NATO-European Union countries are escalating their buildup of drone missile production and deployment of drones to Ukraine, as well as centralizing their internal defense production, to take on an alleged Russian threat. The rearmament is creating primitive accumulation at the expense of the civilian economy.
• On Oct. 13 The Defense Post reports in “Netherlands and Ukraine To Jointly Produce Deep-Strike Drones”: “The Dutch government has announced a €110 million ($127 million) investment to jointly produce deep-strike drones with Ukraine.” It adds, “this investment is part of the Build with Ukraine initiative, under which Ukrainian defense firms establish production facilities in NATO countries to safeguard operations from Russian attacks.” This is one of the first admissions of what may be NATO policy: Build the defense facilities on NATO nation soil, so that should Russia attempt to destroy the facility, it would have to bomb the NATO member nation.
In addition to the investment, Dutch Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans announced a €200 million ($232 million) aid package for Ukraine to supply counter-drone systems to Ukraine, which is part of what is called “the anti-drone wall.”
• On Oct. 13 Defense Post in “U.K. Delivers Laser-Guided Air Defense Missiles to Ukraine Ahead of Schedule,” announced that “the U.K. government has delivered hundreds of air defense missiles to Ukraine, five months ahead of schedule.” It continued, “The delivery is part of a £1.6 billion ($2.13 billion) deal signed earlier this year between the U.K. and Ukraine to purchase more than 5,000 air defense missiles manufactured by Thales at its Belfast facility.” Thales is France’s major defense firm, partially state owned, and which has a large operation in the U.K. The name of the defense missile that Thales is supplying is the “Lightweight Multirole Missile.”
