INTERNATIONAL PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Sponsored by

 

https://ieeinc.com/

 

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO

 

04 Apr 25. Record £13.9bn of R&D funding unveiled to boost innovation, jobs and growth. Funding outlined to support transformational R&D in areas like life sciences, green energy, engineering and beyond.

* Almost £14bn of R&D funding allocated to bolster life sciences, green energy, space and beyond to improve lives and grow the economy

* Investing in public R&D essential to driving our Plan for Change by delivering better public services and opening up business opportunities

* Blood tests for early dementia diagnosis and world’s most advanced testing facility for wind power among supported projects

More UK innovators like those developing treatment-transforming dementia tests or building world-leading testing facilities to power a greener planet are being backed through our record £13.9 billion in R&D funding to improve lives and drive our Plan for Change.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has set out today (Friday 4 April) how it will allocate £13.9bn in funding for transformational research and development in the next year in areas like life sciences, green energy, engineering and beyond. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) – the UK’s lead public research funder – will receive £8.8bn over the next year. This funding will drive forward research that could transform lives and help make our NHS fit for the future – like the work on blood tests to diagnose dementia earlier, a disease affecting more than 980,000 people in the UK. Researchers are exploring whether looking for proteins specific to many forms of dementia, alongside a quick and easy test of patients’ cognitive functions, could unlock a fast, cheaper and non-invasive way of diagnosing the disease. Public investment in R&D is also central to progress that grows the economy through new jobs and commercial opportunities. Each pound of public R&D investment is also estimated to leverage double in private investment in the long run. Businesses that receive their first R&D grant funding also see jobs and turnover go up by over 20% in the following six years. Public R&D funding delivered through UKRI is already supporting teams at the University of Plymouth to tackle the serious global issue of antimicrobial resistance, where bacteria evolve to resist medicines that once killed them – making infections harder to treat, increasing medicine costs for and pressure on our NHS and hitting the economy as more suffer ill health. Their discovery of a new antibiotic, Epidermicin, is undergoing trials and has led to spinout company, Amprologix – potentially providing health professionals with a silver bullet in the battle against such bacterial infections, dubbed ‘superbugs’, whilst opening up new commercial opportunities in the UK. Similarly, UKRI R&D funding has also proven vital in developing the technologies we need to help position the UK as a clean energy superpower, such as the £86 million in ongoing funding towards building the world’s most advanced wind turbine test facility in Blyth. It is supporting the growth of the wind turbine market, creating local jobs and encouraging investment in the sector.

Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, said: “Our £13.9bn investment in R&D is ultimately an investment in the future of the UK. R&D is essential to fulfilling this government’s Plan for Change – whether in improving lives across the UK and beyond through new life-saving drugs, helping us build a cleaner, greener future or in exploring beyond our planet to unlock new discoveries that keep us healthy, safe and prosperous and much more besides. It is also central to creating highly paid jobs and opportunities to set up new businesses across the UK, which will drive the economic growth that is key to supporting our public services and enhancing our daily lives. The government is also investing nearly £670m in space, through the UK Space Agency to help develop the space industry in the UK – employing 50,000 people in the UK – and ensure British companies like Airbus are involved in exploration beyond our planet, putting Britain back into the space race and unlocking new opportunities for discovery that can benefit life on earth. For example, up to £160m of previous investment over the next four years will propel Britain’s position in the global satellite communications market, enhancing high-speed internet access to remote and underserved areas and in turn bridging the digital divide for citizens. The Department’s investment in R&D to protect our planet also includes £310 million for the Met Office, which while most well-known for providing accurate weather forecasting for the UK also provides the UK’s most advanced climate modelling, which is essential to understanding the extent and impacts of climate change and how it can and will affect all of our lives. The allocation of this record £13.9bn in funding follows the Chancellor’s announcement at the Budget that the government would protect record levels of R&D spending, with £20.4bn being invested over the coming year across all government departments.”£

UKRI CEO, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, said: “Research and innovation play a crucial role in driving sustainable economic growth, creating jobs and improving public services for people across the UK.  This allocation safeguards the capability of the UK’s world class research and innovation ecosystem and enables investment to support the government’s five missions.  UKRI will use its unique position in the research and innovation system to make smart and strategic investment choices, delivering the best outcomes now and in the future,?and making the most effective use of public money.2 (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)

 

02 Apr 25. “New partnership” between defence and private sector set to boost UK defence sector. Major venture capitalists from across Europe can help unlock billions of pounds of private investment into UK technology and defence firms, as part of a “new partnership” between defence and private investors, the Defence Secretary has said today.

Defence Secretary John Healey at a table speaking with investors.

• Influential investors convened in London to discuss future routes to defence financing.
• Government’s record spending uplift and reforms will help unlock private-sector investment into UK defence, Defence Secretary said.
• Defence “is an ethical investment” as Government set to back Britain’s high-growth companies with new innovation funding.
• Comes alongside up to £250m of Government investment into UK firm to help boost missile defence.

In a first-of-its-kind meeting between venture capital firms and a UK Defence Secretary, John Healey MP spoke at a breakfast roundtable at Plural’s offices in central London. The meeting was convened by Plural partner Khaled Helioui, and Grace Cassy of Ten Eleven Ventures who has supported the development of the Strategic Defence Review as part of the Defence Review Team. In a changing world, with increasing threats and war in Europe, the group discussed how to incentivise greater private investment into defence and deep technology, to help deter Britain’s adversaries, secure the UK economy, protect the incomes of hard-working families up and down the country and support European security.  The Defence Secretary set out how the Government’s largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War – with 2.5% of GDP spend by April 2027 and a commitment to hit 3% in the next Parliament – coupled with defence reforms, can unlock private sector investment into high-growth British firms – boosting jobs and delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change by making defence an engine for growth across the UK. This includes:

• A new ambition to unlock more private defence investment, supported by long-term certainty of rising Government defence investment over the next decade, alongside the new Government direct expenditure target for SMEs including start-ups and scale-ups to give high-growth companies more certainty and sight of future investment.
• Turbocharging innovation with a new £400m ringfenced budget for UK Defence Innovation, announced by the Chancellor last week, alongside a commitment to spend 10% of the MOD equipment budget on novel technologies.
• Making clear that “defence is an ethical investment” in deterring conflict and preventing the huge human and economic costs caused by conflicts such as Ukraine. It comes as some funds look to renegotiated Limited Partner Agreements to better enable investment into defence.

In a sign of the Government backing British firms with long-term public investment, the meeting comes as the Government confirms up to £250 m investment across the next six years with UK defence tech firm Roke – supporting around 150 jobs and delivering analysis, trials and technology development against ballistic and hypersonic missile threats.

Roke – based in Hampshire and focused on innovation and AI development – have been awarded a contract up to six-years in length, known as Science and Technology Oriented Research and development in Missile defence (STORM). The framework streamlines crucial research into innovative technologies, helping enhance the UK’s ability to detect, identify, and defeat ballistic and hypersonic missile threats – work that is essential to safeguarding the UK and its allies.

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said: “In this new era of rising threats, national security isn’t just a military imperative. It’s the foundation for economic growth, securing Britain’s future and our Government’s Plan for Change. As Defence Secretary, I am determined to bring together investors, innovators and industry in a new partnership that drives British jobs and growth. We want to mobilise private investors to take a fresh look at defence, alongside the certainty of our Government’s record long-term uplift in defence spending. With countries across Europe facing new threats stepping up to take more responsibility for our continent’s defence is an ethical investment, and it’s good to see increasing numbers of private investors recognising that. There is no more important investment than in our European security. As a government we are determined to tackle any blockers which are preventing private finance from flowing into UK defence, which is why today’s landmark meeting is so important.”

The Defence Secretary also said the government is bringing “a clear mandate to bring innovative technology to the frontline at speed and enable the defence sector to create high-growth British success stories that deliver investor returns and national security.” (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)

 

02 Apr 25. Fast times, fast tech: DASA launches new phase of fast paced themed competition. DASA launches Phase Two of Innovation in Support of Operations – a Themed Competition seeking fast paced scalable proposals across five new challenge areas

• DASA has launched Phase Two of Innovation in Support of Operations
• Funded by the Ministry of Defence
• Three competition cycles closing on 20 May 2025 12:00 Midday (BST); 05 August 2025 12:00 Midday (BST); 14 October 2025 12:00 Midday (BST)

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch Phase Two of our fast paced Themed Competition Innovation in Support of Operations. Run on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, this competition is looking for innovative proposals that are cost competitive, designed for manufacture, and can be scaled in an approximate twelve-month timeframe.

Competition key information

Phase Two – expected to consist of three cycles:

Cycle 4    Cycle 5   Cycle 6 Competition Launch

2 April 3 June 19 August Open For 7 Weeks, 9 Weeks, 8 Weeks

Comp Closes: 20 May 12:00, 5 August 12:00, 14 October 12:00

All above time BST

• We expect proposals to cost no more than £350,000
• A number of proposals may be funded

Background: Why we need innovation in this area

The UK Government continuously evaluates insights from global events, to rapidly implement solutions that strengthen military and economic advantage.

This competition aims to identify and accelerate innovative solutions and techniques, ensuring they can be scaled and deployed faster than our adversaries.

If you think you have an innovation that could be deployed at pace, please read the full Competition Document and submit a proposal

Competition challenges

This competition has five new challenge areas:

1. UAS Propulsion

In this challenge area we are looking for:

• Novel means of propulsion for small to medium UAS.
• Novel means of manufacture/design of traditional UAS engines for small to medium UAS to increase scale of manufacture at a market leading price.

2. 155mm Artillery Barrel Repair/Recondition

We are looking for innovative solutions to repair, recondition and extend barrel life.

3. Autonomous navigation systems for UAS and USVs

In this challenge we are seeking autonomous navigation systems for air vehicles and/or maritime surface vessels.

4. Seekers

We are looking for novel systems directed against:

1. RF transmitters at frequencies ranging from 200 MHz to 40 GHz
2. Class I(d), Class II and Class III UAS
3. Medium to large maritime surface targets.

5.UAS defeat

This challenge relates to the ability to:

1. Detect UAS. We are seeking solutions to detect (and potentially defeat) UAS, including those that are not reliant on RF links.
2. Destroy UAS.  We are looking for novel solutions to destroy UAVs around the Class 1(d) size, once detected.

These challenges are designed to identify innovations that could be deployed, at an appropriate scale, in operational areas within 12 months.

For full details of the competition Challenge Areas, please read the Competition Document

Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)

For this competition we are seeking technology output and demonstration to reach  technology readiness level (TRL) 6 by the end of the project.

If you think your innovation could meet one of the Challenges, why not read the full Competition Document and submit a proposal? https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/competition-innovation-in-support-of-operations-phase-2 (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)

 

01 Apr 25. UK open to Canadian involvement in new fighter jet project. The UK government has signalled its openness to future collaboration with Canada on the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the international effort to develop a next-generation fighter jet by 2035. In response to a written parliamentary question from Liberal Democrat MP David Chadwick, Defence Minister Maria Eagle said that while Canada is not currently a GCAP partner, the door remains open: “All three Global Combat Air Programme nations have highlighted an openness to working with other nations, while keeping us on track with the programme delivery schedule and helping us deliver future military capabilities.”

GCAP is a trilateral initiative between the United Kingdom, Japan, and Italy to develop a sixth-generation combat aircraft, combining stealth, advanced sensors, artificial intelligence, and next-gen weapons systems. The programme will succeed the Eurofighter Typhoon and Japan’s F-2 fleet, and has been presented as a flagship example of defence industrial cooperation across continents. Although not part of the initial group, Canada has been suggested by some analysts as a natural future partner due to its deep security ties with the UK and membership in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. It also recently chose the F-35 for its next fighter aircraft, aligning it with GCAP members already operating or procuring the same jet.

The programme

The Global Combat Air Programme is a trilateral initiative launched in December 2022 by the United Kingdom, Japan, and Italy to develop a sixth-generation multirole stealth fighter aircraft. It merges two previously separate projects—the UK-Italy-led Tempest and Japan’s F-X—into a single platform intended to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon and Mitsubishi F-2 in their respective air forces by 2035. The collaboration aims to create a technologically advanced combat system featuring artificial intelligence, manned-unmanned teaming, and integrated sensors, with a demonstrator aircraft expected to fly by 2027. The programme is coordinated by the GCAP International Government Organisation (GIGO), headquartered in the UK, and will be jointly developed by BAE Systems, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Leonardo S.p.A., alongside a wide network of over 1,000 suppliers. The development of GCAP represents a strategic and industrial alignment among the three partner nations, addressing national security needs while fostering innovation across aerospace sectors. The United Kingdom and Italy previously developed the Tempest concept, exploring advanced features such as directed-energy weapons, augmented reality cockpits, and biometric monitoring. Meanwhile, Japan pursued its own advanced fighter capabilities through the F-X and experimental X-2 Shinshin projects, particularly following the US decision to block F-22 exports. The convergence of these efforts was driven by shared requirements, cost-efficiency objectives, and a mutual interest in preserving domestic defence industries. GCAP also allows for potential exports, prompting Japan to revise strict arms transfer rules to accommodate international sales in line with UK and Italian policies. Though Sweden and Saudi Arabia have shown interest in the programme, both have faced barriers to full membership. Sweden’s eventual withdrawal from related trilateral discussions and its delayed fighter replacement timeline have cast doubt on future participation. Saudi Arabia has expressed strong interest, citing ambitions to localise defence manufacturing; however, concerns over export restrictions and technology security—especially from Japan—have complicated its potential accession. Discussions continue at the diplomatic level, with Italy and the UK more receptive to Saudi involvement. GCAP is supported by a newly established industrial joint venture—comprising BAE, Leonardo, and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co.—which will oversee design, production, and lifecycle support, consolidating the aircraft’s development as a long-term multinational endeavour. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/)

 

01 Apr 25. UK retires Tranche 1 Eurofighters. The United Kingdom has retired from service most of its remaining early model Tranche 1 Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft, retaining only a small number to provide air defence for the country’s South Atlantic territories. The long-heralded retirement, which began in increments from 2015, was concluded on 31 March, with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirming to Janes the formal withdrawal of most of the last of the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) original fleet of 53 Tranche 1 Typhoons. With 49 aircraft in the official inventory at the time of retirement, the MoD said that four will remain on quick reaction alert duties with 1435 Flight in the Falkland Islands until 2027, 10 will be used for spares for the remaining Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 aircraft, 17 will be disposed of, 12 will be in storage for disposal, four will be used for ground training aids, and two are being considered for sale. The Tranche 1 aircraft first entered service in 2003, and without the more advanced avionics and mission systems of later tranches were only supposed to remain operational for about 20 years. However, with the RAF facing a ‘fighter gap’ between the withdrawal of the Panavia Tornado GR4 fleet and the building up of the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning fleet, it was decided in the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) of 2015 that the Tranche 1 fleet would be extended until 2040 to add much-needed combat mass. (Source: Janes)

 

01 Apr 25. L3 Harris have contacted MakeUKDefence regarding a requirement for plating services. Details can be found below in this email, this will be Def Stan 03-28 Part 2, Chromate Passivation to Def Stan 03-22 Part 1

MBM268 Issue 1.pdf

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://storage.uk.cloud.ovh.net/v1/AUTH_f3100dad5acd4df793f8778d19bcea24/MUD/1534d44f-c52b-4492-82c3-c549331d384a.pdf?temp_url_sig=1dc54e2bfb60d8d992f4f679aede619351da6b34&temp_url_expires=1743526635&filename=MBM1268%20Issue%201.pdf&inline=

 

31 Mar 25. F-35 vs Eurofighter: UK decision will have consequences. Whichever way it chooses, the UK choice between the F-35 or the Eurofighter will have defence, industrial, and political consequences. The prospect of a UK acquisition of more F-35 stealth fighters in favour of Eurofighter Typhoons continues to hold the attention of defence observers, and while military capabilities are being analysed, another important factor to consider is the potential impact to the defence aerospace sector. Published on 31 March, The Times reported that the UK would move to buy additional F-35 fighters, instead of new Eurofighter Typhoons. Influential UK union Unite has previously called for the UK to invest in the Eurofighter programme, citing concerns over jobs. Unite followed up with a stinging criticism of any potential UK purchase over the F-35, as reported by Airforce Technology. As it happens, UK defence prime BAE Systems is heavily involved in both the F-35 and Eurofighter programmes, with sizeable percentages of each aircraft manufactured in the North West of the country at the company’s Samlesbury and Warton sites respectively. BAE claims 15% of each US-designed F-35, the most expensive defence programme in history, is built in the UK, including all aft fuselages, while horizontal and vertical tails and components are also manufactured at facilities in the UK and Australia. The company also states that it delivers key electronic systems onboard the fighter, including the electronic warfare suite, vehicle management computer and Active Inceptor System. BAE Systems says that it employs more than 2,300 people in support of the F-35 programme globally, including 1,500 manufacturing specialists at Samlesbury in the North West of England. Meanwhile, Unite estimates that around 6,500 jobs at BAE Systems and at engine supplier Rolls Royce are directly dependant on work on the Eurofighter Typhoon, with a further 14,000 in the supply chain. Around half of the jobs are in the North West of the country. The UK has a workshare of the Eurofighter programme of around 37%, as it intended to be the single largest operator of the platform, although this status has since been lost to Germany.   However, the US alone is looking to acquire around 2,500 F-35s across all three variants, with hundreds more contracted to overseas buyers. For the Eurofighter, Airbus reported in March 2025 that the current programme of record was 721 aircraft, with 609 delivered. The UK government has been keen to talk up the prospect of increased military spending providing a benefit to the country’s defence industry, and will have to balance pros and cons on both sides.

UK switching from B to the A variant?

With one of the two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers increasingly likely to be mothballed in the Strategic Defence Review due to publish this Spring, the need for the naval-capable STOVL F-35B variants will reduce. If the Royal Navy will only ever operate a single carrier, then having more than the 48 F-35Bs contracted is unnecessary. The RAF would prefer the conventional F-35A variant, which cannot be operated from aircraft carriers and functions more as a traditional combat air platform. It has greater payload and range compared to the B model. According to a 28 March UK parliamentary response by UK Defence Procurement Minister Maria Eagle, the purchase price of an F-35A is estimated to be 15% less than the cost of an F-35B. The running cost of an F-35A is estimated to be 8% less than an F-35B. However, the kinematics and intercept capabilities of the rival Eurofighter, particularly the later Tranche 4 and Tranche 5 models, exceed the F-35. In UK service, the Eurofighter is used as the Quick Reaction Alert force, with two squadrons available for immediate launch at RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Coningsby.

In the QRA role, stealth would not be required, rather the ability to rapidly climb to intercept Russian bombers and other airborne threats. The Eurofighter is thought to have a superior climb rate compared to the F-35, particularly at mid-to-high altitudes, and is faster, reaching a maximum speed of around Mach 2, compared to the F-35A’s Mach 1.6. The F-35A, by contrast, is a ‘Day 1-capable’ platform, meaning it can operate inside contested airspace at the outset of a warfighting scenario, utilising its advanced electronic warfare and stealth capabilities to make enemy detection extremely complex.

Is the F-35 compromised?

There has previously been concerns that the F-35s design could be compromised, with suppliers linked to China having earlier been used in the programme. Most notably, this included China-owned UK company Exception PCB, which provided circuit boards for the international F-35 programme. Chinese hackers have also been reported to have stolen huge amounts of data of the F-35 and earlier F-22, which has been utilised into Beijing’s own stealth fighter programmes such as the FC-31 and J-35. In addition, the on-off potential for Türkiye to be readmitted into the F-35 progamme also poses security threats, with Ankara operating the Russian S-400 air defence system. Türkiye was previously kicked out of the F-35 programme by the US for its acquisition of the S-400, with US official fearing that stealth and targetting data could find their way to Moscow. However, with the bizarre situation that Washington finds itself increasingly allied to Moscow and abandoning its security relationship with Europe, even going to far as to threaten the annexation of Greenland – an autonomous territory of Nato member Denmark – the White House may no longer have concerns over the sharing of such information.

F-35 vs Eurofighter: international consequences

Europe will be furious, particularly new best friend Germany, which through its interests in Airbus is seeking a UK purchase of Eurofighters in order to keep the programme viable for all partners, including Spain and Italy, through to 2040. While BAE Systems works in both F-35 and Eurofighter programmes, and is the lead industry partner in the sixth-generation Global Combat Air Platform (GCAP) between the UK, Italy, and Japan, unions have previously raised concerns over the impact in opting for more F-35s over the Eurofighter. However, given the nature of the three defence aerospace programmes (F-35s, Eurofighter, and GCAP), a degree of consolidation from one to the other could be required if the delivery timelines of GCAPs entry into UK service by 2035 is to be met. This corresponds with the planned removal of the remaining Tranche 3 Eurofighters in UK service. It has always been the UK’s concept of airborne operations to maintain a mixed fleet of fifth-generation F-35s and sixth-generation GCAP fighters from the late 2030s onwards, a natural evolution of the current fourth-generation Eurofighter and stealth F-35Bs. However, any such decision to favour the US over Europe will likely be noted for future European programmes, particularly those being undertaken within the ReArm Europe initiative. Conversely, a Trump-led administration in Washington would take a dim view, to put it mildly, of a UK move towards acquiring additional Typhoons. (Source: airforce-technology.com)

 

29 Mar 25. MOD progresses Merlin helicopter fleet extension to 2040. The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the Royal Navy’s Merlin helicopter Out-of-Service Date (OSD) Extension Programme remains on track, with formal approvals progressing through standard departmental processes. In two written parliamentary questions on 27 March 2025, Mark Francois MP (Conservative – Rayleigh and Wickford) asked the Secretary of State for Defence for details on the approvals process and expected timeline for the programme. Responding on behalf of the Ministry, Defence Minister Maria Eagle stated that the programme seeks to retain Merlin helicopters in service from their current retirement window in 2029–30 through to 2040.

“The Outline Business Case was approved in October 2023,” she confirmed. “A Review Note was approved in December 2024.”

The programme is now undergoing Departmental Spend Control Approvals, which will determine whether to allocate funding for 2025–26. According to Eagle, the forecast for submitting the Full Business Case is currently set for early 2027. The extension programme is intended to sustain the Royal Navy’s medium-lift helicopter capability over the next two decades, bridging the gap to any future platform decisions and maintaining key anti-submarine and maritime support roles. (Source: News Now/https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/)

 

EUROPE

 

02 Apr 25. France calls for new EU ammo plan, speeding up satellite constellation. France is calling for a new European plan to ramp up ammunition production, including of complex ordnance such as missiles, and wants to move forward at a meeting of European Union defense ministers in Warsaw this week, French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu said. Lecornu will also ask the European Commission to speed up deployment and increase the budget for the IRIS² sovereign satellite constellation, the French minister said in a press briefing with his Danish counterpart, Troels Lund Poulsen, in Paris on Tuesday afternoon. The defense ministers are meeting on April 2 and 3 to discuss a white paper on the future of European defense, developing and financing defense capabilities within the 27-nation bloc, and military support for Ukraine. Lecornu said policymakers need to move on to concrete measures to build up Europe’s defense industry.

“We have to stop with the big speeches, we have to stop with the packages of bns where we don’t always know exactly how it works,” Lecornu said. “We need things that are sometimes perhaps more modest, but very effective.”

The EU’s Act in Support of Ammunition Production “worked, we are therefore calling for a new edition of an ASAP-type facility,” according to Lecornu. The European Commission allocated €500 m ($540 m) through the program to boost ammo output, and now forecasts the bloc will produce 2 m artillery shells this year, from an estimated annual capacity of 230,000 rounds in early 2023. A new ammo program should cover both simple and complicated munitions, including missiles, the French minister said. EU aid could help in a hypothetical scenario where missile maker MBDA sets up licensed production in European countries by adding to corporate financing and purchases by the host country, according to Lecornu. France has support from other EU members to ask the Commission to speed up the IRIS² plan for a sovereign European satellite constellation, Lecornu said, declining to name the countries. The project is key to European strategic autonomy and is progressing, but has “an enormous challenge in terms of execution time,” the minister said. The consortium picked to deploy the satellite constellation, led by SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat, is targeting full operational status for the early 2030s, pushing back IRIS² by several years compared to an EU timetable in March 2023 that envisaged full service in 2027.

“It’s an issue on which the commission is obviously eagerly awaited and on which we’d like to help,” Lecornu said. “It’s about money because it’s about speeding up, and money means speeding up. It may also be about simplifying the organization, the very governance of IRIS².”

“It makes sense, because we don’t have a solution, we don’t have a plan B, it’s either that or Starlink,” Lecornu said, referring to the satellite constellation operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

“The problem is, we have industrial time that is sometimes decorrelated from diplomatic time,” Lecornu said. “I’m trying to reduce diplomatic time, because there are still people making noise and doing complicated things, when in fact there are industrial opportunities.”

Denmark formalized the purchase of French Mistral short-range air defense missiles in Paris, and “we can do even more together,” Lund Poulsen said. “I hope also that it will be possible to make further announcements in the coming month about new procurements in France. I think the French defense companies have a lot to offer.”

The Danish government in February agreed to allocate an additional 50 bn kroner ($7.2 bn) to defense over the coming two years, boosting defense spending to more than 3% of GDP in 2025 and 2026. The Nordic nation is looking to rebuild an air-defense bubble after decommissioning its Hawk missile systems in 2005. Denmark last month shortlisted the French-Italian SAMP/T and the U.S. Patriot air-defense batteries to cover the high end of the threat spectrum in its planned purchase, while MBDA France’s VL MICA system, Kongsberg’s NASAMS, the IRIS-T SLM from Germany’s Diehl Defence and the U.S. IFPC. are in competition for the lower end.

“We are in Denmark very concerned about the situation with the land-based air-defense system, because we don’t have any,” Lund Poulsen said. He expects the government will be able to make a decision “before summer. I’m very happy that France also today have told me directly that they will be willing to collaborate with Denmark in that context,” the Danish minister said. “We have to see the offers that will come in, but let me just underline that it is of our interest also to have a decision before summer.”

Buying SAMP/T would make Denmark the first export customer in the EU for the long-range air-defense system, with France and Italy currently the only users in the 27-nation bloc. Ukraine uses a donated SAMP/T system to defend the Kyiv area, while Singapore is the only other export user following a purchase in 2013. Meanwhile, Lund Poelsen commented on the American military presence in Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, where the U.S. operates Pituffik Space Base. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to annex Greenland, citing security needs.

“Denmark has a long-lasting good relationship with the U.S., also about the security in Greenland,” the minister said. He said Denmark has an agreement from 1951 about the U.S. presence in the territory. “So if the U.S. would like to have more bases in Greenland, it is possible for them to raise that question to the Danish government. And will they be doing that. We’ll be willing to discuss that.” (Source: Defense News)

 

02 Apr 25. Embraer eyes KC-390 sales to Poland, Turkey, Finland, minister says, Brazil is in talks with Poland, Finland and Turkey for them to potentially purchase Embraer’s  KC-390 military aircraft, Defense Minister Jose Mucio said on Wednesday at the LAAD conference in Rio de Janeiro. “Negotiations to expand KC-390 are permanent and we are optimistic,” Mucio said, after Sweden earlier this week confirmed it would buy four aircraft. (Source: Reuters)

 

31 Mar 25. Lithuania buys more weapons, beckons their makers to invest locally. Amid a surge in defense spending across Eastern Europe, Lithuania is advancing plans to purchase Leopard 2A8 tanks and CV90 infantry fighting vehicles while making efforts to attract investors that will develop its own defense industry. Giedrimas Jeglinskas, the chairman of the Lithuanian parliament’s Committee on National Security and Defence, told Defense News the country’s authorities have decided to increase its level of military expenditure to between 5% and 6% of its GDP from 2026 to 2030. This would place the nation atop of NATO in terms of spending. Similarly to the other two Baltic states, Estonia and Latvia, Lithuania has boosted its military expenditure in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Our capability target is a division that we need to arm to make it a reality, so we need to increase spending to speed up the development of divisional assets. We need tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, air defense and some other high-tech assets to ensure this division’s readiness,” Jeglinskas said.

“We need to arrive at the level which will allow us to deter potential aggression,”he added.

In December 2024, Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovil? Šakalien? inked a contract to buy 44 Leopard 2A8 tanks during an official visit to Germany. In Berlin, Šakalien? met with German officials to discuss issues related to the two nations’ defense cooperation, including the heavy maneuver brigade of 4,800 personnel that the German Armed Forces, the Bundeswehr, is to deploy to Lithuania in the summer of 2025. The move is designed to bolster NATO’s eastern flank. Last year, the State Defence Council, Lithuania’s top defense decision-making body, authorized the country’s National Defence Ministry to also kick off the acquisition of tracked CV90s, which are made by BAE Systems Hägglunds. In 2025, Lithuania’s defense spending is to total some €3.2 bn ($3.5 bn), or around 3.9% of the country’s GDP, according to data from the National Defence Ministry. Alongside their work to equip the new Infantry Division with new gear, Lithuanian officials are also developing a program similar to Estonia’s initiative to lure weapon and ammunition makers to its Ämari military base. As part of these efforts, Germany’s Rheinmetall is carrying out a project to build a new ammunition plant in Lithuania, and Vilnius hopes to attract more defense industry players. The Lithuanian Ministry of Economy and Innovation “and the Ministry of National Defence are working tandem on the so-called Green Corridor to attract investors. Rheinmetall is one of those deals, and more producers are coming, as we’re holding talks with several manufacturers of explosives,” according to Jeglinskas, who represents the co-ruling Union of Democrats for Lithuania.

In November 2024, Rheinmetall launched the construction of a plant to make 155 mm artillery ammunition in Lithuania. Located in Baisogala, the factory is to commence operations in mid-2026. As part of the €180 m investment, around 150 jobs are to be created locally.

“A state-of-the-art production facility, including a shell manufacturing and load assembly pack, is being built in the municipality on an area of around 340 hectares,” the German company said in a statement. Once completed, the plant “will be able to produce tens of thousands of 155 mm calibre artillery shells per year.”

Jeglinskas said the Lithuanian government’s responsibility is to support potential investors with a wide range of assistance, including financial aid, to attract more defense-focused investments.

“It’s the government’s role; the government needs to put money into certain companies, and state capital is needed is push forward such investments that are of strategic importance to Lithuania and its security,” the lawmaker said.

Meanwhile, in Estonia, the country’s authorities are making efforts to settle producers of weapons, ammunition and equipment in different locations across the country. In addition to the defense industry park in Ämari, a larger defense park is to be made available for manufacturing projects by both domestic and foreign defense companies. The national park’s location is yet to be decided. Public tenders to select investors are scheduled for 2025, representatives of the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI), the country’s military procurement agency, told Defense News. (Source: Defense News)

 

01 Apr 25. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) today completed the delivery of the 51st and 52nd F-35As to the Royal Norwegian Air Force, making Norway the first F-35 partner nation to fulfill its program of record.

“The F-35 is the world’s best fighter jet and I am very pleased that we will receive the last of the 52 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin that Norway has ordered,” said Tore O. Sandvik, Norwegian Minister of Defence. “The aircraft ensure that we can safeguard Norwegian sovereignty and maintain even better control over our areas on land, at sea and in the air.”

The advanced capabilities and increased interoperability of the F-35 enhances Norway’s sovereign defense and cooperation with key allies across Europe, including its closest neighbors in the Nordic region. The F-35 fleet will play a critical role in protecting the High North and supporting NATO missions.

“Norway’s F-35 fleet enhances interoperability across the Norwegian Armed Forces’ defense systems, improving situational awareness of the entire force and strengthening transatlantic security,” said Chauncey McIntosh, vice president and general manager of the F-35 program at Lockheed Martin. “We are honored to build upon our more than 50-year partnership with Norway, ensuring the Royal Norwegian Air Force remains ahead of emerging threats to protect security for Norway and its allies for decades to come.”

As the cornerstone of the battlespace for 20 allied nations, the F-35 enables peace through strength in the 21st century. With over a m flight hours and a global fleet of more than 1,150 aircraft and growing, the F-35 provides unrivaled capabilities, strengthening deterrence for allies around the world. F-35s operate from 48 bases worldwide, including 10 nations operating on home soil. As adversaries rapidly advance technology, the F-35’s unmatched connectivity and ability to work in partnership with assets operating across land, sea, air, space and cyber is essential to securing the skies today and into the future.

 

31 Mar 25. Poland and the United States will sign an agreement worth nearly $2bn for the delivery of logistical support for the Patriot air defence system, Poland’s defence minister said on Monday. Poland is ramping up its defence capabilities, positioning itself as a key player on NATO’s eastern flank in the face of an assertive Russia and also of a U.S. administration under Donald Trump that has sharply criticised Europe over security matters. (Source: Google/Reuters)

 

27 Mar 25.  Portugal opens talks with Leonardo over AW101 helicopter midlife upgrade.

“The Danish are looking to [the] possibility” of an upgrade. “Canadians are all in [on] that process already … So the idea is to have a similar approach … in order to bring value to the [Portuguese] Air Force,” Maj. Gen. Joao Nogueira, director of weapon systems maintenance directorate at the Portuguese Air Force told Breaking Defense.

Portugal is pushing ahead with plans for an AW101 search-and-rescue (SAR) helicopter midlife upgrade, and has launched discussions with Italy’s Leonardo to assess a suitable way forward.

“We are debating that topic [of a midlife upgrade] with Leonardo to see what are the options for sure,” Maj. Gen. Joao Nogueira, director of weapon systems maintenance directorate at the Portuguese Air Force told Breaking Defense and other media, as part of an Embraer press trip on Wednesday. (Like other outlets Breaking Defense accepted travel and accommodations from the manufacturer for the trip.)

“We are talking more about avionics and sensors,” not France’s Safran RTM322 engines, which power the rotorcraft, said Nogueira. He stressed that there are “no issues” with the powerplant, but that the planned upgrade is necessary as the AW101 has been in service for almost two decades.

“These programs take time to define and implement and it’s something that we are looking at this moment, to take some decisions,” he added.

“The Danish are looking to [the] possibility” of an upgrade. “Canadians are all in [on] that process already … So the idea is to have a similar approach … in order to bring value to the [Portuguese] Air Force.”

A spokesperson for Leonardo told Breaking Defense in a statement that over “recent years we’ve developed and shared MLU strategies with many of our existing AW101 operators, to enable the implementation of solutions and technology enhancements required. This allows to preserve and sustain the unequalled capabilities of the AW101, extending them into the next 15-20 years of operations.”

The manufacturer also stands “ready to meet any emerging requirement from other AW101 operators,” added the spokesperson, while noting that ongoing MLU upgrades typically benefit from “new avionics and cockpit, sensors and mission equipment and, in some cases, new engines,” together with support and training packages. Leonardo company literature claims that for both Portugal and Canada, the 16-tonne class helicopter “has demonstrated excellent performance” when carrying out SAR and combat SAR operations “even under conditions so extreme that no other helicopter could carry them out.” Half of Portugal’s fleet of 12 AW101 helicopters are reserved for SAR operations, with others used for combat SAR and fishery protection, according to the manufacturer. Talking about the decision to commit to an upgrade, as opposed to potentially kickstarting a replacement acquisition, Nogueira said that despite “alternative” aircraft being available, they don’t go “so [much] further in terms of range.” (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Breaking Defense.com)

 

28 Mar 25. Romania to acquire warships to strengthen NATO eastern flank. Romania’s Supreme Defence Council on Friday approved a plan to add new small warships to its fleet, part of wider efforts to strengthen its role in the Black Sea and on NATO’s eastern flank. The European Union and NATO member – which shares the longest land border with Ukraine – cancelled in 2023 a long-delayed deal to buy four warships from French firm Naval Group after the company and a junior partner failed to meet a deadline to sign a contract. The Reuters Tariff Watch newsletter is your daily guide to the latest global trade and tariff news. Sign up here. Naval Group won the contract to build four Gowind navy corvettes for Romania and renovate two existing frigates for 1.2 bn euros but the deal was held up, first by legal challenges and then by it failing to reach an understanding with its junior partner over rising costs.

“Council members analyzed and approved equipping the Romanian Navy with a new warship, a light corvette type able to execute in the shortest time a multitude of missions,” the defence council said in a statement, adding it has tasked the defence ministry with starting the acquisition process. (Source: Reuters)

 

USA

 

03 Apr 25.  DOD Announces Instructions for Reporting Termination and Cancelation Actions Taken in Response to the Administration’s Efficiency Initiatives. The Department of Defense announced today, the Principal Director, Defense Pricing, Contracting, and Acquisition Policy (DPCAP) memorandum, “Reporting Instructions to Comply with Presidential Action Memorandum ‘Radical Transparency About Wasteful Spending’ dated February 18, 2025,” providing instructions to DoD components for complying with the corresponding Presidential memo. The DPCAP memo provides specific instructions for reporting termination and cancelation actions taken in response to the Administration’s efficiency initiatives, including reporting to both the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) and the System for Award Management (SAM). Reporting Instructions to Comply with Presidential Action Memorandum ‘Radical Transparency About Wasteful Spending’ dated February 18, 2025, is available in full on the DPCAP website at the following location: https://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/policy/policyvault/USA000638-25-DPCAP.pdf To view to U.S. government-wide procurement data visit: https://sam.gov/reports/awards/standard

To view special notices and other listings of contract opportunities published in SAM, visit: https://sam.gov/opportunities

While contract action reports in FPDS undergo a 90-day public delay for all DoD reported actions, notices posted in SAM are not delayed from public display. Publishing the notices in SAM ensures the Department is supporting transparency of these actions as soon as possible. (Source: U.S. DoD)

 

03 Apr 25. Advance Underwater Communication for the Future of Naval Operations: A Call for Solutions. Funding opportunities are available in the AUKUS Maritime Innovation Challenge 2025 for commercial technologies to solve undersea and information warfare issues. As the second collaboration launched between the U.S.’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Australia’s Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), and the UK’s Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), the tri-national AUKUS Maritime Innovation Challenge 2025 is seeking commercial companies with solutions that will enhance the tactical and operational capabilities of undersea command, control and communications while maintaining the integrity and security of communication for sea vehicles, even in the harshest underwater conditions. In an era where technological advancement is key to maintaining global maritime security, the AUKUS nations — Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States — are spearheading the next frontier in underwater warfare. Through AUKUS Pillar II, DIU is seeking commercial solutions to strengthen warfighting capabilities for the Department of Defense (DoD) by pioneering new systems that will maximize lethality of uncrewed maritime operations and enhance decision-making readiness in real-time across the underwater domain. Following the conclusion of the inaugural AUKUS EW Challenge in September 2024 that focused on Electronic Warfare (EW) technologies to strengthen deterrence, the second effort in the series that is being launched today, is centered on maritime autonomy and undersea warfare. Autonomous systems are essential for gaining operational advantage in complex environments such as undersea zones, where national interests and critical infrastructure are at stake. AUKUS is seeking solutions that will drive next-generation communications systems, empowering autonomous platforms to operate safely, efficiently, and with maximum operational impact. This solicitation is looking to rapidly speed and scale solutions that will enhance the sensing, interpreting, and navigating capabilities of autonomous platforms to provide an operational advantage in all environments. Solutions should deliver advantages across capabilities such as:

* Providing near real-time communications between undersea vehicles (UVs).

* Providing near real-time communications from UVs to Command and Control (C2) Systems/Battle Management Systems (BMS).

* Providing near real-time communications between seabed systems to UVs, C2 Systems, and BMS.

* Providing a system that can optimally allocate the right asset to the right task in a dynamic and complex environment.

* Providing optimal bandwidth utilization and effective range, and perform in a contested/congested environment.

Key Dates and Funding:

* Across the AUKUS alliance there is a combined $9 m USD; expected to fund 3-10 proposals.

* Applications close at noon pacific time on April 28.

* Eligibility: Technology model or prototype demonstration in a relevant environment – Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6.

Click here to learn more about the DIU AUKUS solicitation opportunity: https://www.diu.mil/work-with-us/submit-solution/PROJ00586 (Source: U.S. DoD)

 

03 Apr 25. One Digital Destination, Millions of Opportunities. Companies and academic institutions will soon be able to match their technologies and products to real Defense Department business opportunities using the latest generative artificial intelligence tools in a secure platform. For the department, this means platform users can discover commercial and academic capabilities that meet their mission needs in one digital location. The Defense Innovation Unit is partnering with commercial technology companies to develop the DOD Digital OnRamp platform in collaboration with organizations across the department, including service members, acquisition professionals, research scientists and the innovation community. Leveraging the latest advancements in AI and large language model technologies, the OnRamp tool will be a single sign-on platform that simplifies and enhances the process of matching private sector capabilities with defense opportunities.

“As a matching tool for commercial technology and the department, we are seamlessly and securely integrating data sets to help the commercial sector find the best fit for their technology matched to a defense need with the training and support needed while also making commercial and academic solutions visible to department employees trying to solve a mission problem,” said Cheryl Ingstad, DIU deputy director of digital platforms and developer ecosystem.

The goal is to ease the burden of navigating the disconnected ecosystem of websites that serve as entry points to DOD solicitations. It is a key step in how the department is providing a low-barrier-of-entry capability for the private sector to discover defense opportunities. Rapid and frictionless discovery of opportunities, aligned with training resources, will accelerate the adoption of commercial technologies at scale. American innovators with dual-use technologies want to engage with DOD but encounter complexities in the bureaucracy, Ingstad said. By surveying and analyzing how private sector users find opportunities across the defense marketplace, Ingstad’s team discovered that many nontraditional technology companies spend significant time networking through human contacts to arrive at the appropriate opportunity. Many others devote numerous hours to multiple DOD websites and platforms, all with different search functions and entry requirements. OnRamp aims to simplify the search process by using AI-powered conversational search tools to make matches instantly.

“Imagine the speed and scale of innovation that can be achieved when an AI-enabled platform connects countless companies, professors and students to billions of dollars of DOD opportunities,” Ingstad said. “This platform will offer a free, intuitive pathway for companies to find an opportunity — and for DOD employees to find commercial solutions to mission problems.”

For industry, the platform represents a transformative shift in how the department historically, and sometimes disjointedly, shares opportunities for doing business with the government. The OnRamp platform is analogous to travel search websites, which save users from searching individual airline or hotel sites to find the best fares. Likewise, the platform represents a single entry point for DOD to an ever-growing number of enormous data sources, including DOD platforms with commercial technology data. OnRamp will also direct users to helpful training while reducing the burden of having users learn multiple website interfaces and the need to apply for multiple accounts to find opportunities. As a single navigation point, the platform will also push opportunities to innovators versus relying on them to conduct independent searches at the exact release time of an opportunity. The platform will maintain a real-time repository of private sector capabilities within its secure database that government users can search. This capability enhances the conduct of due diligence activities in a secure environment. DIU is evaluating user experience surveys and technical data from a December 2024 technology demonstration to develop requirements for the next phase — delivering the minimum viable product later this year.

“DIU, in partnership with the greater Defense Innovation Community of Entities, is excited to bring speed and scale through this digital platform to the commercial innovators across America,” Ingstad said.

Signups are available here for those interested in becoming a test user. https://www.diu.mil/digitalonramp (Source: U.S. DoD)

 

02 Apr 25. Trump preparing executive order to increase weapons exports, sources say. U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is planning an executive order that would ease rules governing exports of military equipment, and could announce it as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday, four sources familiar with the discussions said. The sources, some in government and some in industry, said they expected the order would be similar to legislation proposed by Trump’s national security adviser, Michael Waltz, last year when he was a Republican member of the House of Representatives. White House aides did not immediately respond to requests for comment. An executive order could increase sales for big U.S. defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, RTX Corp and Boeing Co. If it had become law, the bill backed by Waltz in 2024 would have amended the U.S. Arms Export Control Act to increase the minimum dollar amounts that trigger a congressional review of arms exports to other countries. They would increase to $23m from $14m for arms transfers, and rise to $83m from $50m for the sale of military equipment, upgrades, training and other services. (Source: Reuters)

 

01 Apr 25. US officials object to European push to buy weapons locally.

• Summary
• EU aims to boost local weapons industry, limiting U.S. participation
• Rubio warns against excluding U.S. from EU defense procurements
• Trump administration seeks open markets for U.S. arms makers

U.S. officials have told European allies they want them to keep buying American-made arms, amid recent moves by the European Union to limit U.S. manufacturers’ participation in weapons tenders, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The Trump administration’s early foreign policy steps, including briefly cutting military aid for Ukraine and easing pressure on Moscow, have deeply unnerved European allies, prompting many to ask if the United States is a reliable partner. (Source: Reuters)

 

01 Apr 25. US Navy intends to select T-45C Goshawk replacement by January 2027. A T-45C Goshawk lands on the USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) in 2024.  The US Navy (USN) hopes to release a request for proposals (RFP) to replace the Boeing/BAE Systems T-45C Goshawk by December 2025, with a contract award planned for January 2027, according to a request for information (RFI) released on 31 March. The new RFI replaces one released in September 2023. It includes a section detailing live, virtual, and constructive (LVC) training, and strikes a requirement to operate on aircraft carriers. LVC training ranges from networking simulators such that crew members at separate locations can ‘fly’ together, to adding computer-simulated enemy aircraft into actual flights. LVC training allows crew members to practice dangerous or aircraft-stressing manoeuvres in a simulator rather than a real aircraft. It can also help crew practice against threats that are difficult to simulate, such as large-scale air battles or threats from foreign air-defence systems. Training programmes worldwide incorporate LVC elements. Aircraft will also not be required to operate from aircraft carriers, according to the RFI. Aircraft carrier operations currently mark a significant milestone in navy pilot training.

“Due to advancements in operational platform landing modes and in ground-based simulation, the UJTS [Undergraduate Jet Training System] air vehicle will only be required to conduct Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) to wave off,” the RFI stated.(Source: Janes)

 

01 Apr 25. Office of Strategic Capital Receives $8.9bn in Financing Requests for First Domestic Manufacturing Loan Program. The Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) received more than 200 applications totaling $8.9bn in financing requests for its inaugural credit product for American manufacturing. This robust demand, which significantly exceeds the program’s current lending capacity of $984m, highlights the critical need for federal financing to scale domestic manufacturing of technologies vital to national and economic security. The applicant pool represents a broad range of technology manufacturers from 38 states spanning various sizes, growth stages, and sectors. The financing requests range from $10 m to $150 m for equipment needs in critical technology areas such as advanced materials, microelectronics, and space technology. Today, U.S. critical technology companies face reduced domestic manufacturing capability stemming from a lack of access to long-term, cost-effective capital. These scarce financing opportunities have enabled strategic competitors, such as the People’s Republic of China, to gain footholds in key industries and supply chains. Recognizing these national security challenges, Congress authorized and appropriated funds for OSC to rapidly build investment capabilities for American manufacturing across 31 critical technology categories. OSC stood up this first-of-its-kind loan program just six months after receiving congressional appropriations, underscoring the Department’s commitment to rapid execution. OSC is reviewing applications and expects to approve financing and deploy capital to selected applicants later this year. (Source: U.S. DoD

 

REST OF THE WORLD

 

03 Apr 25. Australia sizes up a continent-size gap in air defenses. Australian military leaders are scrambling to cobble together fresh air defense capabilities, as China’s missile arsenal is growing and Beijing’s warships have started showing up in Australasia. Global companies offered weaponry to that end at the recent Avalon International Airshow, held near Melbourne in late March. For now it appears that military leaders are prizing sensors over interceptors in what will be Australia’s future network of weapons for defending would-be targets in a conflict.

Air Vice-Marshal Nick Hogan, head of Air Force Capability, acknowledged that an integrated, medium-range air defense capability has been delayed. “What’s most important to us is seeing and sensing first, so getting the command and control right first, and then getting the kinetics that might be required to effect anything coming towards us,” he told Defense News at the Avalon event.

Hogan was referring primarily to Project Air 6500, which is slowly delivering an integrated air battle management system. One lesson from Ukraine is the need for air defense, and Hogan said Australia was learning from evolutions seen globally. However, Australia currently owns only NASAMS batteries and three air-warfare destroyers. While major Australian cities and military bases are often on coasts, there are simply not enough ships to protect them all. Furthermore, it is likely the U.S. will demand an air defense umbrella to protect a nuclear submarine base being established in Western Australia. The Defence Strategic Review of 2023 urged acceleration of medium-range and high-speed missile defenses, with authors lamenting the low priority placed on integrated air and missile defense. Instead of “pursuing a long-term, near-perfect solution at unaffordable cost,” the review said the government must allocate “sufficient resources to the Chief of Air Force to deliver the initial capability in a timely way”.

According to Hogan, ground-based defenses may not be the ideal solution for Australia.

“When you have a limited inventory, you want to be able to be as flexible as possible, so that might be using maritime stocks on land, it might be using land stocks in the maritime domain,” he said. “There are many options to go forward. What we’re trying to do is make sure, where possible, we can get the biggest return on investment using sovereign capabilities.”

Asked about a timeline for implementation, Hogan said: “As soon as we can practically make it happen.”

Potential solutions, such as Raytheon’s Patriot and systems from Israel and South Korea, were being promoted at Avalon Airshow 2025. Officials have also begun addressing an Australian weakness in countering drones, albeit at a limited level. Last year, Anduril Australia signed a three-year deal to trial a counter-drone capability at RAAF Base Darwin in the north, but this is an isolated step forward. Nonetheless, Air Marshal Stephen Chappell, Chief of Air Force, said: “We’re investing in our northern base infrastructure,” including “the ability to passively defend, use deception, be able to recover, be able to agilely move forces around”. Hardened aircraft shelters are no longer part of the equation.

“That was a fantastic concept for its day, but probably its day has passed,” Chappell said.

“We’re already working with our civilian sector and our industry sectors in the northern half of Australia using non-military airfields to land, refuel and, in the future, rearm, combat aircraft or other aircraft in order to regenerate airpower from non-military bases.”

A recent report by the U.S.-based Hudson Institute think tank assessed that as few as ten missiles, each with a warhead spraying cluster munitions over a 450-foot diameter, could neutralize all aircraft parked in the open at various key U.S. bases. Australia’s situation is no different. Likewise, loitering munitions could easily penetrate regular aircraft shelters.

Air Vice-Marshal Glen Braz, Air Commander Australia, argued the air service is “very deliberate about our passive efforts” to protect bases. “As threats evolve, and warfare evolves, we’d seek to have layers of defense systems that we’d want to have in place,” Braz said. “But we’re very much training our teams to fight the network of bases as a system.”

Meanwhile, officials used the the Avalon airshow to provide an assessment of key aerial platforms in the pipeline. They had good things to say about the influx of F-35s, the fifth-generation warplane made by Lockheed Martin.

“We had the last nine aircraft arrive in December, so we’re thrilled to have our 72 F-35s with us in Australia across our three operational squadrons, the training unit and integrated training center,” Chappell told Defense News.

Elsewhere, the RAAF continues testing of Boeing Defence Australia’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat unmanned aircraft. Hogan said he is “very pleased” with progress.

“This year we’re going to demonstrate the capabilities of the platform over a number of activities,” Hogan said. “We’ll test all of the payloads we’ve planned for potential use on the platform, with the exception of it being armed. That’s one that remains in our thinking, but we’re going to focus on other payloads first.”

Competition for the Ghost Bat is brewing under Project Air 6015, where the RAAF will make recommendations to government on the way forward for collaborative combat aircraft, probably by year’s end. Hogan said the MQ-28A will be a “very strong contender in any options we take forward to government.” Regardless, Anduril believes its YFQ-44A Fury stands a chance. The American company displayed a full-sized model of the aircraft at the Avalon show. (Source: Defense News)

 

03 Apr 25. Brazil to buy both British Albion class assault ships. The Brazilian Navy has formally signed an agreement to acquire two Royal Navy amphibious assault ships, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, during the LAAD Defence & Security 2025 event in Rio de Janeiro. The agreement, described as a “protocol of intentions,” was signed on Wednesday and comes during the bicentennial year of diplomatic relations between Brazil and the United Kingdom. The acquisition of the Albion-class landing platform docks (LPDs) would, say the country, significantly bolster Brazil’s capacity for amphibious operations, disaster relief, and humanitarian response. The vessel will join helicopter carrier HMS Ocean, sold years ago, to the Brazilians. According to an official update from Brazil’s Navy news service, the ships are being sought not only for their strategic military utility but also for their ability to support domestic civil operations. “We have seen the need for Navy ships to support the population in the various calamities that have occurred due to climate variations, such as the floods that occurred in São Sebastião in 2023 and in Rio Grande do Sul in 2024,” said Admiral Edgar Luiz Siqueira Barbosa, Director General of Navy Material. He added that Brazil has long valued British-built naval assets. “Several British ships, throughout the existence of the naval fleet, have been incorporated into the MB. They are quality ships, so we already have this good experience.” HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, built in the late 1990s and early 2000s, were among the Royal Navy’s most capable amphibious vessels, designed for transporting large numbers of troops, vehicles, and cargo. Both ships are equipped with flight decks able to support heavy helicopter operations and were constructed with the projection of force and humanitarian assistance missions in mind. (Source: News Now/https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/)

 

03 Apr 25. SAAF urgently seeking spares for four types in its fleet. The SA Air Force (SAAF) is, via Armscor, urgently looking for spare and replacement parts for four types in its fleet.The aircraft types are, in order of the Armscor requests for information (RfIs), CASA 212 (RFI: ARO-2025-03-01); Saab Gripen (RFI: ARO-2025-03-02), Oryx (RFI: ARO-2025-03-03) and C-130BZ (RFI: ARO-2025-03-04). All were issued on 28 March with a 7 April closing date. Armscor does not make known RfI or tender details to the media, so this publication went to Dean Wingrin, publisher of the Unofficial SAAF website who also has a wide-ranging knowledge of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF). His take on the four RfIs is “standard spare and replacement parts” for the four aircraft systems named.

“These are all urgent, most likely a result of the chronic underfunding experienced by the SAAF (and SANDF as a whole) over the past decade,” he told defenceWeb. “The SANDF suffered severe budget cuts over the past 15 years, leading to maintenance backlogs, depleted stock levels and an inability to carry out essential maintenance and mid-life upgrades.”

Turning specifically to the airborne service, under the command of Lieutenant General Wiseman Mbambo, he said: “The SAAF received a 3.9% budget increase this year to R17.7 bn, which remains below the inflation rate. As a result, even with this nominal increase, the SAAF will not be able to maintain spending parity in the current financial year to what it could buy last year. The net effect has resulted in the SAAF flying only 6 800 hours of its budgeted 12 000”. On the timing of the RFIs he notes they “may have been issued on an urgent basis as April 1 is the start of the South African government financial year. In this way, newly released funds can be applied to keep the SAAF fleet in most urgent need of spare parts in the air as many aircraft have been grounded for lack of spare parts”. SAAF aircraft availability is at critically low levels across all divisions. A recent assessment covering the six-month period from September 2024 to March 2025, which defenceWeb has seen, laid bare the extent to which underfunding, maintenance backlogs, and spare part shortages have compromised the force’s readiness. The report stated there are currently 13 Gripen airframes available and serviceable, under a contract that expires in August 2025. The Hawk fleet is also under a service contract for 12 air frames, until 2029. A total of 26 Gripens and 24 Hawks were originally acquired. One Gripen has been written off and two Hawks damaged in accidents. The Oryx fleet has suffered extensive maintenance delays, with availability ranging from zero to just 44 percent in the last six months, meaning only 4 out of 13 aircraft are operational, while the fleet consists of 37 total airframes, after two were written off after crashing. Many remain grounded due to overdue servicing or a lack of spare parts. Externally deployed aircraft, particularly Oryx helicopters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), are suffering from major spare part shortages. Only 33 percent of the deployed fleet is currently operational, with just 1 out of 3 helicopters available, significantly impacting South Africa’s peacekeeping commitments. Two Oryx were flown to Entebbe, Uganda, for servicing. A further two Oryx were recently flown to Entebbe to cover for the two DRC examples undergoing servicing. A fifth Oryx (1247) is currently stuck at Goma Airport, having been hit by rebel ground fire while en route to Goma airport on 2 February 2024. Of the SAAF’s three C212 light transport aircraft, two aircraft require recovery after incidents. One suffered a runway excursion during Exercise Vuk’uhlome in November 2023. Airbus has been contracted to carry out maintenance from August 2022 to end July 2025. The contractor has been performing well to date, and all spares and repairs have been delivered within communicated time lines. However, Armscor last year revealed that C212 maintenance was underfunded (R43 m funded out of R70 m required). The C-130 Hercules, essential for strategic and tactical airlift and humanitarian operations, is entirely unavailable, with none out of six aircraft operational, exacerbating logistical difficulties. C-130 tail number 401, the oldest of the fleet, originally acquired in 1963, has undertaken several test flights from Waterkloof Air Force Base throughout March, but is not fully operational. Another C-130 is with Marshall Aerospace in the UK for upgrades and maintenance. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)

 

01 Apr 25. Putin announces new submarines, but the industry is strained. Russia will build eight nuclear multi-purpose and strategic submarines for the Navy, according to the Russian president. Vladimir Putin announced the plans after the launching ceremony last week of the new Perm nuclear submarine of the Yasen-M class. That boat will be the first full-time carrier of the Zircon hypersonic cruise missile. Following the withdrawal of Soviet submarine, military officials originally wanted to field 30 Yasen-class submarines and 14 strategic Borei-class boats. Putin’s announcement indicate a shift on objectives, with 10 copies to be built in each class. Submarine manufacturing plant Sevmash has emerged as something of a bottleneck in the overall production scheme. The plant hasn’t been making enough boats, and only a year ago modernized its production facilities. Given Russian plans to start building new fifth-generation submarines of the Husky class by 2027, the Yasen-M line may cease to exist, according to Pavel Luzin, a Russia defense expert with the Washington-based Center for European Policy Analysis. Moscow’s overall naval weapons mix has leaders hesitant to rush into additional Yasen production, as support elements like reconnaissance satellites and ships as well as accompanying surveillance aircraft are lacking, according to Dmitry Smirnov, a Russian military expert. In addition, the defense budget shifted to the production of weapons needed in the war against Ukraine. Sevmash is not receiving enough orders for the construction of submarines, and employees are getting pay cuts, says economist Vyacheslav Shiryaev. Aggravating the situation, after the invasion of Ukraine, Russia lost access to foreign components due to sanctions and was forced to start from scratch on some submarine parts. (Source: Defense News)

 

01 Apr 25. The US State Department has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale of 20 F-16 fighters to the Philippines, with an estimated price tag of $5.58bn. The approved package, which covers 16 F-16C Block 70/72 jets and four F-16B Block 70/72 fighters, comes just days after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Manilla and pledged greater defense ties between the two countries. The announcement, issued in the form of congressional notifications from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), is not final. Quantities and dollar totals often shift during negotiations, and today’s announcement technically tees up an opportunity for lawmakers to block the deal within a 30-day period, though such a step is rare. The overall package includes 24 engines, 22 AESA radars, and a host of internal systems. It also comes with a collection of munitions: 112 AIM-120C-8 or equivalent missiles, 36 Guided Bomb Unit (GBU)-39/B Small Diameter Bombs Increment 1 (SDB-1); 40 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles, 32 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Captive Air Training Missiles (CATMs); 60 MK-82 500-lb general purpose bombs; and 60 MK-84 2,000-lb general purpose bombs, plus associated equipment.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a strategic partner that continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in Southeast Asia,” a statement announcing the sale on the DSCA’s website reads. The proposed sale will enhance the Philippine Air Force’s ability to conduct maritime domain awareness and close air support missions and enhance its suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) and aerial interdiction capabilities” the statement continues. This sale will also increase the ability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to protect vital interests and territory, as well as expand interoperability with the U.S. forces.”

Lockheed Martin is the primary contractor for the sale. While no commercial offsets are currently proposed, the DSCA notice leaves open the possibility that those will be “defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor.” (Source: Breaking Defense.com)

 

31 Mar 25. AUKUS Maritime Innovation Challenge 2025: Undersea Communications and Autonomy. AUKUS partners are seeking to research and develop innovations to enable the synchronisation and teaming of multiple undersea systems.

• DASA has launched a new AUKUS Competition: Maritime Innovation Challenge 2025.
• This is the second iteration of AUKUS Pillar 2’s Innovation Challenge Series which will run concurrently in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
• The UK competition run by DASA is open to all nations, although entrants from Australia or the United States can refer to their national competition page if they prefer.
• Up to $8m USD in funding is available.

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch the Maritime Innovation Challenge 2025 as a new AUKUS Competition. Following the ministerial announcement in December 2023 to launch an innovation challenge series under the AUKUS partnership, this competition is the second iteration of AUKUS Pillar 2’s Innovation Challenge Series. The challenge has been trilaterally agreed and is being run as a single multi-stage competition, across the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) in Australia, the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) in the United Kingdom and the Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) in the United States.

What is AUKUS?

AUKUS is a landmark security and defence partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US to support a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening regional global security.  Through Pillar 2, AUKUS partners seek to strengthen trilateral capabilities in cutting-edge military technologies, increase interoperability, and drive knowledge-sharing and innovation.

What are we looking for?

AUKUS partners are seeking to research and develop innovations to enable the synchronisation and teaming of multiple undersea systems. We invite innovations that enable some or all of the following Desired Capability Effects:

1. Provide near real time communications between Undersea Vehicles (UVs)
2. Provide near real time communications from UVs to Command and Control (C2) Systems /Battle Management System (BMS)
3. Provide near real time communications between seabed systems to UVs and C2 System and BMS
4. Provide a system that can optimally allocate the right asset to the right task in a dynamic and complex environment
5. Provide optimal bandwidth utilisation and effective range, and perform in a contested/congested environment

Successful proposals to this competition should seek to tackle one or more of the above Desired Capability Effects (1-5).

We are looking for:

• Proposals that describe how their solution will perform at various depths and hydrographic conditions
• Solutions that exploit the right mode of communication at every point of the mission to optimise the chance of mission success
• Solutions that could be applied to attritable or survivable systems
• Technologies that are Secure By Design

Key dates and funding

• Up to $8m USD in funding is available to fund multiple proposals.
• The deadline to submit a proposal for Stage 1 is midday 28 April 2025 (BST).

Do you have an innovation? Read the full competition document and submit a proposal.

Supporting event

Launch Webinar: 3 April 2025

A dial-in session providing further detail on the problem space and a chance to ask questions in an open forum. If you would like to participate, please register on the Eventbrite page.

Submit a proposal

Do you have an innovative technology that could help provide Defence with a competitive advantage with undersea systems?

Read the full competition document to learn more and submit a proposal.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/aukus-maritime-innovation-challenge-2025(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Since 1946, Industrial Electronic Engineers, IEE, has specialized in the design, test, support and fielding of display products for use in demanding military and aerospace applications throughout the world. IEE has developed an extensive product portfolio that today includes enhanced flat panel displays, smart displays and handheld devices.

From rapid prototyping of custom designs to full-scale production runs, IEE, produces displays with advanced features like low-latency video processing, high-bright and NVIS backlighting, and lightweight rugged enclosures. Their SWaP-C products employ the latest lightweight composite materials; low power, high performance integrated ARM processors; standard Ethernet and USB communication, in a low cost, highly producible design.

In-house California facilities include optical bonding, clean rooms for display assembly, a dark room for optical measurements and environmental chambers for pre-compliance and customer acceptance testing. On-site manufacturing includes PCB assembly and flow soldering. IEE has manufactured handheld, in-vehicle, airborne and naval LCD displays for all military branches as well as leading aerospace firms both domestically and internationally.

IEE is ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certified.

IEE’s Advantage:

• Direct control of critical process steps that reduce cost, decrease production lead times and improves life-cycle management
• Unique advantage to serve to both smaller quantity, highly custom displays needs as well as high volume production outputs
• Expert in delivering the best value in form and fit replacement by modifying existing COTS products to meet legacy requirements
• Leading the next generation avionics efficiencies by leveraging open architectures and common software standards
• Field-proven, pre-engineered displays minimize lead-time and non-recurring engineering costs.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————