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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
23 Sep 25. No talks between Germany and UK, Sweden on fighter jet, German minister says. The German government is not in talks with Britain and Sweden to explore alternatives to the Franco-German FCAS programme for the joint development of a sixth generation fighter jet, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Tuesday.
“No, there are no such talks,” he told reporters in Berlin when asked about reports last week by the Financial Times and Politico that Germany was exploring such alternatives.
There will be a meeting in Berlin in October with France, Spain and Germany to discuss how to proceed, he said, adding: “It is clear that, by the end of the year, there must and will be a decision taken.” (Source: Reuters)
EUROPE
25 Sep 25. Spain approves multibillion-euro aircraft procurement plan. The Spanish government has approved a five-year funding plan geared at modernising the military’s fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft fleets. A royal decree outlining EUR3.68bn (USD4.33bn) in awards to be granted to Airbus as the lead contractor across six major projects from 2025 to 2030 was posted in the official state gazette on 24 September 2025.
“This royal decree establishes the rules for the direct granting of [contracts] to Airbus Defence and Space and Airbus Helicopters Spain for the industrial development of six special modernisation programmes in the aerospace and defence sector,” the decree said. It added, “The measure responds to Spain’s Industrial and Technological Plan for Security and Defence (2025), aiming to modernise the armed forces, strengthen industrial and technological sovereignty, [and] generate employment and innovation.”
According to the documentation, Airbus Defence and Space is to receive EUR1.04 bn for the Integrated Advanced Flight Training System (ITS-C) programme to acquire the Turkish Aerospace (TA) Hürjet advanced jet trainer aircraft, and EUR520 m for the Air Mobility Training Technologies (ITS-T) programme related to the C295 tactical transport aircraft. Airbus Helicopters Spain is to receive EUR1 bn for Phase 3 of the NHIndustries NH90 Air Mobility programme, EUR100 m for Phase 2 of the H135 Training and Support Helicopter programme, EUR920 m for the Multi-purpose Light Helicopter for Training (HELIPO) programme, and EUR100 m for the Multi-purpose Helicopter (HACES) programme to buy the H175. (Source: Janes)
USA
25 Sep 25. USCG plans USD350m investment in robotics and autonomous systems. The US Coast Guard (USCG) plans to invest about USD350m in expanded robotics and autonomous systems, the service confirmed on 24 September. The funding includes USD11m in fiscal year (FY) 2025 for “immediate” upgrades to “critical autonomous systems”, the USCG noted in a statement. For more information on USCG planned investments, please see Pentagon Budget 2026: US Coast Guard to receive USD25 bn in reconciliation funding. Initial robotics and autonomous investments include USD4.8 m to procure 16 VideoRay Defender remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to replace the deployable specialised forces’ ageing fleet; USD2 m to procure six QinetiQ Squad Packable Utility Robot (SPUR) and 12 mini-SPUR robots to replace outdated unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) in strike teams; and USD4.3 m to purchase 125 SkyDio X10D short-range unmanned aircraft systems (SR-UASs), the USCG said.
“These unmanned systems provide increased domain awareness, mitigating risk and enhancing mission success,” Anthony Antognoli, first USCG Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) programme executive officer, said in the statement.
USCG deployable specialised forces will use the new ROVs for waterfront and pier inspections, hull assessments, subsurface infrastructure surveys, disaster response, and search-and-rescue missions, reducing reliance on coastguard divers while improving efficiency and safety, the service said. USCG strike teams, which respond to hazardous material spills; major marine casualties; groundings; natural disasters; chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) incidents; and national special security events, will use the new UGVs to access and sample air in confined spaces aboard commercial vessels, the service said. The SR-UAS will support operations including infrastructure inspections, environmental observation, pollution response, post-storm surveys, ice surveys, and communications, the service said. (Source: Janes)
REST OF THE WORLD
22 Sep 25. DSTA to ramp up robotics, AI, cyber capabilities amid shifting threat landscape. Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) is set to intensify its focus on robotics, drones, autonomy, and artificial intelligence (AI), while also strengthening its cyber and digital information capabilities, in response to a rapidly evolving operating environment. Speaking at a 16 September briefing attended by Janes, Ng Chad-Son, DSTA chief executive, outlined the agency’s strategic direction in the years ahead amid growing technological disruption and asymmetric threats. The briefing was held as part of events to commemorate the agency’s 25th anniversary. In the briefing, Ng noted that the proliferation of drones, robotics, and autonomous systems is becoming increasingly widespread in the physical domain, while the digital space is being reshaped by emerging threats such as cyber attacks and disinformation. Ng also highlighted the impact of commercial dual-use technologies, which are now commonly seen on the battlefield and have introduced low-cost, high-impact solutions. He cited the use of drones in Ukraine as a clear example of how such technologies are transforming modern warfare.
“So, these disruptions are quite top of mind, even as we think about what’s ahead,” said Ng, who has been heading the agency since May 2024.
In response to these developments, Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the wider defence technology community in the country, including DSTA, have adopted a new strategy built on three pillars namely agility, innovation, and resilience, Ng said. This approach aims to enable the rapid adoption of fast-moving technologies, foster deeper collaboration with cyber partners, and ensure systems can withstand and recover quickly from disruptions. (Source: Janes)
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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.
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