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In a recent opinion piece published in Expresso, Bernardo Maciel, CEO of Yunit Consulting, highlights that the current geopolitical climate requires a new strategic vision. Read our CEO's perspective on how the Defence sector can become a decisive catalyst for the national business landscape.
In a deeply transforming geopolitical landscape, investing in the Defence sector can be a decisive catalyst for the modernisation of industry in Portugal.
It is undeniable that Europe has abruptly awakened to the need to strengthen its deterrence and defence capabilities. After decades of underinvestment and peace dividends, the conflict in Ukraine has exposed structural vulnerabilities in the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB). The European Union's response, through instruments such as the European Defence Fund (EDF) and, more recently, the European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS) and the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP), signals an unprecedented paradigm shift.
For Portugal, this new reality should not be seen merely as an obligation to increase military spending under NATO commitments. It is, rather, a unique window of opportunity to leverage the competitiveness of our economy, reskill the productive sector, and retain highly qualified talent. The Defence industry has a strong multiplier effect, generating innovation and technological development with direct application (so-called dual-use) in civilian sectors.
Traditionally, our business landscape, consisting mostly of SMEs, has struggled to access the large international value chains of this sector. However, there are niches of excellence where Portugal already demonstrates competitive capacity, such as aeronautics, space, information technology, cybersecurity, and technical textiles.
The great challenge lies in the need for scale and the complexity of accessing European funds. Access to the European Defence Fund requires the formation of transnational consortia, which forces Portuguese companies to establish strategic partnerships with major European prime contractors.
Here, collaboration between the Portuguese Armed Forces, who act as end-users and validate operational solutions, idD Portugal Defence, and companies is absolutely critical. It is necessary to create agile co-investment mechanisms and streamline the certification and approval processes for equipment.
The recent proposal to revise the financing rules of the European Investment Bank (EIB), allowing the financing of Defence projects and dual-use technologies, is a positive sign that opens new doors for the capitalisation of companies in the sector.
It is essential that national public policies keep pace with this moment. The Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) and Portugal 2030 could, and should, have a more evident articulation with the reindustrialisation strategy in the Defence area, creating synergies with specific European funds.
In short, Defence is no longer exclusive to sovereignty policies but has become a central pillar of the European Union's industrial and innovation policy. If Portugal can capitalise on its niche skills and promote the Iberian and European integration of its companies, this sector could become one of the great engines of economic growth for the next decade. The frontier of competitiveness is also at stake in our capacity to innovate to protect.
07 September 2026
The opinion piece published in Expresso features the perspective of Bernardo Maciel, CEO of Yunit Consulting. The text details how the current geopolitical climate and the focus on the Defence sector can boost and modernise the national business landscape through innovation.
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