The nature of warfare is changing—and so is the way political leaders think about it. The rise of low-cost drones, autonomous systems, and AI-enabled operations has created what many analysts call the new economics of warfare. This model is built on affordability, scale, and reduced reliance on human soldiers. At first glance, this shift appears to lower the barriers to conflict. If wars can be fought with fewer casualties and cheaper tools, does that make military action

The global security environment is changing fast. Over the past few years, conflicts—especially the war in Ukraine—have revealed a fundamental shift in how wars are fought and financed. This shift is often described as the new economics of warfare, and it is forcing governments to rethink how they plan, fund, and manage defence. At its core, this new model challenges long-held assumptions. For decades, military strength was measured by the ability to acquire and maintain e