LOCATIONS
LAND
06 Feb 26. Westwire Harnessing, a leading defence aerospace business specialising in electrical wiring interconnect systems (EWIS) and Electronic Integrated Systems (EIS), announced the opening of its second UK manufacturing facility in Swindon. The new site triples production capacity and will create around 80 highly skilled jobs, further strengthening the company’s contribution to the UK’s defence and aerospace sector. Westwire designs and manufactures mission-critical electrical systems used across next-generation military aircraft, drones, land platforms and critical national infrastructure, supporting the UK’s defence capabilities and national security priorities. Established in 1987, Westwire has nearly 40 years’ experience supplying critical electrical systems for military and defence applications. The company’s products are trusted by operators on deployment, helping to strengthen the UK Government’s defence capabilities and national security initiatives. Since 2021, Westwire has experienced rapid growth, with revenue increasing almost fourfold. The new Swindon facility expands Westwire’s footprint from 10,000 to over 21,000 sq ft, and positions the business to double output again in the next three years responding to increasing demand across the defence market.
“Today marks an important milestone for Westwire,” said Managing Director, Andy Russell. “The opening of our new Swindon facility significantly enhances our manufacturing capability and underlines our commitment to delivering innovative, high-quality solutions that support our armed forces. We are proud to create around 80 new skilled jobs in Swindon, providing opportunities for skilled talent in a sector that is vital to the local area.”
The company’s hand-built harnesses meet the most demanding electrical, environmental, and operational requirements, from harsh military environments to low-smoke, zero-halogen applications.
The company benefits from the global expertise of its parent group, SASMOS HET Technologies. SASMOS acquired Westwire in 2021, marking its first investment outside India, and continues to support the UK operation with advanced technology transfer and complementary capabilities, including fibre optics, photonics, and power management.
Westwire’s customers include key OEMs catering to UK defence and infrastructure players as a key player for national requirements.
Local MP Will Stone welcomed the announcement: “Westwire is an important part of Swindon’s industrial fabric. The creation of 80 high-quality jobs is fantastic news for our community and reflects the town’s growing role in advanced manufacturing and the UK defence sector.”
30 Jan 26. BAE Systems (LON: BA) announced the opening of its new office in Utah, marking an expansion of the company’s local footprint and continued investment in the state’s workforce, economy and innovation ecosystem. Located just north of Salt Lake City, the new facility will serve as a hub for Intercontinental Ballistic Missile sustainment and modernization efforts, providing a state-of-the-art workspace for engineering, digital transformation and mission operations teams. The expansion reflects BAE Systems’ long-term commitment to supporting key national security missions conducted in Utah while strengthening collaboration with local partners. (Source: PR Newswire)
AIR
03 Feb 26. Embraer (NYSE: EMBJ / B3: EMBJ3) today announced at the Singapore Airshow that the Republic of Uzbekistan is the customer of an order for the C-390 Millennium transport aircraft previously announced as undisclosed. The Uzbek Air Force will primarily use the C-390 in transport and humanitarian missions, significantly improving its capabilities. The Republic of Uzbekistan becomes the first Central Asia nation to operate the aircraft that is revolutionizing the military transport market segment.
“We officially welcome the Republic of Uzbekistan to the group of C-390 operators as the Uzbekistan Air Force modernizes its transport capabilities”, said Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. “We are honored by the choice of this leading Central Asia Air Force and will work in close coordination with them to ensure flawless operation of this revolutionary aircraft”.
Built and designed in the 21st century, the C-390 Millennium is the most modern military transport aircraft in its class and can carry more payload (26 tons) compared to other medium-sized military transport aircraft, flying faster (470 knots) and farther. It can perform a wide range of missions including cargo and troop transport, equipment and personnel airdrop, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, and humanitarian operations. It can also operate from temporary or unpaved runways. The aircraft configured with quick-installation air-to-air refuelling equipment under the designation KC-390 can operate both as a tanker and as a receiver. The Millennium is fully interoperable within the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) environment and especially suitable for Agile Combat Employment (ACE) operations. Already selected by air forces in Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Sweden, the Republic of Uzbekistan, Slovakia and Lithuania, the C-390 Millennium offers unmatched capability, reliability, versatility and performance to serve tactical and strategic needs of air forces worldwide.
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
05 Feb 26. Student skills investment to boost UK defence industry.
Britain’s defence industry will benefit from an £80 m skills boost to increase places on key strategically-relevant courses.
- £80m investment to boost UK skills for defence careers of the future
- Universities and colleges will be able to offer more places to students on key courses through the Government’s Defence Industrial Strategy
- Growing defence skills will meet industry need and bolster UK national security
Britain’s defence industry will benefit from an £80 m skills boost to help students gain the skills they need to build the fighter jets of the future and protect the UK at the frontline of our cyber defences. Universities, colleges and other higher education providers in England will be able to bid for funding to increase opportunities for students on defence related courses vital to national security and defence industry requirements, with work ongoing with devolved governments to assess specific skills needs and funding options across the rest of the UK. This is the largest single investment within the £182 m Defence Industrial Strategy skills package, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to ensuring the defence sector has the workforce it needs for the future.
Visiting the University of Portsmouth, Defence Minister Luke Pollard MP announced £50m will fund around 2,400 new student places over six years. A further £30 m investment is being directed at improving university facilities, including building brand new teaching facilities to increase capacity over the next decade.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP said: “We know our outstanding Armed Forces are only as strong as the industry that stands behind them, and through our Defence Industrial Strategy we’re determined to create more opportunities for young people to learn new skills and secure good, well-paid, jobs in defence. I’m calling on universities and colleges across England to apply for this funding to create more opportunities for students to learn the skills of the future, strengthening our national security and helping drive defence as an engine for growth. Courses in engineering and computer science will be the primary focus of the investment, given their critical importance to national security and the defence industry. This funding is part of the Strategic Priorities Grant and will boost places for students from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, helping to build skills and drive growth across the country. This delivers on the Strategic Defence Review’s recommendation to boost the pipeline of skilled workers who can contribute to the UK’s national security. The MOD is the largest provider of apprenticeships in the UK, supporting over 24,000 apprenticeships last year. The Government has committed to the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War – hitting 2.6% of GDP from 2027, three years earlier than the previous Government promised. The funding will help the Government to build towards the Prime Minister’s target for two thirds of young people to be heading to university or taking a gold standard apprenticeship by the age of 25 through the government’s Plan for Change.”
A Defence Universities Alliance is being established, creating a UK-wide network of universities working in partnership with the MOD, Armed Forces and defence sector to support defence innovation and to encourage graduates to take up careers in defence related industries.
Intent to join the Alliance will be a key factor in grant decisions to ensure funded courses lead to real jobs for graduates. The DUA will build on the 60 partnerships already in place between the MOD and universities across the country.
Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said: “From computing and AI to engineering, we are supporting young people into a variety of jobs in the defence sector that are not only good for their future security, but also for our country’s. This cash boost will help by ensuring more students can learn and train with the most up-to-date tech and facilities, restoring colleges and universities as engines of opportunity and growth.”
Applications for this funding competition, run by the Office for Students (OfS), are expected to open 10th February 2026 and close 20th March 2026. Successful bidders will likely be confirmed in May 2026, allowing for activities and student places to be taken up from the start of the academic year 2026-27. Further details will be provided by the OfS when the competition opens. The Government’s comprehensive defence skills package also includes establishing five Defence Technical Excellence Colleges, training people in the skills needed to secure new defence jobs in this growing industry, with applications currently open. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
05 Feb 26. Defence Secretary John Healey has confirmed that His Majesty the King has approved the appointment of Major General Matthew Jones OBE as Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), on promotion to Lieutenant General. He will take up the role in the summer of 2026, succeeding Adrian Bird.
02 Feb 26. Dr Paul Bate will be stepping down as Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency at the end of March 2026. Paul has led the UK Space Agency for four and a half years. Working closely with ministers, he delivered two successful delegations to the European Space Agency Councils of Ministers, securing record investment levels, UK science leadership and three new UK astronauts.
04 Feb 26. Ms Corin Robertson CMG has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to Japan in succession to Ms Julia Longbottom CMG, who will be retiring from the Diplomatic Service. Ms Robertson will take up her appointment during August 2026.
02 Feb 26. Following his appointment by His Majesty The King on 18 December 2025, Sir Christian Turner KCMG has presented his credentials to the US State Department and taken up the role of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America.
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
30 Jan 26. Gen. Stephen Whiting, U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) commander, announced today that Maj. Gen. Terry L. Grisham, a long-time Alabama native with nearly 40 years of military and civilian service, will serve as the command’s transition team director. In his role, Grisham will lead the Program Management Office in Huntsville and oversee the relocation support.
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
26 Jan 26. Ukraine MoD appoints defence technology adviser and discusses US air defence support. The Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov, has appointed Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov as adviser on defence technology. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
INDUSTRY
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
04 Feb 26. Eutelsat Network Solutions, the company that empowers the U.S. government and its allies to connect confidently, announced the appointment of retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Jim Slife to its Board of Directors and the election of Jill Singer as Chair of the Board. Eutelsat Network Solutions is a wholly owned, independent U.S. proxy company and subsidiary of Eutelsat, a global connectivity provider and the world’s only GEO–LEO satellite operator. (Source: PR Newswire)
05 Feb 26. The International Institute for Strategic Studies announced the appointment of Dr Lucie Béraud-Sudreau as its new Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow for Indo-Pacific Defence Policy, Economics and Industry. Dr Béraud-Sudreau will take up the position at IISS–Asia in Singapore, with her research focusing on defence spending, the defence industry including supply-chain challenges, and arms transfers. Prior to joining the IISS, Lucie was Policy Officer for Strategic Analysis at the European Defence Agency, Programme Director for Military Expenditure and Arms Industry at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and a Research Fellow for Defence Economics and Procurement at the IISS in London. Lucie is the author of French Arms Exports: The Business of Sovereignty (Routledge/IISS Adelphi, 2020). She has been published widely in a range of peer-reviewed journals and other outlets. Lucie holds a PhD in Political Science from Université Paris Panthéon-Assas in France.
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
04 Feb 26. Amphenol Corporation (NYSE: APH) today announced that the Board of Directors has appointed R. Adam Norwitt, currently serving as President and Chief Executive Officer, to the additional role of Chairman of the Board, effective on the date of the Company’s 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which is expected to be in May 2026. After more than five decades with Amphenol, including serving as President from 1987 to 2006, Chief Executive Officer from 1996 to 2008 and as Chairman of the Board since 1997, Martin H. Loeffler intends to retire from the Board also effective in May. As part of this leadership transition, David P. Falck, who has served as a Director since 2013 and Presiding Director since 2016, will continue to serve as Lead Independent Director. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
02 Feb 26. CIRCOR International, Inc. (“CIRCOR” or the “Company”), a global manufacturer of flow control products for industrial, naval, and aerospace markets, today announced that Saif Siddiqui joined the Company as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Tony Najjar, who has transitioned to the role of Vice Chairman of CIRCOR’s Board of Directors. Both appointments are effective January 26, 2026. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
02 Feb 26. Quantum Corporation (Nasdaq: QMCO) today announced the appointment of William H. White as its Chief Financial Officer. White will lead Quantum’s global finance organization, including financial strategy and operations, capital structure initiatives, and investor relations, supporting the company’s next phase of growth and operational execution. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
02 Feb 26. Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) announced that Cristina Méndez has been elected to the company’s Board of Directors, effective February 15, 2026. Méndez is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Otis Worldwide Corporation, the world’s leading elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation and service company, with $14 bn in net sales in 2024 and customers in over 200 countries. Prior to her role as CFO of Otis, to which she was appointed in 2024, Ms. Méndez served as Senior Vice President, Finance & Transformation for Otis’ EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) region, which is comprised of more than 40 countries, a role she began in 2022.
05 Feb 26. XTI Aerospace, Inc. (Nasdaq: XTIA) (“XTI Aerospace,” “XTI,” or the “Company”) an aerospace technology company focused on building and scaling its newly acquired subsidiary, Drone Nerds, LLC (“Drone Nerds”), today announced the appointment of Jonathan G. Ornstein to the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), effective February 1, 2026. (Source: PR Newswire)