LOCATIONS
LAND
18 Jul 25. Aerospace company TEKEVER has acquired a Welsh airport which will be expanded into a national hub for the testing and evaluation of unmanned systems. TEKEVER, which is a European provider of AI-driven Autonomous Systems, has announced the acquisition of West Wales Airport (WWA) in Aberporth. West Wales Airport is a world-class UAS flying environment which offers a key hub for UAS testing and evaluation. It also provides TEKEVER and its partner ecosystem access to 2,500 square miles of restricted airspace over land and sea. TEKEVER has operated at West Wales Airport since 2023. The site has been central to TEKEVER’s research and development efforts, enabling the development of TEKEVER AR3’s full lifecycle R&D in the UK. The airport’s facilities have also supported test flights for customers including the UK Home Office and Royal Navy. The acquisition was said to mark a milestone in TEKEVER’s £400m development programme for the UK, known as OVERMATCH, aimed at delivering competitive advantage through autonomous, AI-driven technology to UK and NATO armed forces. The site will be made accessible to UK government stakeholders, allied partners and industry collaborators. The expansion will deliver long-term regional benefits, including the creation of skilled jobs and opportunities for local businesses and talent to contribute to next-generation defence technologies.
Ricardo Mendes, CEO of TEKEVER, said: “West Wales has long been central to our UK operations and global growth – allowing us to become part of thriving community, and have access to a fantastic infrastructure and amazing people. As defence spending rises and geopolitical threats grow, the demand for AI-driven autonomous systems is only increasing.
“Acquiring West Wales Airport strengthens our ability to meet that demand while advancing our OVERMATCH programme. This is just the beginning – we’re accelerating our investments and pushing forward at pace.”
TEKEVER develop and operate drones that use AI to detect and predict threats across ultra-wide and hard-to-reach areas. Applications include in defence (including in Ukraine), environmental conservation, humanitarian relief, oil & gas industry (monitoring critical infrastructure). The company is headquartered in Lisbon with growing operations in the UK, France and Ukraine. (Source: News Now/https://www.insidermedia.com/)
15 Jul 25. BAE Systems has opened a new Leadership Academy in Barrow to deliver world-class educational facilities for designing and building Royal Navy submarines. With 15 dedicated learning spaces, six coaching pods and two team development zones, the 1,500m² building in Harding Rise will facilitate over 200 learners at any one time and deliver over 4,000 learning places a year. The Leadership Academy will focus on key development priorities ranging from bespoke coaching to practical training on BAE Systems’ advanced management and leadership practices. It is designed to equip delegates with a comprehensive range of skills to improve their leadership abilities in a modern learning environment.
Steve Timms, Managing Director for BAE Systems’ Submarines business, said: “In an increasingly complex and dynamic global environment, the role of effective leadership has never been more critical, investing in our leaders is investing in our future – our new Leadership Academy will pay dividends both now and for generations to come.”
The new facility complements the expanding BAE Systems training provision in Barrow. The Submarines Academy for Skills and Knowledge (SASK), opened in 2018, provides training for apprentices and graduates as well as the wider workforce. BAE Systems is also transforming its Portland Walk site into an ‘experiential learning facility’ that allows people to practise key skills before they enter the workplace. Additionally, BAE Systems has supported the University of Cumbria’s new multi-m-pound campus next to the SASK. The facility opens in September and will transform access to further and higher education in the area
11 Jul 25. TEKEVER to Build New Centre of Excellence in France. TEKEVER, a European provider of AI-driven autonomous systems, has chosen Cahors as the location for its new Centre of Excellence for dual-use autonomous systems in France. This choice is the result of close collaboration with the Occitanie region, which played a major role in supporting the company at every stage of the process. This strategic site will enable TEKEVER to develop its production, integration, testing, and product development capacity, strengthening France’s defence industrial base and accelerating the deployment of drones for both defence and security applications. Located within the “Mecanic Vallée” cluster, Cahors provides privileged access to a robust ecosystem of industrial partners, public institutions, and academic bodies. The area offers an additional advantage, the Cahors-Lalbenque aerodrome, located in the heart of the Cahors Sud business park, which will provide TEKEVER with access to a test site to conduct flight validation of its drones. This new facility complements TEKEVER’s French headquarters in Toulouse, inaugurated in 2024 and dedicated to engineering, R&D, and support functions. Since its opening, the Toulouse site has built a highly skilled French team of engineers and scientists. Recruitment for the Cahors site is set to begin in the final quarter of this year. By expanding its presence in Occitanie, TEKEVER is strengthening its footprint in a dynamic regional ecosystem. This enables the company to collaborate with partners of all sizes to develop, test, and industrialise advanced technologies supporting French and European capabilities in defence and security applications. The local environment will serve as a catalyst for TEKEVER’s continued innovation in AI-powered drones and space technologies. Having emerged as a European unicorn, TEKEVER is accelerating its investments to drive global expansion and underpin its ambition to lead in autonomous defence and security systems. This strategic announcement represents a significant step forward in the company’s €100 m investment programme, unveiled at the Choose France summit in May 2025.
Ricardo Mendes, CEO of TEKEVER, said: “Building on our announcement at the Choose France summit in May, we are delighted to confirm the creation of this new industrial site in Cahors. This move reinforces TEKEVER’s long-term commitment to French and European sovereignty, and to supporting institutions in fulfilling both defence and security missions.”
Nadia Maaref, Director of TEKEVER France, added:
“We are proud to launch this new phase of our development in France with the establishment of our Cahors site to reinforce our industrial capabilities, made possible by the invaluable support of the Occitanie region, its AD’OCC agency and Grand Cahors.
This site represents an important step in anchoring TEKEVER within the regional fabric, where we see great potential to forge strong, long-lasting partnerships.”
Carole Delga, President of the Occitanie Regional Council, commented: “I would like to thank TEKEVER for choosing Occitanie, and more specifically the Lot department, as the location for its drone manufacturing activities. The result will be the creation of 100 jobs over five years. This facility is aligned with our €200 m Sovereignty and Defence Industry Sector Contract. France must be able to rely on a solid industrial base, especially given the current geopolitical instability. This choice also demonstrates that reindustrialisation must involve the regions. We will work alongside TEKEVER to facilitate their arrival in the Lot department and support the development of the activity in Occitanie and France.”
Jean-Luc Marx, President of Grand Cahors and Mayor of Cahors, stated: “The representatives of Greater Cahors and Cahors Sud are delighted to have been able to attract TEKEVER. By welcoming this defence and security unicorn, the region is experiencing a real turning point in its history, becoming a key player in European industrial sovereignty. This new establishment in our labour market area is the first building block of a future ecosystem centred on drones and their diverse fields of application. This is the result of a successful cooperation launched a year ago between Aerospace Valley, the Occitanie region via its Ad’OCC Agency and local officials. We would like to thank the company and its leaders for their trust.” (Source: UAS VISION)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
16 Jul 25. Air Marshal Harv Smyth will succeed Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton in August 2025. The Defence Secretary John Healey has confirmed that His Majesty The King has approved the appointment of the new Chief of the Air Staff.
15 Jul 25. The Royal Navy will today appoint Her Majesty The Queen as Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom when she attends a ceremony on HMS Astute in HMNB Devonport. The honorary appointment which dates back to the mid-16th Century, will include the formal presentation of a burgee (pennant) by Rear Admiral Andy Perks, Head of the Submarine Service – recognising Her Majesty’s ongoing support for the Royal Navy.
15 Jul 25. Ms Alexandra Cole has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia in succession to Mr John Gallagher who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms Cole will take up her appointment during September 2025.
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
11 Jul 25. US Congress confirmation of Bryan Bedford as FAA Administrator welcomed by AUVSI. The United States Congress has confirmed Bryan Bedford as the new Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Bedford brings more than 35 years of aviation experience to the FAA, including 26 years as CEO of Republic Airways. A statement from the FAA said he will “work closely with Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy to build a new, state-of-the-art air traffic control system”. Bedford will start by visiting FAA facilities nationwide to meet employees and hear their perspectives, gaining a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities ahead. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
14 Jul 25. Volodymyr Zelenskyy nominated first deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko to lead his cabinet and “significantly renew its work”, in the most notable shake-up of his government since Russia’s full-scale invasion. (Source: FT.com)
INDUSTRY
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
18 Jul 25. Hanwha Aerospace has named Mr. Ben Hudson as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to spearhead the company’s defence operations in Europe and the UK. Mr. Hudson, who currently serves as CEO of Hanwha Defense Australia (HDA), will also oversee Hanwha’s existing operations across the region while spearheading the company’s future growth opportunities in Europe and the UK.
16 Jul 25. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has appointed Stephanie Willmann to be the company’s first country lead executive for Germany. In this newly created position, Stephanie will lead Northrop Grumman’s enhanced commitment to the Bundeswehr, with a focus on providing German and NATO forces mission-winning capabilities and cultivating trusted local industry partnerships.
10 Jul 25. Andres Van Swalm, founder and CEO of Unifly, Terra Drone Corporation’s Belgium-based subsidiary, has been appointed President of the Alliance of New Mobility Europe (AME), effective July 1, 2025. AME represents the voices of various industry stakeholders in dialogues with public institutions such as the European Commission and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). It provides practical, on-the-ground insights into rulemaking and standardisation processes related to European airspace policy. In addition, AME actively participates in public-private regulatory design projects and demonstration initiatives across Europe, such as the CORUS-XUAM project. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
15 Jul 25. DroneShield, a global leader in counter-uncrewed systems (CUxS) technology, today announces the appointment of (Ret.) Lieutenant Colonel Michael J. Twining as the new Sales Director for the U.S. Air Force. In this role, Lt Col Twining will be applying his expertise to advance air base defense through innovative CUxS solutions.