This Week in Dual-Use by Sam Burrell

Dec. 3, 2025 - Major developments in dual-use and defence tech.

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Taiwan builds golden dome

Taiwan has unveiled its T-Dome air-defence concept—an Iron Dome-style shield backed by a proposed $40bn budget jump—as it shifts from buying big-ticket US systems to a more mobile, asymmetric defence inspired by Ukraine. Fixed defences won’t survive a China strike, so Taiwan is being pushed toward cheap, mobile, and even underground systems.

US federal agencies begin C-UAS collaboration

US federal agencies have launched a three-year effort to build nationwide counter-drone capabilities, signalling that Washington now sees C-UAS as a shared, civil-military priority. Europe, by contrast, remains reactive—scrambling for solutions only after drones appear near sensitive sites.

IonQ and Heven AeroTech develop quantum-enabled drone

IonQ is partnering with hydrogen-drone maker Heven AeroTech to integrate quantum navigation, sensing, and security—technology that could give drones jam-proof guidance in future conflicts. For IonQ, it’s the latest move in an aggressive M&A spree aimed at dominating the entire quantum tech stack.

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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.