This Week in Dual-Use by Sam Burrell

Nov. 26, 2025 - Three major developments in dual-use and defence tech.

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UK government buys counter-drone laser

The UK is spending £316m on MBDA’s DragonFire laser, a £10-per-shot system aimed at stopping the growing drone threat. But with limitations in urban and civilian airspace, it’s only one piece of a rapidly expanding, fragmented counter-UAS market that now spans everything from airports to cartel hotspots—and lacks a unifying platform.

China develops counter-AI playbook

China is quietly training its forces to deceive AI systems by altering how vehicles appear to cameras, radar, and heat sensors—preparing for an algorithms-versus-algorithms battlefield. With few other militaries experimenting at this level, China is moving early to dominate a future where tricking an opponent’s model could decide a war.

France announces €4.2bn in space funding

France is injecting €4.2bn into military space capabilities, including patrol satellites, jammers, and Europe’s largest LEO-tracking radar—signaling that space is now contested territory. The move highlights doubts about Europe-wide defence efforts and could spark a broader race to build the continent’s next orbital deterrent.

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Samuel Burrell is a Partner at Expeditions, investing in the future of security in Europe.

His weekly newsletter covers developments in dual-use and defence technologies, picking out the changes in the sector, giving them context and analysis.