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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
15 Oct 25. Britain starts work on Atlantic surveillance drone network. The Ministry of Defence has issued a new tender for Atlantic Net, the opening phase of Project CABOT, which aims to advance the Royal Navy’s use of uncrewed and data-driven systems for anti-submarine warfare and maritime intelligence. According to the tender, “the Ministry of Defence would like to announce the intention to publish an Invitation to Tender (ITT) to contract a Commercial Mission Partner(s) (CMP) as part of the Royal Navy’s Atlantic Net (AN) initiative in the near future.” The MOD says Atlantic Net “will deliver Underwater Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) as a service through a Contractor Owned, Contractor Operated, Naval Oversight (COCONO) model.” The system, it continues, “will be data focussed, providing information direct to the Maritime Operational Commander ashore to inform decision making.” The framework, valued symbolically at £1 for each of its two lots, will operate between 17 December 2025 and 31 March 2026, according to the entry on the Find a Tender portal. The first lot will appoint Commercial Mission Partners, each of whom will be awarded an individual call-off contract “detailing the milestones, deliverables and commercial terms that are specific and relevant to them.” The second will establish a Potential Supplier Pool for additional firms whose technologies or services “may be of interest to the Authority and, consequently, may be contracted for through a Call-Off Contract at any point during the Term of the Open Framework.” The notice also specifies that the procurement is “exempt from the Procurement Act 2023 under Defence Intelligence and National Security Grounds.” However, the MOD added that it intends to “follow the spirit of the Procurement Act where possible, hence the open publication of this notice.” Atlantic Net represents the first phase of Project CABOT, which the MOD has described as designed to “accelerate the RN’s pivot to autonomy with a specific focus on Anti-Submarine Warfare.” It builds on prior innovation efforts under Project CHARYBDIS and the Defence Innovation Unit’s ASW Spearhead programme, and aligns with NATO’s wider Smart Defence initiative to create an automated anti-submarine warfare barrier using digital, networked systems. Future phases, including Atlantic Bastion, are expected to bring those capabilities under direct Royal Navy control, employing government-owned Type 92 Sloop drone ships and Type 93 Chariot autonomous submarines. The two phases aim to reduce reliance on crewed platforms and create a persistent undersea surveillance network capable of tracking submarine activity across the North Atlantic. (Source: UKDJ)
05 Oct 25. UK Seeks Strike and Refuelling Drone for Aircraft Carriers. The UK’s Ministry of Defence has published a preliminary market engagement notice under Project VANQUISH, seeking industry views on a new “Fixed Wing Short Take Off and Landing Autonomous Collaborative Platform” (FW STOL ACP) for Royal Navy carriers. The Find a Tender listing describes the effort as a technical demonstration intended to inform future procurement options for the UK’s “Hybrid Air Wing”. The notice, identifier 2025/S 000-062294, sets out the requirement in stark terms:
“Project VANQUISH seeks to deliver a technical demonstration at sea of an attritable (Tier 2) Fixed Wing Short Take Off and Landing Autonomous Collaborative Platform (FW STOL ACP); nominal target date by the end of 2026, with options for delivery within an 18 month window from the target date also considered.”
The MOD is explicit that the platform must be able to embark and operate autonomously from a Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier. It is to be jet turbine powered, capable of high subsonic speed, and launch and recover from carriers without catapults or arrested recovery systems. The system is expected to carry a credible payload with sufficient endurance, with a clear exploitation path for roles such as ISR, strike, and air-to-air refuelling. The RFI highlights that this effort should “complement F-35B Lightning, as part of QEC and its Carrier Air Wing”. Officials also stress that the work must be “aligned with the principles of Maritime Aviation Transformation (MATX) and build on previous trials and demonstrations of ACPs from QEC.” (Source: UAS VISION/UK Defence Journal)
EUROPE
16 Oct 25. On October 16, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed an agreement to develop innovative defense capabilities starting with a small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS) designed to provide multi-role intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The new platform will be low cost and able to host a variety of operationally relevant payloads and capabilities. The partnership envisions implementing a business model that will enable the platform to scale up to high-volume production to meet demand.
“This contract is the first step in a strategic partnership with the Dutch MoD that will ultimately contribute to the defense of Ukraine and NATO by creating a versatile European defense system,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue.
GA-ASI is the world leader in UAS products and capabilities. The company is building on its established relationship with the Netherlands to create an urgently needed partnership to help defend Europe. As part of the first phase of the contract, the Dutch MOD will collaborate with GA-ASI to establish UAS manufacturing capability.
Minister for Arms Procurement and Personnel Gijs Tuinman mentioned that this partnership is important: “Together with GA we will be increasing innovative SUAS capabilities and advancing technical knowhow in the Netherlands. This project is an example of strategic trans-Atlantic collaboration that supports our defense and technological base as we contribute to the defense of Ukraine and NATO by creating a versatile European defense system and working with a strong U.S. partner.”
VDL Defentec has been selected by GA-ASI to provide contract manufacturing of the new SUAS. VDL Defentec is based in the Netherlands and specializes in the development, engineering, subcontracting and production of military and special-purpose vehicles and other platforms. GA-ASI will work closely with VDL and provide detailed knowledge about the design, manufacture, logistics, and support of the new SUAS.
“We are excited having been selected by General Atomics and we are proud to support Dutch MOD to create, together with GA-ASI, this unique capability for the Netherlands making our country and our allies more resilient,” said Paul Malcontent, managing director of VDL Defentec.
The new aircraft is expected to fly before the end of this year with low-rate initial production expected to commence in 2026 in both the U.S. and the Netherlands.
13 Oct 25. BAE Systems partners with PragoData to bolster Czech defence. The entities will consider merging their individual strengths and expertise to advance the modernisation and effectiveness of Czechia’s defence assets. UK-based BAE Systems is teaming up with PragoData, a Czech systems integrator and consulting company, to bolster the integrated product support (IPS) capabilities within the Czech defence sector. The collaboration offers the possibility of improving operational readiness of essential assets, including armoured vehicles within the sector. The initial phase of this collaboration will see BAE Systems equipping PragoData with its asset management products and services. Over time, the parties will seek to investigate ways to integrate their individual strengths and knowledge. The objective of this is to assist Czech defence entities in their efforts to upgrade, maintain, and extract greater military utility from sophisticated defence equipment. With an extensive background in asset management, BAE Systems brings to the table its data and systems integration software, PropheSEA. The software is already in use by the UK Royal Navy and various NATO allies, providing comprehensive IPS throughout an asset’s lifecycle and facilitating rapid, informed decision-making. This will be complemented by Eurostep, a subsidiary of BAE Systems, with experience in data standards and information exchange. Its ShareAspace collaboration software is currently employed by NATO defence bodies and leading industry players, integrating seamlessly with PropheSEA.
Eurostep business development and sales head Campbell Harte said: “BAE Systems has a wealth of expertise and proven solutions in the IPS space – and through working with PragoData, we are proud to bring this to our Czech allies. Together, we can achieve our shared vision of delivering effective asset support structures, underpinned by people, process and technology.”
PragoData has been offering IPS consulting and tailored software solutions including product lifecycle management systems to Czech armed forces. Following its acquisition of CALS Systems, PragoData has enhanced its consultancy services in ASD S-Series specifications. Looking ahead, BAE Systems and PragoData expect to develop a comprehensive framework for asset support, availability, and planning within Czech defence organisations that will extend over the coming decade.
PragoData chief sales officer Lubomír Toman said: “A world leader in defence digitalisation, interoperability and long-term technical support, BAE Systems will help us provide next generation technology to our clients across Czechia’s defence sector.” (Source: army-technology.com)
10 Oct 25. Denmark to boost Arctic defence by $4.26bn, buy 16 new F-35s
- Summary
- Trump has said he seeks control of Greenland
- Denmark has limited military forces on the island
- Denmark sets aside $4.5bn for F-35s
Denmark will invest 27.4bn crowns ($4.26bn) to boost its military presence in the Arctic and plans to buy 16 new F-35 aircraft, it said on Friday, seeking to fend off U.S. criticism over Greenland’s defence capabilities. The 16 F-35s, worth another 29 bn crowns, would be in addition to Denmark’s original commitment to acquire 27 of the U.S.-made fighter jets as the Nordic country continues to ramp up its national defence, Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told reporters. (Source: Reuters)
REST OF THE WORLD
16 Oct 25. Chinese J-10 fighter attracts attention in Asia. To date, only two nations fly the J-10 fighter – its maker China and also Pakistan. However, the 4.5-generation J-10 may attract two new adherents in Asia if top defence officials from the respective countries have their way. Pakistan employed J-10s against India in May’s sharp skirmish, and both Islamabad’s and Beijing’s accounts of successful military engagements gained traction on social media.
Dr. Brendan S. Mulvaney, Director of the China Aerospace Studies Institute under the US Department of the Air Force, told Asian Military Review that the J-10C is “a modern and fairly capable aircraft, the best one that China exports”.
Buoyed by its first ever combat in Pakistani hands, the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) has expressed a desire for the J-10CE too, the same type that Pakistan is operating.
Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, Bangladesh’s Chief of Air Staff, announced last month that his country’s interim government had granted in-principle approval for the purchase of “multirole combat and attack aircraft”.
Although he did not name a particular fighter type, Professor Muhammad Yumus, Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser and interim leader after the overthrow of the government in August 2024, told Chinese officials in March that the BAF was interested in the J-10. In early October, the Chief Adviser’s Office revealed that a purchase of 20 J-10CE fighters by 2027 would cost US$1.2 billion for just the airframes. Other costs such as training and spares would bring the total price tag to US$2.2 billion, and payments would be spread over a ten-year period till FY2035-36. However, no J-10 intergovernmental contract has been signed yet. A twelve-member inter-ministerial committee led by Khan is to be stood up by 20 October, and it would be required to approve the purchase. As well as J-10s, some local media have connected the BAF to prospective purchases of ten Eurofighters, 16 Pakistan-built JF-17 Block IIIs and six T129 Atak attack helicopters from Turkey, all by 2027. However, it is hard to imagine how Dhaka could stump up the money for so many expensive purchases all at once. Whilst the BAF is in dire need of modernisation, it would be illogical to acquire so many new and different aircraft so quickly. Moving to another potential Asian customer, Indonesia has expressed interest in 42 units of the J-10. After a visit to Beijing from 8-9 October, Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin vaguely declared on 15 October that the J-10 is “soon to fly in Jakarta”. The minister failed to elaborate, although his assertion followed on from President Prabowo Subianto’s insistence earlier this year that the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) should buy the Chinese fighter jet. The defence minister’s spokesman Brigadier General Frega Inkiriwang confirmed last month that the J-10 is under review by the TNI AU. “We want the best military weapons for our military,” Frega said. The Ministry of Finance has just approved plans to fund the US$1.6 billion purchase of J-10Bs – believed to be second-hand from the People’s Liberation Army Air Force – but funding via foreign loans or the like has not yet been obtained. Of course, money is usually a sticking point for Indonesian military procurements. Whilst politicians might be keen on the J-10, the TNI-AU is perhaps less enamoured with a jet from China. Given factors such as territorial tensions with China over the Natuna Islands, AMR understands there is considerable resistance within the TNI-AU to buying Chinese fighters. It would naturally present tremendous training and logistics challenges for the TNI-AU, which has never operated Chinese fighters before. It would also require new sets of weapons and difficulties in integrating Chinese and Western networks.
Simultaneously, the Ministry of Finance had approved plans to buy Type 022 Houbei-class missile boats and CM-302 anti-ship missiles. However, when it comes to Indonesia, heavy doses of scepticism are necessary whenever government figures express ambitious desires for military equipment. Indeed, if recent fighter efforts had all came to fruition, Indonesia would be flying Su-35s, Eurofighters, J-10s, ex-Qatari Mirages, KF-21s, Kaans and F-15EXs in addition to its incumbent aircraft fleet! Indonesia has already ordered 42 Rafales from France as well. Nonetheless, the above Asian expressions of interest illustrate that the J-10 does have appeal. Mulvaney assessed that the Indo-Pakistan conflict “clearly proves that Chinese-made equipment, even the export versions, are modern and capable, and are going to be a force to be contended with in the future, beyond just the borders of China”. (Source: AMR)
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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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