Abstract. The author examines the retrospective and contemporary situation in the military complex of the western center of force since the beginning of integration processes. The global alterations and alignment of forces in post-bipolar period, their influence on elaborating the European security and defense policy; the balance between military, legal, political and economic-technological aspects of integration is deduced against the background of long-lasting recession in the EU. In the existing conditions of multipolar world the interconnection and peculiarities within EU–NATO–USA, EU–Russia axes is tracked while highlighting the role of particular leading countries of the EU. The author pays special attention to the civil-military activities, EU missions in different geographical regions and “hot points”. The possibilities of self-reliant developing the EU defense policy and the EU military-industrial complex are evaluated.