From linear to circular defense industry using disruptive technology and AI

Authors

  • Florin POPESCU National Defense University, Bucharest, Romania
  • Alexandru-Adrian BLĂGĂU Doctoral School of Entrepreneurship, Business Engineering & Management, National Science and Technology University Politehnica of Bucharest https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4890-571X
  • Cristian ICHIMESCU National Defense University, Bucharest, Romania
  • Sorin IONIȚESCU Romanian Academy, School of Advanced Studies of the Romanian Academy, Doctoral School of Economic Sciences, National Institute for Economic Research "Costin C. Kirițescu", Institute for World Economy, Bucharest, Romania,
  • Ionuț-Alexandru RADU National Defense University, Bucharest, Romania

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56177/12icmie2025.191

Keywords:

circular economy, defense innovation, SPE, disruptive technology, sustainability, lifecycle tracking

Abstract

Due to sustainability requirements in Europe, the defense industry is under pressure to adopt a circular economy model instead of a linear one. This paper describes the Circular Defense Economy (CDE) platform, a modular, data-driven ecosystem designed to support circular practices across the entire Soldier Protection Equipment (SPE) value chain. By using emerging technologies such as AI-driven decision support systems, blockchain for life-cycle monitoring and bio-based materials and recycling technologies, the CDE supports the eco-design, reuse, repair, remanufacturing and recycling of high-value defense composites. The platform aligns with the objectives of the European Commission under the CEAP and the IF CEED initiative, providing replicable models for sustainability, innovation and cross-border cooperation.

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Published

2026-01-08

How to Cite

POPESCU, F., BLĂGĂU, A.-A., ICHIMESCU, C., IONIȚESCU, S., & RADU, I.-A. (2026). From linear to circular defense industry using disruptive technology and AI. International Conference of Management and Industrial Engineering, 12, 520–528. https://doi.org/10.56177/12icmie2025.191

Issue

Vol. 12 (2025): Agility and Readiness for Sustainable Business Continuity

Section

Sustainable Development

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Alexandru-Adrian Blăgău, Florin POPESCU, Cristian ICHIMESCU, Sorin IONIȚESCU, Ionuț-Alexandru RADU

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.