MARITIME
30 Jun 25. HII Christens Guided Missile Destroyer Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129). HII (NYSE: HII) christened today the future USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), the third Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to be built at the company’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division. The ship’s name honors former U.S. Sen. Jeremiah Denton Jr., a Vietnam War veteran who was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism as a prisoner of war. Denton spent 34 years as a naval aviator, including eight years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He is known for his act of genius during a televised broadcast in captivity, when Denton spelled out the word “torture” through Morse code using his eyes to blink the code. Following his Navy career, Denton was elected to the U.S. Senate representing his home state of Alabama in 1980.
“Today, we honor the skilled work of our Ingalls shipbuilders and the enduring spirit of Adm. Jeremiah Denton, a man who, under unimaginable pressure, exemplified strength, sacrifice, leadership and resilience,” Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Blanchette said. “When we christen a ship, we celebrate a joint mission with our Navy industry partners, one that connects the work we do here in Pascagoula to the safety and security of our nation and the free world.”
Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research Development and Acquisition Brett Seidle was the keynote speaker. He highlighted the importance of naval ships, the legacy of the ship’s namesake, and recognized the shipbuilding workforce as a vital national asset.
“Today we christen not just a ship, but we make a statement — a powerful steel forged testament to America resolve,” Seidle said. “The future USS Jeremiah Denton will sail as a reminder to the world, much like her namesake, the United States does not back down. The United States does not break and we do not forget our heroes. That is the legacy that this warship carriers forward.”
The ship’s co-sponsors and daughters of the namesake, Madeleine Denton Doak and Mary Denton Lewis, performed the traditional bottle-breaking ceremony against the bow to formally christen the ship. Madeline represented the family by providing remarks and paying tribute to her late father and mother who were Alabama natives.
“This magnificent ship was built by their neighbors (Mississippi), men and women who understand their skills, hard work and precise attention to detail that are vital in keeping our world safe.”
Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers represent the next generation of surface combatants and incorporate a number of design modifications that collectively provide significantly enhanced capability. Upgrades include the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) and the Aegis Baseline 10 Combat System required to keep pace with the threats well into the 21st century. Ingalls has delivered 35 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to the U.S. Navy including the first Flight III, USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), in June of 2023. In addition, Ingalls Shipbuilding has five Flight IIIs currently under construction including Ted Stevens (DDG 128), Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), George M. Neal (DDG 131), Sam Nunn (DDG 133) and Thad Cochran (DDG 135). (Source: ASD Network)
02 Jul 25. Saab Launches 1st Polish SIGINT Ship. On 1 July 2025, the launch of Poland’s first SIGINT (signal intelligence) ship from Saab, ORP Jerzy Rózycki, took place in Gdansk, Poland. The launching ceremony was attended by representatives from the Polish Ministry of National Defence, the Polish Armaments Agency, the Polish Headquarters of Marine Technology, the Polish Navy, and the Chief of Reconnaissance and Intelligence Analysis Directorate (J2). This event marked the launch of the first of two SIGINT ships acquired under Poland’s ‘DELFIN’ programme. The launching of the SIGINT vessel is a significant milestone in its construction process, following the first steel cut in April 2023 and keel laying that November. Before entering service, the ship will be equipped with the necessary reconnaissance systems and will undergo sea trials. The first ship in the ‘DELFIN’ programme series is named ORP Jerzy Rózycki, honouring the mathematician, Cipher Bureau employee, and cryptologist who, during the interwar period, worked with Marian Rejewski and Henryk Zygalski to break the code of the German Enigma encryption machine.
“Today marks a significant milestone with the launch of ORP Jerzy Rózycki as a testament to the power of cooperation and shared vision. This project exemplifies how nations around the Baltic Sea, with similar needs and experiences, can come together to develop solutions that benefit us all. It demonstrates the type of advanced technology and capabilities that will be imperative for Europe to stand strong against emerging threats and ensure the safety of our people and societies,” said Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab.
Ship-based electronic intelligence systems will enable the acquisition of intelligence data across the entire spectrum of maritime electronic intelligence (SIGINT). The vessels within the ‘DELFIN’ programme are built by Saab as the prime contractor. Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. is subcontracted to construct the ships, with Polish company MMC supporting Saab with design work. Saab is fully responsible for supplying and integrating the advanced mission systems. Other entities within the Polish defence industry are also involved in the implementation of the project. (Source: ASD Network)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
03 Jul 25. Ms Kathy Leach has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Latvia in succession to Mr Paul Brummell CMG, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms Leach will take up her appointment during August 2025.
02 Jul 25. Investigation into Admiral Sir Ben Key. Following a full investigation, Admiral Sir Ben Key’s behaviour has been found to have fallen far short of values and standards expected of Service Personnel. This has resulted in termination of service and his commission. Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said: We expect the highest standards of behaviour from our Service Personnel and our Civil Servants. We investigate all allegations of inappropriate behaviour and will take robust action against anyone found to have fallen short of our standards, regardless of their seniority. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
30 Jun 25. Mrs Smita Rossetti has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in succession to Mr Tom Hartley, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.
INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY TEAMINGS
02 Jul 25. RTX and Shield AI partner to develop new defense capabilities. The companies are collaborating to deliver enhanced mission autonomy capabilities for national defense. Today, RTX and Shield AI announced a new partnership to integrate Shield AI capabilities into select RTX defense products, like loitering munitions and sensors. This collaboration will deliver enhanced, autonomous capabilities to US and allied defense forces. RTX will integrate Shield AI’s Hivemind to field the first operational weapon powered by Networked Collaborative Autonomy (NCA) – a breakthrough technology that fuses real-time coordination, resilience and combat-proven firepower. This work will be fully funded by the companies, without the need for government investment.
“AI and autonomy continue to enhance the performance of our products,” said RTX Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Chris Calio. “In partnership with Shield AI, we will deliver critical new solutions that will create a competitive advantage for our customers.”
“RTX’s defense systems paired with Hivemind, which delivers mission autonomy for intelligent, collaborative operations, create powerful new capabilities for the warfighter,” said Gary Steele, CEO, Shield AI. “This collaboration reflects how the defense ecosystem is evolving — bringing the best of autonomy and hardware to bear on national security challenges.”
Shield AI will also integrate its Visual Detection and Ranging (ViDAR) software with RTX’s Multi-Spectral Targeting System (MTS) to enable automated AI-based sensor autonomy against maritime and airborne swarm targets, with a focus on rapid productization for current MTS customers. This partnership underscores RTX and Shield AI’s shared commitment to advance the future of autonomous defense systems responsibly — aligning with DoD principles by ensuring systems are reliable, traceable and governable, while upholding the highest standards of security and effectiveness. (Source: ASD Network)
30 Jun 25. Diehl Defence and Sener Will Collaborate in Remote Carriers, UGVs and Hypersonic Missile Technologies. During the 55th International Paris Air Show, Diehl Defence and Sener signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the strategic collaboration in future systems for FCAS, hypersonic missiles, as well as for a variety of core technologies of both Sener’s and Diehl Defence’s product portfolio. Both family-owned companies Sener and Diehl Defence look back on more than 25 years of tradition in joint business and intend to intensify their cooperation for the purpose of delivering Europe rapid and robust solutions for guided missiles and unmanned systems like Remote Carriers and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs). During the MoU signature, Rafael Orbe, Defence General Director at Sener, stated: “This MoU is a step forward in our long history of partnership and common trust, opening new opportunities of collaboration that will strengthen the relationship between Diehl Defence and Sener”.
Dr. Harald Buschek, Chief Program Officer at Diehl Defence, expressed: “Sener and Diehl Defence have a long history of successful cooperation at eye level. We are glad to continue our partnership with the signature of this MoU, which creates a strong base in order to provide top class products to the international armed forces.”
Sener has been participating in the IRIS-T program under the lead of Diehl Defence since 2004: Sener produces the control sections and wings for the air-to-air IRIS-T missile series and develops the control section for the surface-to-air IRIS-T SLM missile, enabling extreme directional and attitude changes even at low velocities and high angles of attack. This MoU will develop and strengthen the close partnership between the two companies beyond the long and successful collaboration in the IRIS-T missile systems family. (Source: ASD Network)
PERSONNEL
30 Jun 25. Babcock announced transformative plans to locate more than 2,000 of our workforce from our Devonport Royal Dockyard facility, to the heart of Plymouth City Centre, as part of a trailblazing approach to support regional regeneration across the UK. This announcement comes as we also outline our increasing influence across society as our impact, beyond the balance sheet from the Defence Dividend, is revealed. To further unlock potential and transform thousands of lives and businesses, as part of a wider economic and social blueprint across the UK, we are planning to relocate employees from some of our Devonport support functions into a new central based capability centre in Plymouth, to help boost collaboration, foster wider prosperity and support defence delivery. The 2025 Strategic Defence Review defined a new Defence Dividend as an engine for growth and a partnership with industry that will create jobs, wealth and opportunity in every corner of the UK. Detailed in our Delivering the Defence Dividend Report we announce that we are:
- Investing in regeneration and prosperity through local partner initiatives, with £550m invested in 3,800 UK Small to Medium sized Enterprises and a key supporter of regional investment zones
- Securing critical skills across defence and nuclear through our largest annual early careers intake of c.900 this year, developing vital nuclear skills through regional hubs, engaging 82,000 pupils through STEM activity (1 in 130 UK pupils) and plans to recruit 1,000 new Production Support Operatives – an award-winning employment initiative
- Delivering for people and communities through 105 full time equivalent Babcock volunteers, £1m + charitable donations, the UK’s joint largest defence employer of veterans and the largest defence employer of military reservists (500 +) and the introduction of a free employee share scheme
This announcement comes hot on the heels of our independent economic report, which revealed that Babcock made a total contribution of £4.3 bn to UK GDP in FY2024; supporting 1 in every 550 jobs in the UK, while the social value report complements the economic figures, capturing the powerful impact, often in areas of deprivation, that increased defence investment is having.
David Lockwood, CEO Babcock said:“The Defence Dividend is far reaching, strengthening the UK’s defence industrial base and fostering prosperity, collaboration and innovation in the communities we work in. Our ambitious blueprint for Plymouth is a model for regional regeneration and one we are committed to delivering.
“As a strategic partner to Government, for every pound spent on defence, our community of passionate people are delivering back, and we value the things that matter to our customers, colleagues and communities.”
The post Babcock Delivering Defence Dividend Blueprint for Regional Regeneration appeared first on Babcock International Group.
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
01 Jul 25. The new organisation of Airbus Defence and Space will come into effect on 1 July 2025, as previously communicated. The Division has completed all information and consultation processes on European as well as national levels for its adaptation plan and has reached productive agreements with its social partners. This process followed an announcement in October 2024 to adapt the Division’s organisation and workforce in light of a continued complex business environment, especially in the Space Systems segment where significant financial charges were recorded in 2023 and 2024. Among others, the company announced it would reduce up to 2,043 positions, predominantly management overhead functions, and provide stronger end-to-end accountability to its three business lines – Air Power, Space Systems and Connected Intelligence – in order to better cope with business requirements in the future.
03 Jul 25. Clarion Events Defence and Security announces the appointment of Colonel (ret) Bernd Kögel as Managing Director of DSEI Germany, effective 1st October, 2025. A seasoned leader with over three decades of military and defence experience, Kögel will steer the launch of DSEI Germany in Hannover in March 2027, marking DSEI’s expanding footprint as countries across the world seek to strengthen their national security in response to growing geopolitical threats. With over 30 years of service as an officer in the German Armed Forces, Kögel brings a deep understanding of the global threat environment and the magnitude of challenges facing NATO and its allies. His knowledge of working across the Bundeswehr, the Federal Ministry of Defence, and industry, will ensure that DSEI Germany aligns with the operational and strategic requirements of the domestic, European, and international defence and security community. Kögel joins Clarion Events following a distinguished career in the German Air Force, culminating in his retirement as a colonel in the general staff in 2016. His varied career included conceptional and key leadership positions as well as deployments to Bosnia-Herzegovina (Deny Flight) and Afghanistan (ISAF).
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
30 Jun 25. Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced a transition in its chief financial officer role. Brian West will become a senior advisor to Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg, and Jesus “Jay” Malave has been elected as incoming executive vice president and chief financial officer. Both roles are effective August 15. West, who served as Boeing CFO for the last four years, will continue working with the company in an advisory capacity, including assisting in the upcoming CFO leadership transition. Malave will lead Boeing’s financial strategy, reporting, long-range business planning, investor relations, treasury, controller and audit operations, as well as Enterprise Services, which includes global real estate and facilities. He will report to Ortberg and serve on the company’s Executive Council.
01 July 25. Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced Stephen (Steve) Parker as president and chief executive officer of its Defense, Space & Security (BDS) business, effective immediately. Parker has served as interim leader of the Boeing business unit since September 2024. Parker will report to Ortberg and serve on the company’s Executive Council. Parker will oversee all aspects of the company’s business unit that provides technology, products and solutions for defense, government, space and intelligence customers worldwide. Parker was previously BDS chief operating officer, responsible for day-to-day business operations overseeing teams that include quality, manufacturing and safety, supply chain and program management. Before that, Parker led BDS divisions including Bombers & Fighters and Vertical Lift, and oversaw teams that developed many of the most innovative products and solutions across Boeing’s defense portfolio. He also managed Boeing Defence Australia, the company’s largest subsidiary outside the U.S. Parker joined Boeing in 1988.