PLANT CLOSURES, STRIKES AND JOB LOSSES
04 Sep 25. Boeing Defense plans to replace striking workers with new hires.
- Summary
- Boeing to hold job fair on September 16 for new hires
- Boeing has used non-union workers to maintain production
- Strike began August 4 after 3,200 IAM members rejected contract offer
- Union president urges Boeing to negotiate instead of hiring
Boeing Defense (BA.N), opens new tab plans to hire new workers to replace striking members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) who assemble munitions, fighters and other military aircraft in the St. Louis area, the company said in a message to employees on Thursday.
“Today, we’re starting the process to hire permanent replacement workers for manufacturing roles,” Boeing Defense Vice President Dan Gillian said in a message to employees on Thursday. “This will ensure we’re properly staffed to keep supporting our customers.” (Source: Reuters)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
02 Sep 25. Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton takes over from Admiral Sir Tony Radakin. Incoming Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton. Outgoing Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin handed over today (2nd September) to his successor, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton. Sir Richard’s appointment was announced in June 2025, succeeding Admiral Radakin, who completed his four-year term, following his appointment in 2021.
INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY TEAMINGS
03 Sep 25. Poland’s PGZ forms alliances with Babcock, Fincantieri. The new SCA expands Babcock and PGZ’s collaboration across sea and air domains. Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) has entered two collaborative ventures with defence companies Babcock International and Fincantieri during the MSPO defence industry exhibition in Kielce, Poland. The strategic cooperation agreement (SCA) with UK-based Babcock is set to enhance joint efforts in naval and aerial defence sectors. Babcock and PGZ will combine their expertise in the design, maintenance, and management of maritime vessels, as well as in sustaining military aircraft and developing strategic asset management solutions for military use. Babcock’s existing operations in Gdynia and Warsaw are already working with PGZ on Poland’s Miecznik programme. In September 2024, Babcock extended its contract with PGZ to support the construction of Poland’s Miecznik-class frigates until the completion of the third and final vessel in 2031. Under this programme, Babcock will deliver three multifunctional frigates based on Arrowhead 140 design to the Polish Navy. (Source: naval-technology.com)
03 Sep 25. JFD Global and Saab join forces to deliver enhanced naval capabilities.
- JFD Global and Saab sign strategic cooperation agreement to enhance naval capabilities
- The partnership combines local presence with global expertise to deliver advanced underwater solutions support
- Agreement supports growth of the company’s full defence portfolio in Sweden, including submarine rescue and life critical submarine capabilities
James Fisher Defence (JFD Global) a global provider of specialist marine and defence solutions enabling mission success at sea, has signed a Strategic Cooperation Agreement with Saab, a provider of world-leading products, services and solutions across defence.
The agreement combines the strengths and expertise of both organisations to deliver advanced, reliable and responsive support for customers in Sweden and across global markets. It will see the two companies collaborate on Swedish underwater programmes, and related submarine rescue solutions. The partnership will also extend to complementary areas of technology development in the underwater battlespace domain. JFD Global has operated in Sweden together with Saab since 2010, primarily supporting the Royal Swedish Navy (RSwN) with its 55-tonne submarine rescue vehicle, URF. The company also maintains and supports an ANSTI breathing machine used for performance measurement of underwater breathing apparatus at the RSwN diving school. In recent years, the company has expanded its Swedish team to around 30 employees specialising in Tactical Diving Vehicles services at Rindö/Vaxholm in the Stockholm archipelago. Through this agreement JFD Global will accelerate its growth in Sweden by offering the full breadth of its defence capabilities while maintaining a strong local presence. The portfolio spans pressure chambers, military diving products inclusive of the recently launched Stealth Multi-Role rebreather, tactical diving vehicles, submarine platform and submarine rescue systems.
Thomas Ljungqvist, General Manager Sweden and the Nordics said: “This agreement with Saab strengthens our ability to support Sweden’s naval and diving community with the most advanced, reliable and responsive solutions available. By combining our in-country presence with the expertise from Saab, we can work even more closely with customers to meet their operational needs, address ongoing challenges and ensure that they have the safety, service and support they require – now and in the future.”
Joakim Mevius, Head of BU Submarines at Saab Kockums, commented: “Saab has entered a Strategic Cooperation Agreement with JFD to bring together complementary expertise with initial focus on submarine rescue systems. Together, we can offer integrated, reliable solutions that enhance safety and capability for missions in Sweden and around the world.”
02 Sep 25. Saab signs MoU with Polish company PGZ. Saab has entered into an agreement with the PGZ Group, Poland’s largest defence corporation. Both parties aim to establish cooperation as potential partners in projects supporting the security of Poland and Europe. m The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed during the international defence industry exhibition MSPO in Kielce, Poland. It confirms the interest between the PGZ Group and Saab in exploring potential cooperation on projects related to the development of defence solutions for multi-domain operations. Both companies will also evaluate possibilities for joint initiatives supporting Ukraine, including cooperation with the Ukrainian industry.
“We are pleased to have signed this agreement today, and look forward to cooperating with the PGZ Group. This is another important milestone in strengthening the collaboration between the Polish and Swedish defence industries. There is great potential for expanding the existing partnership between our nations to ensure security and stability in Europe, including the Baltic Sea region,” says Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab.
The cooperation may include various projects across air, land, and naval domains. The goal is to build industrial relationships that could lead to a strategic partnership between the two companies and to play an active role in modernising the capabilities of the Polish Armed Forces.
02 Sep 25. Babcock and PGZ to expand relationship across sea and air domains. Babcock International Group (Babcock), the defence company, has signed a strategic cooperation agreement (SCA) with PGZ SA, the Polish Armaments Group, to expand their collaboration across sea and air domains. The SCA, signed during the defence industry exhibition MSPO in Kielce, Poland, will lead to enhanced co-operation between the two businesses: building defence systems and solutions to ensure cost-efficient and reliable through-life support solutions. The SCA will provide opportunities for the organisations to combine capabilities to design, build, repair and service naval assets, sustain military aircraft and co-develop solutions for strategic asset management for the armed forces. Babcock has an established presence in Gdynia and Warsaw, already working closely with PGZ SA as the platform design provider and technology partner for Poland’s Miecznik shipbuilding programme – with the ship design based on Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 platform. This program will provide the Polish Navy with three multi-role frigates, strengthening significantly its combat capabilities and ability to deter threats on the Baltic Sea and beyond.
David Lockwood, CEO, Babcock, who signed the SCA alongside Adam Leszkiewicz, CEO, PGZ SA said: “The UK and Poland has longstanding close ties, and this growing industrial partnership with PGZ SA will deepen our relationship and accelerate our support for the Polish armed forces, alongside our joint global ambitions across air and marine domains. The Miecznik programme is a great example of the benefits our relationship is already delivering. We look forward to building on these firm foundations.”
Adam Leszkiewicz, CEO, PGZ SA, added: “Building long-term partnerships with foreign partners is crucial to PGZ strategy. Our cooperation with Babcock demonstrates real partnership. Today’s agreement is a milestone in our cooperation, which we are building across various domains with decades in mind. Together, we strengthen not only the Polish Armed Forces but also NATO’s security and military potential”.
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
02 Sep 25. David King, appointed Indra Group’s director of United Kingdom and Ireland to drive its strategic expansion in the local markets. The company will reinforce its commitment to the UK and Irish markets, which currently account for 110 m euros in sales. David King has been appointed Indra Group’s new UK and Ireland director to reinforce and develop its local operations in the two high strategic value markets. Within the framework of the company’s “Leading the Future” Strategic Plan, the United Kingdom and Ireland have been identified as priority markets for enhancing its local structure and expanding operations. The business in the United Kingdom and Ireland currently accounts for 110 m euros in sales for the group, with growth chiefly based on exports of projects in areas such as air traffic management (ATM), mobility and defence.