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Laurynas Šatas calls for European defense systems to be independent of U.S. export controls.

Laurynas Šatas, the CEO of Lithuanian defense contractor Aktyvus, argues that Europe must secure greater autonomy over its defense systems. Despite investing 739 billion euros annually in strategic autonomy, many European drone systems remain subject to U.S. export controls. This means that even if a system is developed in Europe, it remains legally bound by U.S. regulations if it contains a single American-made component, such as a chip or sensor. Šatas highlights that this legal dependence creates operational bottlenecks during emergencies. For example, a recent incident where Russian jamming disrupted satellite signals in Estonia forced pilots to rely on inertial navigation. This vulnerability was exacerbated by the fact that many European drone programs rely on optical laser targeting systems that are currently subject to U.S. regulations. To address this, European funding programs like ReArm Europe are now prioritizing ITAR-free status. Šatas emphasizes that for defense spending to be effective, the systems must be wholly owned by the nations that rely on them, allowing for free deployment without waiting for permission from Washington.

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