Europe Military Radar Market Research Report Forecast (2026-2032)

Europe Military Radar Market Report Key Takeaways:

• Market size was valued at around USD4.89 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD9.28 billion by 2032. The estimated CAGR from 2026 to 2032 is around 9.58%, indicating strong growth.
• By Country, France is dominating this market by accounting for 14% market share in 2025.
• By Type, the early warning / long-range surveillance segment dominates this market with a market share of around 35% in 2025.
• By Platform, Land-based Platforms dominate Europe’s Military Radar Market with a market share of around 65% in 2025.
• Leading Military Radar companies in Europe are Thales Group, BAE Systems, Leonardo S.p.A., SAAB, Hensoldt AG, Indra, Blighter Surveillance Systems Ltd., RETIA, Weibel Scientific, Terma A/S, and Others.

Market Insights & Analysis: Europe Military Radar Market (2026-32):

The Europe Military Radar Market size was valued at around USD4.89 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD9.28 billion by 2032. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 9.58% during the forecast period, i.e., 2026-32.

Europe’s military radar market is positioned for durable expansion as rising national defense budgets and Alliance-level commitments increasingly translate into concrete capability upgrades. For instance, NATO reported that European Allies and Canada collectively invested USD486 billion in defense in 2024, reflecting a sharp increase in real spending that directly enlarges procurement pools for air-surveillance, integrated air-and-missile defence, and counter-UAS radar systems. This budgetary momentum is not isolated but structurally anchored at the EU level.

Additionally, the Council of the European Union confirms that EU member states’ defence expenditure reached approximately USD370 billion in 2024, reinforcing long-term modernization programmes focused on air-defence readiness, early-warning radars, and persistent surveillance architectures. These parallel NATO and EU spending trajectories create strong continuity between strategic intent and sensor-level investments.

For reference, Germany’s federal financial planning underscores how rising budgets are being operationalized. The Bundesministerium der Finanzen outlines defense spending increases through 2026 specifically aimed at improving readiness, procurement, and sustainment of major systems, including ground-based and airborne radar platforms. Likewise, national contracts are already materializing at scale. For instance, Poland committed USD 1.6 billion for 46 passive-location radar systems to strengthen short-range air and missile defense, clearly demonstrating active demand for ground-based sensor networks, as reported by Reuters.

Similarly, European policy frameworks increasingly prioritize counter-UAS and integrated sensor fusion. Research coordinated through the EU’s Joint Research Centre highlights sustained public funding for detect–track–identify (DTI) architectures that combine radar with electro-optical and ADS-B inputs, supporting layered, network-centric defense concepts.

Consequently, the convergence of rising NATO and EU defense budgets, national-level radar procurement contracts, and targeted government-funded R&D for C-UAS and multi-function radars positions Europe as a structurally expanding military radar market through the late-2020s, with growth anchored firmly in sovereign and alliance-driven programmes.

Europe Military Radar Market Recent Developments:

• 2025: Terma A/S signed a contract to deliver 32 coastal surveillance radars to Denmark, with deployments scheduled across 2025-2026.
• 2025: Received a USD380 million contract extension for the ECRS Mk1 Eurofighter radar and announced plans for a high-volume radar manufacturing facility in Germany, targeting production by 2027.

Europe Military Radar Market Scope:

Europe Military Radar Market Driver:

Increasing Need for Counter-Drone Detection 

The rise of small, low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used in military operations and hybrid threats is driving demand for advanced radar systems across Europe. For instance, European nations and NATO allies have begun deploying mobile radars capable of detecting and tracking small, low-flying drones that traditional long-range radars struggle to spot.

Additionally, Belgium recently deployed the Saab Giraffe 1X mobile radar specifically to counter repeated unexplained drone overflights near military bases, with the radar designed to detect and track small aerial targets and provide early warning to defense units.

Moreover, the Dutch Ministry of Defense ordered 100 IRIS drone-detection radars from Robin Radar Systems, marking one of Europe’s largest counter-UAS radar procurements, a clear example of how military radars are being specifically acquired to address unmanned threats. Similarly, NATO and allied forces are testing and evaluating counter-drone technologies under initiatives like Project Flytrap 4.5 in Germany, where military personnel are experimenting with new sensors and radar systems designed to improve detection and engagement of hostile UAVs for defense along NATO’s eastern flank.

These developments reflect an urgent shift in defense priorities: military radar systems now need to detect much smaller radar cross-section targets at low altitudes, support rapid classification, and cue counter-measures, making counter-drone capability a major driver of radar procurement and development across Europe.

Europe Military Radar Market Trend:

Shift Toward Multi-Band and AESA Technology

The market is increasingly shifting toward multi-band and Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars as countries modernize air-surveillance and air-defense systems. For instance, AESA radars use thousands of solid-state transmit/receive modules, allowing beams to be steered electronically rather than mechanically. This enables faster target detection, higher reliability, and simultaneous tracking of hundreds of targets, which is critical against cruise missiles and drones.

Additionally, leading European suppliers are aligning production accordingly. Thales Group has expanded deliveries of AESA-based ground radars such as the Ground Master series, while Hensoldt AG is investing heavily in next-generation AESA radars for Eurofighter and ground-based air defense, supported by large multi-year government contracts.

Similarly, AESA and multi-band radars offer lower lifecycle costs, as solid-state components reduce maintenance needs and improve availability. Together, rising aerial threats, NATO interoperability requirements, and long-term defense investment are accelerating the dominance of multi-band AESA technology across Europe’s military radar market.

Europe Military Radar Market Challenges:

High Capital Intensity and Upfront Infrastructure Investment         

High capital intensity, combined with expensive unit pricing, remains a major challenge for this market. For instance, land-based AESA radars require costly gallium-nitride (GaN) electronics, secure production lines, and specialized testing infrastructure, pushing unit prices into the multi-million-euro range. The Thales Group Ground Master 200 (GM200) land-based radar has been procured by European governments at around USD15–16 million per unit, based on publicly disclosed national defense contracts. This highlights the high upfront value tied to a single radar system.

For instance, higher-end long-range ground radars such as Thales’ GM400 have reported contract values in the USD27–33 million per unit range, reflecting greater range, power output, and early-warning capability. Such pricing significantly raises entry barriers for new manufacturers and forces existing suppliers to secure long-term government commitments before expanding capacity.

Additionally, scaling production itself is capital-intensive. Hensoldt AG has stated that expanding radar manufacturing requires tens of millions of euros in factory, testing, and security investments, well before revenues are realized. These high investments are hindering the market growth.

Europe Military Radar Market (2026-32) Segmentation Analysis:

The Europe Military Radar Market Report and Forecast 2026-2032 offers a detailed analysis of the market based on the following segments:

Based on Type:

• Early Warning / Long-Range Surveillance Radars
• Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) Radars
• Naval / Shipborne Radars
• Ground-Based Air Defense & Battlefield Radars
• Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Radars

The early warning / long-range surveillance segment dominates this market by accounting for a 35% market share because it underpins air and missile defense, NATO interoperability, and strategic deterrence, all of which have become urgent since 2022. For instance, NATO has repeatedly stated that persistent long-range radar coverage is essential to detect cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and high-altitude aircraft at extended distances, enabling timely interception and civil-defense alerts.

Additionally, long-range surveillance radars are foundational to Europe’s emerging integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) architecture. Countries such as Germany, France, and the Netherlands are strengthening layered defense networks, where early-warning radars provide the first detection cue for interceptors and short-range systems. Without extended-range detection, downstream air-defense assets lose effectiveness.

Based on Platform:

• Land-Based Platforms
• Airborne/Aircraft-Mounted
• Naval Vessel-Mounted

Land-based Platforms dominate Europe’s Military Radar Market by holding about 65% market share because they provide continuous, wide-area early warning from fixed and mobile ground installations, which airborne or naval sensors cannot sustain economically. For instance, NATO identifies ground-based radars as the primary persistent layer of Europe’s air-surveillance and early-warning architecture, forming the backbone of air policing and missile-defence missions across member states.

For instance, Thales’ Ground Master 200 (GM200) land-based radar family offers instrumented surveillance ranges of approximately 250–400 km, enabling a single terrestrial system to monitor vast portions of national airspace on a 24/7 basis.

Additionally, the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) explicitly prioritizes ground-based sensors and interceptors to establish a layered continental air- and missile-defense network, directly increasing procurement of fixed and mobile land radars.

Moreover, Germany-led industrial scale-ups reflect this demand shift. For reference, Hensoldt is expanding radar manufacturing capacity with a target of producing around 1,000 ground-based radar systems annually from 2027, underscoring the central role of land platforms in Europe’s defense posture.

Europe Military Radar Market (2026-32): Regional Projection

France leads Europe’s military-radar push with a market share of about 14% because it combines sustained defense spending, a highly centralized procurement system, and a globally competitive domestic radar supplier, creating powerful scale advantages in production and innovation. For instance, Thales Group, France’s flagship defense-electronics company, has secured multiple GM200 4D AESA radar contracts in recent years, while reporting stronger defense demand and improved 2024 results as European orders expanded, demonstrating how domestic capability translates directly into regional leadership.

Additionally, this industrial momentum is reinforced by government funding certainty. For instance, the government allocated an additional USD7 billion in military spending for 2026–2027, pushing France’s defense budget toward approximately USD70 billion by 2027, with priority allocation toward sensors, air-defense systems, and sovereign defense supply chains. This long-term visibility enables radar manufacturers to invest confidently in R&D and capacity expansion.

Gain a Competitive Edge with Our Europe Military Radar Market Report

• Europe Military Radar Market Report by MarkNtel Advisors provides a detailed & thorough analysis of market size & share, growth rate, competitive landscape, and key players. This comprehensive analysis helps businesses gain a holistic understanding of the market dynamics & make informed decisions.
• This report also highlights current market trends & future projections, allowing businesses to identify emerging opportunities & potential challenges. By understanding market forecasts, companies can align their strategies & stay ahead of the competition.
• Europe Military Radar Market Report aids in assessing & mitigating risks associated with entering or operating in the market. By understanding market dynamics, regulatory frameworks, and potential challenges, businesses can develop strategies to minimize risks & optimize their operations.

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