Testing capacity could slow the rollout of new military equipment as European countries increase defence production.
EU governments are increasing spending, production and procurement, but equipment cannot enter service until it has been shown to work in real conditions and is safe, senior officials at the European Defence Agency said at an event in Germany, according to an EDA release published on Tuesday.
Suitable test ranges, specialised equipment, agreed procedures and skilled staff are in short supply and face a growing workload.
Equipment that is ready to be bought may still have to wait before it is cleared for service, according to the statement.
“Without credible test evidence, innovation cannot become operational capability,” said Antonio Armada, the EDA’s Director for Industry, Synergies and Enablers, speaking in Kiel, Germany, during the agency’s Test and Evaluation Community Days held from 29 September to 1 October 2026.
He called on countries to open specialised facilities to one another, take part in a test centre network and work towards accepting each other’s test results.
A network of test centres
Building new test centres is not seen as a short-term option because it takes significant time, with political plans linked to the EU’s “Readiness 2030” agenda, the EDA said.
Instead, the agency pointed to its Defence Test and Evaluation Base (DTEB) — a network that brings together more than 400 test and evaluation capabilities — to help share capacity, use common methods and avoid repeating the same tests in every country.
The DTEB is also intended to give smaller companies and start-ups access to defence testing facilities.
The EDA has worked for two decades to connect national test centres and develop more coordinated approaches, with its Test and Evaluation Community Days held every two years to bring together national experts, armed forces, industry and researchers.
In parallel, the agency is encouraging EU countries to recognise each other’s test results and certificates so equipment tested once can be accepted across Europe.
One example is the EDA’s Joint Ammunition Qualification initiative.
