three tender rounds, with the final round in January 2024 supporting 38 projects with a total volume of €807 million. The projects span 18 Member States and include railway modernizations, road expansions, and the improvement of dual-use infrastructure in seaports, airports, and inland waterways.

The oversubscription of the tenders by 4.7 times the available budget highlights the enormous need for investment in dual-use infrastructure. This high demand demonstrates that member states have recognized the strategic importance of military mobility and are willing to invest significant resources in corresponding improvements.

BraveTech EU and improving European dual-use infrastructure

Technological innovation and infrastructure development

The BraveTech EU initiative contributes to improving European dual-use infrastructure by promoting innovative technologies that can be used in both civilian and military applications. The Ukrainian BRAVE1 platform has already registered over 3,500 developments from more than 1,500 domestic manufacturers, with over 260 developments codified according to NATO standards. This impressive track record demonstrates the potential for integrating Ukrainian innovations into European systems.

The initiative focuses on twelve key areas, including automated management systems, ground and maritime robotics systems, missile and artillery systems, electronic warfare, and cybersecurity. These technologies have direct relevance to infrastructure development, as they can increase the efficiency and security of logistics systems. Automated warehouse management systems, for example, can be deployed in trimodal terminals to reduce turnaround times and improve the accuracy of goods tracking.

Synergy potential with existing EU programs

The BraveTech EU initiative complements existing EU programs such as the European Defence Fund (EDF) and the Horizon Europe program. The EDF has a budget of more than one billion euros for 2025 and supports the development of critical defence technologies. The proposed changes to the Horizon Europe program would allow the European Innovation Council to also fund dual-use technologies, strengthening synergies between civil and military research.

The Defence Equity Facility (DEF) under InvestEU provides an additional €175 million for venture capital and private equity funds to invest in European companies developing innovative defense technologies with dual-use potential. These financing instruments create a comprehensive ecosystem to foster innovations that benefit both the civilian and defense sectors.

The hub for security and defense offers well-founded advice and current information in order to effectively support companies and organizations in strengthening their role in European security and defense policy. In close connection to the SME Connect working group, he promotes small and medium -sized companies (SMEs) in particular that want to further expand their innovative strength and competitiveness in the field of defense. As a central point of contact, the hub creates a decisive bridge between SME and European defense strategy.

Suitable for:

• The Working Group Defense of the SME Connect - Strengthening SMEs in European defense

Infrastructure improvements through trimodal integration

Container logistics and automated systems

The integration of automated high-bay warehouses into trimodal, dual-use logistics networks represents an important building block for improving European infrastructure. These state-of-the-art storage systems act as intelligent buffer zones that can decouple different modes of transport in terms of time and volume. This minimizes waiting times and increases the efficiency of the overall system. Donaulager Logistics in Linz is an example of such specialized facilities, which include fully automated deep-freeze high-bay warehouses and pharmaceutical warehouses.

Automation harmonizes perfectly with the digitalization requirements of trimodal systems. Modern warehouse management systems can be seamlessly integrated into higher-level transport management systems, enabling end-to-end control from goods receipt to final delivery. This integration reduces manual intervention, minimizes sources of error, and accelerates the processing of complex transport chains.

Rhine-Main-Danube corridor as a strategic axis

The Rhine-Main-Danube Corridor represents the only continuous navigable connection between the North Sea and the Black Sea, making it one of Europe's most important transport arteries. With a total length of 3,500 kilometers, this waterway connects Rotterdam in the west with the mouth of the Danube in the east, crossing ten European countries. This unique transcontinental connection makes the corridor an indispensable element for both civilian freight transport and strategic military transport.

The military-strategic dimension of this waterway is gaining considerable importance in the current geopolitical situation. Germany serves as a central logistical hub for NATO operations, with the term "Host Nation Support" describing the comprehensive support Germany provides to allied forces on its territory. The waterway offers a high-capacity alternative to the often congested land transport routes for supplying NATO's eastern flank.

Challenges and future prospects

Bureaucratic hurdles and regulatory harmonization

Despite significant progress in European military mobility, significant challenges remain. The European Court of Auditors warns that it can take up to 45 days for other members to obtain authorization to move equipment across borders when an EU member is attacked. These delays are primarily due to bureaucratic hurdles and inconsistent regulations between member states.

The three governments of Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a military corridor that will facilitate the movement of troops and equipment between Europe's North Sea ports and NATO's eastern flank. They plan to address infrastructure bottlenecks such as low bridges and reduce bureaucracy surrounding permits for the cross-border transport of ammunition and other dangerous goods.

Technological integration and standardization

The successful integration of the BraveTech EU initiative into the European dual-use infrastructure requires comprehensive standardization and harmonization of technological standards. The more than 260 developments of the BRAVE1 platform, codified according to NATO standards, represent an important step in this direction. This standardization is crucial for interoperability between different national systems and seamless integration into existing European infrastructures.

The "Test in Ukraine" platform, recently launched by Brave1, offers international companies the opportunity to evaluate their defense technologies under real combat conditions. The German defense company DIEHL was the first international company to conduct a field test under this new platform, testing its unmanned ground vehicle at the training ground of Ukraine's Third Assault Brigade.

Financing needs and investment planning

An analysis of available financing instruments shows that, despite the significant funds already allocated for military mobility, the investment needs far exceed the available resources. The European Court of Auditors warns that funding remains insufficient and lacks strategic focus. Experts believe the German government should establish a fund of at least €30 billion to finance the most urgent modernizations.

The BraveTech EU initiative, with its €100 million budget, represents only a small fraction of the estimated total need. However, it can act as a catalyst for further investment by demonstrating successful technologies and concepts that can then be implemented on a larger scale. The initiative's two-phase structure, with a seed phase in autumn 2025 and a scale-up phase in 2026, allows for the gradual development and scaling of promising projects.

Impact on European competitiveness

Dual-use approach as a competitive advantage

The dual-use approach is increasingly seen as a strategic lever for European competitiveness. The long-term competitiveness of the European Union increasingly depends on its ability to coordinate economic, industrial, and security policies. At the heart of this coordination is a dual-use approach, which represents not just a traditional policy framework but an emerging strategic logic that integrates civilian and military investments in infrastructure, technology, and supply chains.

The EU's strategic direction is clear: it strives for an industrial ecosystem that strengthens resilience, preparedness, and innovation capacity, where competitiveness is no longer measured solely by GDP or export growth, but also by the ability to respond to shocks, disruptions, and security threats. This transformation is driven by both external pressures and internal ambitions.

Integration into the European industrial strategy

The BraveTech EU initiative fits seamlessly into the broader European industrial strategy aimed at achieving technological sovereignty and strategic autonomy. The Defence Readiness Omnibus, a far-reaching legislative package published by the European Commission on June 17, 2025, aims to adapt Europe's regulatory landscape to the realities of deterrence, readiness, and strategic autonomy.

The package comprises three main components: First, it amends five key EU regulations, including REACH and the European Defence Fund, to introduce defence-specific exemptions and streamline compliance. Second, it introduces a harmonized fast-track approval procedure across member states, with a 60-day deadline for defence-related infrastructure. Third, it simplifies intra-European transfers and procurement for defence and dual-use goods.

BraveTech EU: Paving the way for intelligent dual-use logistics

The BraveTech EU initiative represents an important building block in the development of integrated European dual-use logistics. Its strength lies in combining combat-proven innovations from Ukraine with Europe's industrial capacity. The initiative can significantly contribute to improving European infrastructure, particularly by promoting technologies that have both civilian and military applications.

The trimodal integration of rail, road, and waterway transport forms the backbone of efficient dual-use infrastructure. The BraveTech EU initiative can support this integration by providing innovative technologies for automation, digitalization, and intelligent logistics systems. The more than 3,500 developments registered on the BRAVE1 platform offer enormous potential for the modernization of European logistics systems.

However, significant challenges remain, particularly regarding financing, regulatory harmonization, and technological standardization. The initiative should therefore be seen as part of a broader strategy to strengthen European dual-use infrastructure, which requires additional investment and regulatory reforms.

For maximum effectiveness, the BraveTech EU initiative should pursue the following strategic approaches: First, close coordination with existing EU programs such as the European Defence Fund and the Connecting Europe Facility. Second, a focus on technologies with high dual-use potential that strengthen both civilian competitiveness and military readiness. Third, the development of pilot projects that can demonstrate the successful integration of Ukrainian innovations into European systems.

The initiative has the potential to develop Europe into a global center for dual-use technologies while strengthening the continent's strategic autonomy and resilience. However, its success will depend on the willingness of European partners to make the necessary investments and implement the required regulatory reforms.

Industry focus: B2B, digitalization (from AI to XR), mechanical engineering, logistics, renewable energies and industry

More about it here:

• Xpert Business Hub

A topic hub with insights and expertise:

• Knowledge platform on the global and regional economy, innovation and industry-specific trends
• Collection of analyses, impulses and background information from our focus areas
• A place for expertise and information on current developments in business and technology
• Topic hub for companies that want to learn about markets, digitalization and industry innovations

From the front to the laboratory: How Europe wants to benefit from Ukraine's innovative power in the war

The BraveTech EU initiative is a European-Ukrainian partnership launched in July 2025 to massively accelerate innovation in the defense sector through closer technological and industrial cooperation between the EU and Ukraine.

Objectives of the initiative

The core objective of BraveTech EU is to strengthen the security and defense capabilities of Europe and Ukraine through shared access to innovations, particularly from war-proven Ukrainian technologies. The focus is on:

• Promoting joint development, testing and deployment projects for new defense solutions.
• Support for rapid testing, hackathons, and direct cooperation between European and Ukrainian startups, SMEs, and corporations.
• Joint use of innovation platforms such as the Ukrainian BRAVE1 Defence Tech Platform and EU programmes (including the European Defence Fund (EDF), the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS)).
• Exchange of regulatory best practices and scaling of new technologies for the EU and Ukrainian markets.

Financing and actors

BraveTech EU has an initial budget of approximately €100 million, with both sides (EU and Ukraine) investing €50 million each. Implementation is being overseen by the EU Defence Innovation Office (EUDIO) in Kyiv and coordinated with the Ukraine Support Instrument and other EU instruments.

Background and strategic importance

The initiative is part of the new EU-Ukraine Task Force for Industrial Defense Cooperation and supports the objectives of the "White Paper for European Defense – Readiness 2030." It accelerates the introduction of field-proven technologies from Ukraine, thus creating a dynamic, innovation-driven defense ecosystem. The exchange and real-world testing of technologies (such as drones, electronic warfare, and AI) can thus be translated into real defense systems within a very short time.

Significance for companies

Especially for innovative SMEs, start-ups and defence companies in the EU, BraveTech EU opens up new opportunities to access research funding, cooperation opportunities with Ukrainian developers and faster market launches through shared testing infrastructure and regulatory knowledge transfer.

BraveTech EU not only strengthens the defense industries of both partners, but is also a strategic investment in Europe's resilience and security.

I would be happy to serve as your personal advisor.

Head of Business Development

Chairman SME Connect Defense Working Group

LinkedIn

 

 

I would be happy to serve as your personal advisor.

contact me under Wolfenstein ∂ Xpert.digital

call me under +49 89 674 804 (Munich)

LinkedIn
 

 

The global economy is currently experiencing a fundamental change, a broken epoch that shakes the cornerstones of global logistics. The era of hyper-globalization, which was characterized by the unshakable striving for maximum efficiency and the “just-in-time” principle, gives way to a new reality. This is characterized by profound structural breaks, geopolitical shifts and progressive economic political fragmentation. The planning of international markets and supply chains, which was once assumed as a matter of course, dissolves and is replaced by a phase of growing uncertainty.

Suitable for:

• Strategic resilience in a fragmented world through intelligent infrastructure and automation - The requirements profile of the dual-use logistics expert