LOCATIONS
MARITIME
14 Jan 26. Saab launches second Polish SIGINT ship. On 14 January 2026, the launch of Poland’s second SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) ship from Saab, ORP Henryk Zygalski, took place in Gdańsk, Poland. ORP Henryk Zygalski is the second and final SIGINT ship built for Poland within the ‘DELFIN’ programme. The first ship named ORP Jerzy Różycki, was launched on 1 July 2025. Before entering service, both ships will be equipped with the necessary reconnaissance systems and will undergo sea trials.
“We are pleased to see the second Polish SIGINT ship successfully launched today. With this important project we are strengthening cooperation between Swedish and Polish industries in support of European security in the Baltic Sea region,” said Mats Wicksell, head of Saab’s business area Kockums. Ship-based electronic intelligence systems will enable the acquisition of intelligence data across the entire spectrum of maritime electronic intelligence as part of its SIGINT role.
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. Deliveries of the ships, once the next phase of onboard installation work and sea trials are completed, are planned during 2027 and 2028.
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
16 Jan 26. BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service) today celebrates the tenth anniversary of its MiPlayer platform, the innovative and powerful platform originally developed to keep UK Armed Forces connected to home and entertainment, when they’re serving in the most remote and hostile environments. MiPlayer is now deployed in other civilian scenarios with the same problem set such as oil and gas exploration and communities in remote and difficult to access locations such as mountainous regions and those impacted by natural disasters. We also work with UK Defence Exports to promote the platform capabilities globally. MiPlayer utilises GEO (Geostationary Earth orbit) satellites to deliver linear and on-demand services via DVB (Digital Video Broadcast). What began in January 2016 as a modest onboard system delivering 10 TV channels and six radio stations to HMS Iron Duke, has grown into one of BFBS’ most significant and far-reaching innovations, now operating across the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleets, operational bases, remote islands and soon, even on submarines. Reflecting on the milestone, Nick Beer, Director of BFBS Development and Strategy, said: “MiPlayer started as a bold idea to solve a seemingly impossible problem: how do you bring welfare and cultural “connection” to people serving in the most remote and demanding environments on Earth? And how do you do that in the way users demand: on their personal devices and with catchup when there is little or no internet available? Ten years later, the platform is doing exactly that, whether on land, at sea, in the air and is now available for users beneath the waves. It has grown into far more than a platform; delivering the outstanding range of content BFBS and its partners provide it is a lifeline, a morale booster, and a constant reminder that no matter where users are, they are never truly cut off from home.” MiPlayer’s journey from experimental idea to global lifeline gathered pace in 2017, when the platform was officially named and unveiled at DSEI (Defence and Security Equipment International). A live demonstration to senior military leaders at PJHQ (Permanent Joint Headquarters) later that year directly led to its first operational deployments in South Sudan, Iraq, and Somalia, followed by an international showcase at the Pacific Maritime Defence Symposium in Sydney. Later in 2017, the platform crossed new frontiers through a unique collaboration with the Nepalese Government, delivering a bespoke MiPlayer Lite service to communities devastated by earthquakes and monsoon flooding. It became the platform’s first non-MOD deployment, its first non-English user interface, and the moment it proved its technology could be adapted to serve far beyond traditional defence audiences. By 2018, the service had become an essential service for UK forces, expanding across the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, as well as operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Eastern Europe. Newspapers and magazines were added, the user experience refreshed, and later that year MiPlayer was rolled out across accommodation at UK Naval Support Facility Bahrain, delivering content to personal devices and televisions via the newly developed MiPlayer Set Top Box. In 2020, the technology’s impact reached an entirely new dimension when it became a public service for the Falkland Islands Government, providing island-wide access to live and catch-up television and radio, including local broadcasters, entirely over the local network, without consuming internet capacity. The next major leap came in 2023, when BFBS announced a development partnership between MiPlayer Edge and Eutelsat OneWeb, unlocking new ways to deliver rich media services through Low Earth Orbit satellites to the world’s most remote locations. MiPlayer Edge is now compatible with multiple LEO providers including Starlink and Amazon Kuiper, future-proofing the platform for decades to come. As BFBS marks this ten-year anniversary, MiPlayer stands as one of the organisation’s proudest achievements, a constantly evolving platform that continues to redefine what connection looks like for Armed Forces, and other users in a variety of industries today, tomorrow and beyond.
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
14 Jan 26. Mr Paul Eastwood has been appointed British High Commissioner to The Independent State of Papua New Guinea in succession to Ms Anne Macro. Mr Eastwood will take up his appointment during February 2026.
13 Jan 26. Jo Lomas has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia in succession to Ross Allen, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms Lomas will take up her appointment during July 2026.
INDUSTRY
PERSONNEL
16 Jan 26. Major boost to pool of skilled former military personnel called upon in crises as UK strengthen preparedness. The Armed Forces Bill will grow the pool of former Service personnel who Defence could draw on in times of crisis, in a move welcomed by senior military leaders New measures are being introduced through the Armed Forces Bill to strengthen the UK’s Strategic Reserve (former Service personnel with an Ex Regular and Recall Reserve liability), to help Defence draw on their valuable skills and experiences in times of crisis. The Ministry of Defence is taking decisive action to boost readiness and deliver on the first duty of government – to keep its citizens safe. The Bill includes measures that will affect our Regular and Volunteer Reserve personnel’s liability for recall after they leave service. The key changes will:
- Increase the maximum age for call from 55 to 65
- Align the time for which recall applies across all three services
- Lower the threshold for recall so that Reservists can be recalled for ‘warlike preparations’ in addition to the current requirement for ‘national danger, great emergency or attack on the UK’
Commander Standing Joint Command, Lt General Paul Griffiths, who is leading UK efforts to ensure we are ready to combat the increasing threat, said: “As the threat to our nation grows, we must ensure our Armed Forces can draw on the numbers and skills required to meet it. I fully support these measures, which will give us the widest possible pool of experienced personnel to call upon in times of crisis. Our Strategic Reserve represents a wealth of expertise built over years of military and civilian experience – from cyber and intelligence to medicine and communications. These reforms will allow us to mobilise that talent rapidly when it matters most, strengthening our readiness and aligning with a similar approach many NATO forces are taking to bolster their own resilience.”
In a move that will complement our excellent volunteer Reserves, these measures will ensure that in times of crisis we can both grow the pool of former Service personnel we call upon and have greater flexibility to draw on their skills and experiences during a transition to war. Members of the Strategic Reserve vary in age and offer diverse and valuable skills from their military and civilian experiences. These critical personnel provide crucial expertise in cyber, medicine, intelligence and communications. Our approach also aligns with the increasing importance NATO allies (including the US, France, Germany and Poland) are placing on their Reserve forces to strengthen their defence and resilience and draw on expertise from outside the Regular military. It also reflects lessons from Ukraine’s innovative use of Reserves and whole of society response to Russian aggression. In 2024, more than one in five troops training Ukrainian forces on Operation INTERFLEX – the British-led multinational military operation to train and support the Armed Forces of Ukraine – were Reservists. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
14 Jan 26. Advanced Navigation, a world leader in navigation and autonomous systems, has announced the appointment of Michelle Toscan as Head of APAC. This move, following a year of doubled growth for the company, is a direct response to the critical and escalating threat of GPS interference. Toscan’s expertise will be instrumental as assured, GPS-independent autonomy is rapidly shifting from a strategic advantage to a baseline for commercial activity and national security. She is tasked with accelerating the delivery of Advanced Navigation’s dual-use, resilient Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) innovations across extreme environments, from deep sea to space.
13 Jan 26. Airbus SE (stock exchange symbol: AIR) has appointed Matthieu Louvot Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Airbus Helicopters, effective 1 April 2026. He will report to Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury and be part of the Company’s Executive Committee. Matthieu Louvot, currently Executive Vice-President Strategy for Airbus, will succeed Bruno Even, who has decided to leave the Company to pursue his next personal and professional objectives.
15 Jan 26. Greene Tweed, a global leader in advanced materials and high-performance solutions, has appointed Thomas (T.J.) Castle as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO). Castle brings more than three decades of global operations leadership to the role, where he will lead the company’s operational strategy and execution across manufacturing, supply chain, quality, engineering, procurement, and safety. A seasoned operations executive, Castle has a strong track record of driving growth through operations excellence and building high-performing teams in complex manufacturing environments, particularly within the aerospace industry. Most recently, as COO at CMI Group, he executed on significant organic sales growth and improved quality performance for global aerospace customers. Previously, as Senior Vice President of Operations at TPI Composites, Castle led composite manufacturing product diversification for emerging markets, launched four greenfield manufacturing facilities, and advanced safety performance across global operations.
13 Jan 26. Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE:HLI), the global investment bank, announced today that Géraud Estrangin has joined the firm as a Managing Director in its Industrials Group. Based in Paris, Mr. Estrangin will focus on aerospace and defence in Europe, in coordination with the global Aerospace, Defense & Government team. He will also support the global Industrials Group for France-related transactions, further enhancing the firm’s European capabilities at a time of sustained deal activity. He will work closely with senior colleagues across the Industrials Group to deepen client relationships and support the execution of complex transactions across the region.
14 Jan 26. The International Institute for Strategic Studies announced the appointment of Ruben Stewart as its new Senior Fellow for Land Warfare. He succeeds Ben Barry who remains with the IISS as an Associate Fellow. Ruben will lead IISS research in contemporary and future land warfare, and in land-relevant capability and technology issues, also working with colleagues to deliver land warfare assessments in IISS databases and publications. Ruben is a military and humanitarian professional with over 25 years of experience analysing armed conflict and contemporary land warfare, including force employment and the battlefield implications of emerging technologies. He joins the Institute from the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), where he has provided advice on military affairs, including engagement with state and non-state armed groups. A former infantry officer in the New Zealand Defence Force, he has led UN peacekeepers in East Timor. He subsequently held senior field roles with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), working with military actors and coordinating humanitarian responses across multiple conflict settings in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
13 Jan 26. The Space Data Association has appointed Eutelsat’s David Zamora as its new Chairman. David is a seasoned space industry professional with over 20 years of experience in Flight Dynamics and Space Situational Awareness (SSA). David has held the position of Head of Flight Dynamics at Eutelsat since 2010 where he leads GEO Flight Dynamics engineering and operational activities, actively promotes SSA practices, and drives their integration to ensure safe and sustainable space operations. David has been an Executive Director at SDA for over 8 years and has played a key role in developing the Space Safety Portal (SSP), SDA’s new safety-of-flight system, which became operational this month.
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
13 Jan 26. C3 Integrated Solutions (C3) today announced key leadership appointments to support its next phase of growth. Effective January 1, Bill Wootton has assumed the newly created role of Chief Growth Officer, and Mike Nestor has been promoted to Chief Revenue Officer. In his new role, Wootton will focus on channel strategy, partnerships and inorganic growth initiatives. Nestor will oversee revenue execution across the organization, expanding his responsibilities to include marketing, sales operations and inside sales in addition to leading the sales organization. These leadership changes come as CMMC enters its phased implementation period, shifting expectations for defense contractors from planning for compliance to proving it. The final rule establishes a multi-year rollout requiring organizations handling sensitive defense information to validate cybersecurity controls and maintain audit-ready evidence.
15 Jan 26. Ionic Mineral Technologies (“Ionic MT”), a pioneer in developing one of the world’s most comprehensive hubs for rare earths and critical minerals, today announced the appointment of Shane Porzio as its Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective January 5, 2026. Mr. Porzio will lead the Company’s operational scale-up from pilot to full commercial production of its nano-silicon, high-purity alumina, and rare earth elements derived from its proprietary Utah-based halloysite clay resources. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
14 Jan 26. IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), the world’s leading quantum platform company, today announced that national security leader and technology advocate Katie Arrington will join its executive team as Chief Information Officer (CIO), reporting to IonQ Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer Inder Singh, beginning January 19, 2026. IonQ also announced that Leslie Kershaw, currently with IonQ Capella, will advance into a newly expanded role as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), reporting to Arrington. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
15 Jan 26. PsiQuantum today announced three new members of the company’s Government Advisory Board (GAB), comprised of leaders with decades of public service and policy expertise. The Hon. Stephen E. Biegun, the Hon. Ellen Lord, and Dr. Chris Miller will join existing GAB member Vice Admiral Bob Sharp, USN (Ret.). PsiQuantum will draw on the GAB members’ deep experience to advance the company’s partnerships across the public sector. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
12 Jan 26. Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand has appointed a new chief executive, Jeremy King, former head of Joint Aviation Systems for Defence Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, ahead of the transition of outgoing CEO Warren McDonald. Succeeding Warren “Macca” McDonald, King will officially assume the position in February, following a formal transition period. In 2023, King was appointed Head of Joint Aviation Systems for Defence Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG), and in 2022 acquired the role of Director General Army Aviation Systems Branch in CASG. (Source: Defence Connect)
12 Jan 26. Startup Central (SC) is a vertically integrated and AI-powered conglomerate of hard/deep tech startups, IP holding companies, and multimedia studios, think Yamaha/3M/Hitachi meets Universal/Publicis. SC announced that Clay Richardson has stepped up as CEO while the companies continue to ReIndustrialize North America and SC opens a Series A fundraise. Richardson brings more than 15 years of engineering and AI experience from Silicon Valley companies, including X. His background spans hardware development, rapid prototyping, and AI. (Source: PR Newswire)