TMX VettaFi: AI, drones and cyber are reshaping defence investment themes

TMX VettaFi head of business development EMEA & Asia Axel Belorde joined Proactive's Stephen Gunnion to discuss the technologies shaping the future of defence investing and what investors should be watching. Belorde highlighted autonomous systems, AI, battlefield management software and cybersecurity as the key themes driving defence sector evolution. He explained that autonomous technologies now extend well beyond drones to cover robotics, unmanned systems and AI-powered software that integrates multiple data sources for better operational decision-making, with lower-cost platforms delivering significant capability while reducing dependence on critical minerals and heavy manufacturing. On software, Belorde stressed its growing strategic importance. "More and more data is going to win wars. Well, guess what? If that data gets compromised, you're better off with no data than compromised data." He also highlighted the dual-use nature of many defence technologies, spanning logistic...