A new patent analysis conducted by Withers & Rogers has revealed that innovation activity in the defence industry is outperforming that of other industry sectors and most is focused on non-traditional technologies.
The analysis considered European patents relevant to the defence sector, published between 2020 and 2024 inclusive, compared to a five-year period twenty years earlier (2000-2004 inclusive), with sector relevancy determined by selecting published patents containing the term ‘military’. The volume of individual patent family applications rose by 167% between the two five-year periods, from 10,582 in 2000-2004 to 28,307 in 2020-2024. This increase was well above the cross-industry average of 99%. 
The sharp increase in the volume of military patents reflects growing global demand for defence technologies due to ongoing geopolitical instability, including the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, the latter of which began in 2014. Governments around the world have increased defence budgets and many are investing in the development of disruptive technologies that could give them a military advantage.
Further analysis of military patent data shows that certain legacy technologies have fallen back dramatically since the early noughties. For example, ‘chemical synthesis’ and ‘organic chemistry’ are no longer key areas of focus due to the maturing market for such technologies. Other fallers include ‘telecommunications’, where published patents show a marked shift away from battlefield hardware to communications networks and systems. Innovators have also been less focused on ‘munitions’, where traditional charging and detonation technologies have evolved little over the years.
Richard Worthington, partner, and Talia Sullens, associate, are patent attorneys and specialists in the Defence group at European intellectual property firm, Withers & Rogers.
The biggest climbers in terms of an increase in military patents since the early noughties are ‘wireless communications’ and ‘aircraft and helicopters’. The growth in patents linked to these fields of technology could be attributable to an upturn in use of battlefield drones and the need to secure networks against cyber risks. A recent US patent granted to Rockwell Collins relates to seamless incorporation of tactical radios into a cellular network, including 5G, without exposing any internal details of the tactical military network to the cellular network. Other climbers include ‘automation and control’ and simulation tools that use ‘computational modelling’ and/or ‘image recognition’: technologies capable of delivering high-quality information to battlefield decision makers.
Advanced materials have been a consistent area of focus for defence innovators. However, metals are now virtually non-existent in materials patents for the defence industry, having been replaced by next generation plastics made from novel molecular compounds. Typically, robust and lightweight, these molecular compounds can be designed to benefit from unique self-healing or other bespoke properties. Louisiana State University has secured patent protection for a self-healing polymer composition, which can not only close macroscopic defects, but can do so repeatedly in previously healed/repaired areas.
Of the six tech areas that attracted the most patents in 2020-2024 inclusive relating to military technology, it is noteworthy that not one targeted a defence industry application exclusively. The six areas are electrical digital data processing; wireless communication networks; transmission of digital information; aeroplanes & helicopters; aircraft equipment; and medical, dental or toiletry preparations. Instead, they described a technology for dual use. In a sector where it can be difficult for new entrants to break through, pursuing a commercial application outside of defence can help a business to demonstrate proof of concept and scalability.
Care and attention are needed for innovators entering the defence industry for the first time. For example, in ‘wireless communications’, which recorded one of the biggest increases in defence patents overall, the focus on computational modelling and image recognition technologies is rooted in the gaming industry. Innovators operating in this field of R&D should conduct broad patent searches to ensure that they don’t infringe any existing intellectual property rights in adjacent or cross-over industries.
Richard Worthington, partner, and Talia Sullens, associate, are patent attorneys and specialists in the Defence group at European intellectual property firm, Withers & Rogers.
Post written by: Vicky Maggiani
Vicky has worked in media for over 20 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.
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