Executive Summary
Bastion Defense Strategies (BDS)
BDS is a boutique strategic advisory firm positioned at the intersection of defense planning, operational execution, and strategic finance. Founded by a former BCG officer and private equity partner, and a highly decorated senior officer in the Spanish Navy and NATO, BDS blends institutional credibility with board-level acumen.
Headquartered in Madrid’s Barrio de Salamanca, BDS’s launch roadmap includes three clear phases: building a core team and securing anchor clients; expanding within NATO/EU frameworks while developing an investor vertical; and scaling into Latin America via proprietary briefings and strategic partnerships. The firm’s advisory model combines fixed retainers, project-based fees, and performance-linked incentives, with flexibility for equity participation in early-stage defense ventures.
Long-term, BDS aspires to become Southern Europe’s benchmark defense consultancy — known for bridging strategic insight with operational authority. Potential evolution paths include launching a specialized defense investment fund, partnering with a defense prime, or becoming an acquisition target for a global advisory firm. By aligning national security imperatives with financial strategy, BDS is uniquely positioned to shape the future of European and transatlantic defense.
Differentiators with Founding Partners
Read about our capabilities and strategic edge
Core Service Areas
BDS offers a comprehensive portfolio of services ranging from force modernization and defense procurement strategy to investment advisory, M&A due diligence, and defense technology integration. The firm is particularly equipped to advise on emerging systems such as AI, UAVs, and ISR platforms, as well as navigating complex regulatory environments (e.g., ITAR, STANAG, PESCO). Target clients include Tier-1 and Tier-2 contractors, dual-use technology firms, and private equity, sovereign wealth investors with a defense or aerospace focus and even ministries of defense.
Institutional Defense Strategy
- Armed forces modernization roadmaps
- Capability development and threat-based assessments
- Organizational enhancement, talent acquisition, succession planning and management teams’ buildup
- Procurement strategy for governments or multilateral organizations
M&A and Investor Support
- Strategic geopolitical risk briefings for boards and investors
- Private-sector “red teaming” of public defense plans
- Buy-side advisory for PE firms
- Acquisition & investment due diligence in defense technology
- Product, commercial and positioning strategy to industrial (PE) companies
- Lobby and geopolitical positioning
- Organizational structure guidance
- Strategic fit and integration roadmaps
Technology & Systems Acquisition
- Evaluation of emerging defense technologies (UAVs, AI, ISR)
- Systems integration and sourcing support
CAPEX & Procurement Advisory
- System-level investment justifications
- Lifecycle cost analysis and optimization
Industrial Base Strengthening
- Supply chain localization and resilience planning
- Offset strategy and SME development
- Competences acquisition and development policies
- National defense industrial base assessments
Geopolitical Risk & NATO/EU Alignment
- Export controls, STANAG compliance
- EDF, PESCO, and EDA project positioning
Success Factors
Step 1
Access to high-trust networks
(former generals, defense attachés, ministers, C-Suites).
Step 2
Credibility in geopolitics or defense economics
e.g., military background or academic credentials.
Step 3
Capability to bridge sectors
defense, finance, and technology.
Step 4
Fluency in regulatory and security frameworks
especially export control (ITAR, EAR), FMS, etc.
Step 5
5. Scenario-based advisory
forecasting defense trends tied to political developments or tech leaps (e.g., AI in defense command systems).
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Brand & Market Positioning
“We’re not just consultants — we are Strategic Industry Developers that interpret between defense leadership, financial logic, and industrial capability.”