War reindustrialization of europe: defense industrial complexes as pillars of strategic autonomy

The article explores the phenomenon of Europe's war reindustrialization after 2022 as a strategic response to altered security dynamics due to rising eastern threats. The aim is to provide empirical insight into this transformation and develop a conceptual framework for understanding its long-term implications. We analyze the military-industrial complex as a multidimensional security, economic, high-tech, and social phenomenon. We examine three hypotheses: (1) war reindustrialization is not merely a short-term reaction but a long-term strategic reorientation, (2) the process dynamics show significant variations conditioned by geographical position, historical experiences, and economic capacities, and (3) the revitalized military-industrial complex creates a new economic reality that alters power relations within the EU and NATO. Methodologically, we apply a mixed approach: quantitative analysis of military budgets, comparative analysis of strategies, and case studies. Results show a 32% increase in NATO members' military budgets (2021-2023), opening of 70+ new facilities, creation of 210,000 jobs, and high correlation (r=0.78) between geographical proximity to threats and intensity of reindustrialization. We conclude that war reindustrialization represents a fundamental paradigm shift that will shape the security architecture, economic structure, and geopolitical position of the continent in the coming decades.