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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
24 Feb 26. Babcock’s Back-to-Back Milestones Signal Sustained Pace in Type 31 Programme. Babcock International Group (Babcock), the defence company, has achieved a major moment in the delivery of the Royal Navy’s Type 31, Inspiration Class programme, as two key milestones – the Steel Cut for HMS Bulldog and the Rollout of HMS Active – took place at its Rosyth facility in Scotland.
Underlining the rapid pace of delivery across the programme and the maturity of the modern, modular construction approach, the ceremonial Steel Cut for HMS Bulldog marked the official start of build on the fourth of five Inspiration-class frigates, while the rollout of HMS Active saw the momentous emergence of the second frigate from the purpose-built ship assembly hall, ahead of entering the water for the first time.
Guests from the UK and beyond had the opportunity to see first‑hand the innovation and expertise driving the programme, as well as the world-class infrastructure and technology across Babcock’s advanced manufacturing facility at Rosyth, that underpin the design and build activity.
With each ship, the lessons learned, practical knowledge and experience in sequencing, integration and supply chain management is further embedded into the programme, informing the planning and delivery of future builds. Design improvements arising from the first two ships are already enhancing build efficiency for ships three and four. Increased compartment and system outfitting in the manufacturing bays before the main blocks are assembled will help to reduce integration time in the build hall by making the most of earlier outfitting, supporting programme delivery times.
David Lockwood, CEO, Babcock, said: “Delivering the Steel Cut for HMS Bulldog and the Rollout of HMS Active on the same day is a powerful demonstration of the drive and delivery focus of our Type 31 programme as we build the next modern, future ready fleet for the Royal Navy. These milestones show the maturity of our facility, the success of the design and build process, and the skill and dedication of our Babcock team.
“We are not only building a new class of ship at Rosyth, we are also at the forefront of a national endeavour that is strengthening the UK’s shipbuilding industry, supporting sovereign and allied maritime capability, while creating an advanced industrial footprint and expertise that will support the future of global shipbuilding for generations to come.”
The Type 31 programme plays a significant role in supporting the UK’s sovereign defence capability. With the majority of work taking place in Fife, Scotland, it is supported by a network of UK and international suppliers, including Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). The programme sustains c.2,500 highly skilled jobs, deepens domestic expertise and strengthens the UK’s ability to design, build and integrate complex warships and export this knowledge.
Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 frigate design, on which the UK’s Type 31 ship is based, is also proving a continued success overseas. The design has already been selected by Poland for its Miecznik frigate programme and firmly established in Indonesia, where multiple Arrowhead 140‑based frigates are now in build, including two new design and build licences recently secured.
Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said: “These milestones show Scottish shipbuilding at its best. From starting construction for HMS Bulldog to rolling out the impressive HMS Active, this programme is delivering world-class warships for the Royal Navy and real economic benefits for communities across Scotland and the wider UK. The frigates will serve our nation for decades to come, and the skills and infrastructure we’re building here will secure the future of Scottish shipbuilding for generations.”
Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes, said: “Today’s ceremony is testament to the skill, dedication and innovation of the workforce at Babcock – and a powerful symbol of Scotland’s enduring contribution to security in an uncertain world. Babcock’s work to develop future talent by supporting apprenticeships and engaging with local colleges on skills is absolutely vital. But the company’s efforts to ensure that talent is retained in Scotland is even more crucial to our communities and our economy. Investing in shipbuilding and the wider defence sector is investing in the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers, ensuring Scotland remains a global leader in advanced manufacturing. That’s why the Scottish Government has provided more than £90 m to aerospace, defence, marine and space companies through enterprise agency funding since 2006.”
EUROPE
23 Feb 26. Airbus unveils next generation rotorcraft concepts for NATO studies. Airbus Helicopters has unveiled its next generation rotorcraft concepts to address the NATO Next Generation Rotorcraft Capabilities (NGRC) study requirements. Airbus’ proposal to NATO, developed in collaboration with RTX businesses Collins Aerospace and Raytheon, and MBDA, includes two concepts: a high-performance conventional helicopter alongside a novel high-speed compound concept, ensuring operational efficiency and fleet complementarity for military partners. Modularity and simplicity are core tenets of the Airbus NGRC proposal. The design philosophy aims to deliver platforms that are simple to manufacture, maintain, and upgrade, ensuring long-term affordability, thanks to its Modular Open System Architecture approach. The two concepts will be highly connected and will share commonalities in terms of maintenance, training, weapons and systems.
“We want to ensure that Europe is in a position to propose a platform that will best fit our military partners’ needs in terms of affordability, operational efficiency and maximum availability for both the conventional helicopter and for the high speed rotorcraft. These two concepts are a basis to further exchange with our military partners on their vision and need for future military operations,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “Airbus Helicopters is actively working on the future of its military range. On the one hand, we are preparing the evolution of our legacy range with a continuous improvement policy. With the Block 1 and 2 studies, we have a long-term NH90 evolution roadmap. Our dual product range, the H145M, the H160M, and the H225M, is setting new standards for military helicopters in terms of affordability, connectivity, and maintenance,” he explained. “On the other hand, we are working on the next generation of rotorcraft systems, leveraging modular multi-platform technologies such as connectivity, cybersecurity, crewed-uncrewed teaming, multi-domain collaborative combat, survivability and battle damage repair,” he added.
In July 2024, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) awarded a contract to Airbus Helicopters to lead a concept study in the frame of the NGRC project under which the participants combined efforts to work on the design, development, delivery and support of a medium multi-role helicopter.
Airbus’ advanced concept leverages the company’s extensive experience in military rotorcraft and high-speed flight, particularly from its compound configuration demonstrators, the X3 and Racer, This configuration not only guarantees significantly higher speeds than conventional designs but also provides a significant extension of the flight envelope, offering unique capacity to accelerate and decelerate rapidly, as well as enabling fast climb and descent capabilities. The benefits of the added wings and propellers have been confirmed through flight evaluations by military pilots on Racer in the frame of the European Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies programme. This extensive flight-test knowledge, based on Airbus customers’ operational feedback, solidifies the basis for the proposed next generation capability.
20 Feb 26. Airbus allude to ‘uncertainties’ in future orders of A400M.Undaunted, the leading military aircraft builder still identifies an airlift capability gap across European fleets.
- Airbus presented its fiscal year 2025 results this week in which it alluded to “uncertainties” regarding the level of A400M orders
- Although the programme is fiscally stable, the company will assess the potential impact on the programme’s manufacturing activities
- The chief executive downplayed the medium-term slump, characterising it as a “classical situation” in the transition from launch contracts to a second wave of export orders
Airbus have noted “uncertainties” when it comes to future A400M aircraft orders in its fiscal year 2025 results.
While the airlift programme remains stable at present, driven by an agreement to advance seven French and Spanish units, company executives alluded to a mid-term slump. The chief executive, Guillaume Faury, characterised this outlook as a “classical situation” for any programme transitioning from initial launch contracts to a second wave of global export orders.
Despite optimistic rhetoric conveyed during the press conference, the results indicated the company would continue to assess the potential impact on the aircraft’s manufacturing activities.
A400M: present and future
So far, Airbus has delivered 137 of 178 aircraft orders from among launch customer nations (Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Türkiye, and the UK) and three export customers, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, and Indonesia.
The A400M already represents the last major shift in the global transporter market: it uniquely straddles the line between a tactical and strategic airlifter. Meanwhile, competitors scramble to find their own niche in a market that is differentiated by marginal percentage points in fuel, size and weight efficiencies.
Yet Airbus briefly touched on its plans to enhance the A400M further in the 2025 results.
This includes broadening the scope of the aircraft to new roles. Airbus is already looking into developments such as standoff jamming, a payload increase to 40 tonnes, and functionality as a “mother ship” for uncrewed air systems.
Transition or slump?
There has been a trend in the market toward competing tactical transporters, either advancing legacy Lockheed Martin C-130 aircraft or opting for Embraer’s C-390 Millennium.
The Royal Australian Air Force will benefit from new training equipment for its upgraded C-130J-30 units while last month (albeit this year) Mexico announced it will become the first latin American nation to operate the aircraft.
While there were no new A400M contracts at all last year, Embraer secured the production of eight C-390s (four for Sweden, three for Lithuania, and one KC-390 tanker for Portugal).
Pictured is a C-390 on display at the Paris Air Show 2025. Credit: Author.
Faury summarised the potential difficulty going forward:
“We are coming not far from the end of the launch contract so we continue to have aircraft delivered but we see that this is for the next few years, and we’re… enaged with a number of campaigns that are promising but take time to materialise, especially in this overall environment.”
This is true: Airbus is moving closer to striking a deal to replace seven legacy C-130J tactical transporters still in service with the United Arab Emirates Air Force.
Airbus told Airforce Technology on the sidelines of the IDEX exhibition last year that it intends to work with Emirati suppliers – naming Strata, AMMROC, and EPI – to build between 30 to 40 of its aircraft in the Gulf nation, allowing the company to tap into a new market across the Middle East and North Africa.
Europe tackle airlift gap
“We see that Europe has defined airlift needs as one of the capability gaps,” reflected Thomas Toepfer, Airbus’ chief financial officer.
Toward the end of 2025, the European Defence Agency suggested employing an EU Civilian Reserve Air Fleet to mitigate heavy airlift shortfalls. A study is scheduled to begin in the spring which will assess operational, legal, and financial aspects of such a concept.
“So we hear very clearly that there will be a need for additional A400Ms,” Toepfer affirmed.
This is especially true since the A400 offers greater capacity and range as an aircraft that can be used in some of the same roles as a fully fledged strategic airlifter, much like the C-17 Globemaster III, a coveted capability no longer in production. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
20 Feb 26. Airbus open to two-fighter option for FCAS to keep program alive. Airbus is open to a “two-fighter solution” to break the deadlock on the future air-combat system that France, Germany and Spain are developing, Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury said, as work on the next-generation fighter (NGF) that’s part of the program has stalled amid infighting between Airbus and Dassault Aviation.
The Future Combat Air System program, or FCAS, is at “a difficult junction,” Faury said at the Airbus full-year earnings press conference in Toulouse, France, on Thursday. Work is divided into multiple areas, and Faury said other than the future fighter segment, other pillars such as the combat cloud, remote drone carriers and engine are “working well and making good progress.”
“The deadlock of a single pillar should not jeopardize the entire future of this high-tech European capability, which will bolster our collective defense,” Faury said. “If mandated by our customers, we would support a two-fighter solution, and are committed to playing a leading role in such a reorganized FCAS delivered through European cooperation.”
The program for a sixth-generation air combat system, first announced in 2017, has been dragging for years amid disputes over work share, leadership and issues around technology transfer.
Frustrations have mounted recently as a deadline by France and Germany to clarify the program’s future by the end of 2025 slipped by without an announcement.
There are also questions “under a certain governance, on the ability to reach the objective of the program for the different customers,” according to Faury, who said it’s up to the program clients to comment on the that issue.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in an interview this week his country doesn’t currently need the same aircraft as France.
Officials in Paris have stated from early on in the project that the nation requires a fighter able to operate from an aircraft carrier and fire nuclear weapons to ensure sovereign capabilities.
Merz said if the requirement profile can’t be solved, the project can’t be maintained.
Belgian Minister of Defence Theo Francken summarized the Merz interview as meaning “FCAS is dead according to the German Chancellor,” in a social media post, saying there will be no French-German fighter aircraft, and Belgium would reassess its observer status in the program.
“We continue to believe that the program as a whole makes sense and that we should not jeopardize the progress and the relevance of the other pillars,” Faury said. “And we need to find a way forward on the NGF pillar, expecting decisions from customers. And then we’ll see. We are not at the point of deciding next before this step is passed.”
Asked whether Airbus would prefer to develop a new fighter alone, do so together with Sweden, or join the British-Italian-Japanese Global Combat Air Programme, Faury said “we would be wrong to be right too early.” He said Airbus has invested “a lot of time, energy” into the FCAS program.
“We believe if there’s a way forward with two fighters, it could be an opportunity to have other partners with us,” the Airbus executive said. “But it belongs to our customers to decide with whom they want to join forces, would it be the case. Again, we are not yet at that point.”
The European need for an “ambitious” future combat air system is unchanged, according to Faury, who said a project of the scale of FCAS can only be delivered through cooperation.
A number of air forces face the question of whether to move directly to a future of unmanned aircraft, with the risk of becoming irrelevant for a period of time due to a lack of modern manned fighters, or invest “a lot of money” in crewed fighters before moving to the next capability, Faury said.
While autonomous technology is moving fast, “the belief at this stage is that there is still a need for a manned fighter, besides growing capabilities in unmanned flight,” Faury said. He said there is an expectation that at some point “quite far in the future” manned capabilities will be largely replaced by unmanned capabilities.
Regarding the troubled Eurodrone program to develop a long-range drone led by Airbus, Faury said discussions are ongoing between customers “about the way forward,” though he expects the program to continue as the majority of partners still back the project.
France is in negotiations with Germany, Italy and Spain to exit the program, Challenges reported earlier this month. (Source: Defense News)
USA
19 Feb 26. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) and Embraer (NYSE: EMBJ; B3: EMBJ3) are working together to evolve the multi-mission KC-390 Millennium aircraft, to provide advanced tanking capabilities for the United States Air Force and allied nations. Together, the two companies are addressing the need for agile combat employment through joint investment and a focus on quickly delivering capabilities to the warfighter.
- The companies are joining forces to combine their insights and experiences to rapidly advance the initiatives required to deliver a next generation air-refueling system.
- Drawing on the companies’ extensive expertise in aircraft design, development and production with systems integration and industry-leading manufacturing capabilities, this collaboration sets the stage for the development of the KC-390 Multi-Mission Tanker for the U.S. and allied air forces and shapes the requirements for future aerial logistics architectures.
- Key features will include an advanced autonomous aerial refueling boom, enhanced communications, situational awareness and survivability options, as well as adaptable mission systems. These improvements will expand the range of aircraft supported by KC-390 refueling operations and broaden its mission scope in operational environments.
Experts:
Tom Jones, corporate vice president and president, Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems: “Northrop Grumman, together with Embraer, is making strategic investments to address the gap in advanced air mobility solutions globally. We’re listening to our customers, particularly in allied nations who seek greater operational autonomy and efficiency, and we’re exploring new technologies that will increase the versatility of the proven KC-390 platform and deliver that greater operational independence our customers need.”
Bosco da Costa Junior, president and CEO, Embraer Defense & Security: “Together, we will leverage the strengths of two leaders in the defense industry, with a focus on developing a boom refueling system for the KC-390 Millennium so that we can bring the right capability to the U.S. Department of War and other allied nations. The KC-390 is an operationally proven and cost-effective platform that could quickly be added to the U.S. Air Force inventory.”
REST OF THE WORLD
16 Feb 26. India seeks net-capture ‘drone catcher’ system. India’s Ministry of Defence has issued an urgent Request for Information (RFI) for uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) equipped with nets to neutralise rogue drones. The RFI details a three-part system comprising a drone sensor, drone catcher and ground control station.
According to the RFI, systems should be able to deploy independently or in conjunction with in-service air defence weapon systems and other C-UAS weapon systems in challenging terrains. They must be capable of surveillance, detection and tracking as well as targeting and deploying a net capture system.
The drone sensor, which the RFI says should be based on electronically scanned array technology or better, should be able to “detect the target drones all around with a minimum detection, tracking capability of 20 drones/ and UAS simultaneously”. In addition, “the drone sensor should be able to detect, track and prioritise and thereafter designate the hostile targets to the drone catcher through a ground control station.”
The ground control station will feed information, data received from the drone sensor to the drone catcher remotely via a data link.
In addition, “a jammer subsystem shall provide electronic attack capabilities against hostile UAS, including RF denial, selective GNSS denial, and GNSS deception, across standard and non-standard frequency bands,” the RFI continues. “The system shall support controlled and selective application of soft-kill measures and be capable of operating concurrently with hard-kill effectors without mutual interference.” (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
20 Feb 26. New partnerships enhance Canada’s readiness for future naval projects. The agreements create a joint framework to develop Ontario as a key defence shipbuilding hub. Ontario Shipyards and Hanwha Ocean have formalised a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at increasing large-vessel construction in Ontario and advancing Canada’s capacity to undertake future naval projects.
Through the MoU, Hanwha Ocean will provide technical and operational support to Ontario Shipyards.
The collaboration will cover areas such as design and engineering, production planning, construction sequencing, quality management systems, and advanced shipyard processes.
These efforts aim to strengthen production readiness and improve performance at Ontario Shipyards.
As part of the cooperation framework, Hanwha Ocean will assist with the design and construction of a Training and Recruitment vessel, scheduled for assembly by Ontario Shipyards from 2026.
This vessel is intended to demonstrate updated shipbuilding practices in the province.
Should the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP) be awarded, Hanwha Ocean has indicated plans for further investment in Ontario, including the creation of a dedicated training facility and expanded collaboration with local suppliers.
Alongside this, both companies have also signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Mohawk College. The partners will establish an integrated training hub at the Hamilton shipyard, develop industry-led credentials, support apprenticeships aligned with production needs, and consider applied research in automation and digital manufacturing. Under this arrangement, Mohawk College will lead academic instruction across trades such as welding, electrical work, robotics, logistics, and other disciplines.
Ontario Shipyards will provide access to facilities and support workforce integration, while Hanwha Ocean will offer technical advisory services and connection to international standards. The partnerships are aligned with both Ontario’s advanced manufacturing strategy and Canada’s broader objective to develop sovereign defence industrial capabilities. The framework is expected to generate skilled employment opportunities, expand marine supply chains within Ontario, support regional small and medium-sized businesses, and increase Canada’s capacity to build and maintain complex naval platforms. Long-term plans under this initiative aim to establish the Golden Horseshoe area and wider Great Lakes region as a central hub for advanced marine manufacturing and shipbuilding activity.
Ontario Shipyards president and CEO Shaun Padulo said: “With Hanwha Ocean working alongside our teams and Mohawk College training the next generation in a live shipyard, we are building the Canadian workforce that will deliver and sustain Canadian ships for decades to come. That is how sovereign capacity is created.
“This partnership activates Ontario’s industrial strength in direct support of the National Shipbuilding Strategy and the future of the Royal Canadian Navy and creates meaningful long-term careers for Canadians.” (Source: naval-technology.com)
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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.
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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:
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