FT Tech Tonic Future weapons: Tomorrow’s technology
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May 13, 2025 Sylvia Pfeifer, an industry correspondent covering defense, joins Ryan McMorrow, the deputy Beijing bureau chief focusing on China’s military tech, and Demetri Sevastopulo, who reports on US-China relations. They discuss how defense technology is reshaping geopolitics, the rapid advancement of drones and AI in military strategies, and the implications of these innovations on U.S.-China relations. The conversation also delves into the balance between automated systems and human soldiers in future warfare, highlighting the evolving landscape of global military capabilities.
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War Spurs Defense Tech Investment
- The Ukraine war has accelerated investment in new defense technologies like drones, robotics, and sensors.
- European governments had underinvested in defense R&D compared to the US, which exposed gaps when the conflict started.
China's Growing Military Edge
- China leads in hypersonic missiles and military drones, and the gap with the US military is closing.
- China's nuclear arsenal is expanding rapidly, with plans to match US and Russian warhead counts by 2035.
China Fuses Industry with Military
- China focuses on integrating electronics firms with the military to boost capabilities, emphasizing drones spawned from its strong commercial drone industry.
- Innovations include compact, lethal drones like mini flying grenades leveraging China's electronics supply chain.