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03 Oct 24. EU arms industry boost plan may fall short of goals, watchdog warns. A European Union plan to boost the continent’s arms industry risks falling short of its ambitions, an EU spending watchdog warned on Thursday.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, unveiled a proposal in March to allocate 1.5bn euros ($1.65bn) to incentivise EU governments to buy jointly from European defence firms and encourage industry to increase capacity.
Many European countries increased defence spending following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. But the Commission has estimated Europe needs additional investment of around 500bn euros ($551.15bn) in defence over the next decade.
Officials have also said Europe’s defence industry is too fragmented and lags behind on innovation.
The Commission proposal, to be implemented in 2026-2027 if approved, is the EU’s highest-profile effort yet to spur investment in its defence sector.
But the European Court of Auditors said funding for the program “may not be commensurate with the stated objectives”.
“There is a risk that the EU’s limited resources could be scattered over a wide array of projects that may not have a measurable impact at EU level,” it said in a written opinion, opens new tab on the plan.
It also said the time horizon for large-scale projects would likely exceed two years.
The Commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the opinion.
Commission officials have previously acknowledged the current funding level is small but insisted it was worth setting up a legal framework to encourage closer cooperation, while aiming to secure more cash in the EU’s next long-term budget. (Source: Reuters)
02 Oct 24. Ireland draws up ‘record’ $1.5bn defense budget.
“This level of investment is critical in the current geopolitical situation,” said Micheál Martin, Irish deputy prime minister and defence minister.
Ireland has announced a “record” €1.35bn ($1.49bn) defense budget for 2025, offering funding for ongoing air surveillance radar, subsea awareness, force protection equipment projects and recruitment of 400 additional armed forces personnel.
“The record allocation of €1.35bn in Budget 2025 demonstrates this government’s commitment to Defence and those who serve our State,” said Micheál Martin, Irish deputy prime minister and defence minister in a statement.
He also said that the 2025 budget will “allow the Air Corps to take delivery of the new Airbus C295W [military transport configured] aircraft,” after Dublin received a second of two C295 maritime patrol aircraft in October 2023.
“This level of investment is critical in the current geopolitical situation,” added Martin.
The uptick in spending comes after decades of underfunding and amid accusations from some quarters that Dublin is failing in its responsibility to help defend Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, not to mention an acute domestic military recruitment and retention crisis curtailing ambitions. Ireland does not supply Ukraine with military aid, but since the Russian invasion it has provided Kyiv with approximately €380m in humanitarian assistance, according to figures from the President of Ukraine website.
To overcome high-profile problems, the small, militarily neutral nation, is committed to transforming its defense forces by 2028, based on implementing a series of recommendations made by the Commission on the Defence Forces.
Specifically, Dublin is working off the Commission’s Level of Ambition 2 (LOA2) concept, aimed at strengthening capabilities “to address specific priority gaps in our ability to deal with an assault on Irish sovereignty and to serve in higher intensity peace support, crisis management and humanitarian relief operations overseas,” according to a government statement.
Ireland is incapable of intercepting unauthorised or hostile aircraft within its own airspace because it does not operate an air surveillance radar and for political reasons has attempted to keep details secret about an agreement with the UK which allows for Royal Air Force fighter jets to deploy over Irish airspace should such interceptions be necessary. Some lawmakers have even demanded the Irish government share details of the pact to ensure it does not breach the country’s neutrality, according to Sky News.
The project to acquire its own air surveillance radar has an estimated value of €300m and “will likely” involve three sites, reported The Journal, an Irish online news website.
Elsewhere, Ireland’s 2025 budget includes €469m for armed forces permanent staff pay and €8m for Air Corps fleet maintenance, alongside “airfield and training costs.”
(Source: glstrade.com/Breaking Defense.com)
02 Oct 24. UK Armed Forces ‘not up to defending Israel from missile attacks.’ RAF lacks weapons to take out Iranian ballistic missiles and Royal Navy vessels also ill-equipped or lacking manpower, says Ben Wallace
Britain’s Armed Forces are unable to protect Israel from Iranian ballistic missile attacks, defence experts have claimed.
RAF Typhoon jet fighters are thought to lack the weapons needed to repel an attack such as that launched by Iran on Tuesday when it fired nearly 200 long-range missiles in its biggest assault yet on Israel. It meant the UK was relegated to a supporting role, assisting the US in defending its ally.
Sir Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary, said that the UK’s Type-45 anti-missile destroyers would also struggle to respond, while sources claimed that the Royal Navy’s carrier strike groups did not have enough sailors to operate effectively in a war zone.
Experts fear a lack of military investment is diminishing Britain’s ability to play a leading role in world events and warned that it left the country vulnerable.
Tom Sharpe, a retired navy commander, said: “Our involvement [in the response to Iran] was underwhelming and it’s a reflection of 40 years of underfunding.
“Given what is going on in the Middle East and Russia, we need to expedite our ability to provide ballistic missile defence from our T45 destroyers.”
Ministry of Defence sources insisted on Wednesday night that the Armed Forces remained open to the changing situation in the Middle East. Despite the lack of engagement in Tuesday’s operation, sources insisted that they could shoot down ballistic missiles.
It came as tensions continued to rise in the region, with Israel reportedly planning a “significant” attack on Iran in the coming days that could target oil facilities or nuclear sites.
Joe Biden said the US did not support Israel attacking Iran’s nuclear sites. The US president said he backed Israel’s right to defend itself but the response must be “proportionate”.
Sir Keir Starmer backed Israel’s right to self-defence but called for tensions to be eased. (Source: Daily Telegraph)
02 Oct 24. Bosnia raises security alert for army facilities over Middle East crisis. Bosnia said on Wednesday it had raised its security alert level for weapons and ammunition storage facilities over concerns that the escalating conflict in the Middle East could affect the Balkan country’s stability.
“Sadly, we are seeing an escalation of war events in the Middle East and in Ukraine, with potential reflections on Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Defence Minister Zukan Helez wrote in a Facebook post.
“I have ordered increased security measures for command facilities, units, facilities and storage of weapons and ammunition…in order to protect the (personnel), facilities and material assets.”
In his post, Helez said measures were preventative and “the security situation in our country is stable and there is no information or indication that it will be disturbed”.
On Wednesday, Bosnia’s security agency, SIPA, searched several army premises after receiving information about bomb threats, local media reported. Helez told N1 TV that the raising of the security level “has nothing to do” with the threats.
Bosnian web portal www.klix.ba, opens new tab reported that around 20 to 30 people, mainly Turkish and Syrian nationals, gathered on Tuesday in Sarajevo after hearing the news that Iran had attacked Israel.
They shouted “Free Palestine,” and later drove in cars waving Bosnian and Palestinian flags.
Nearly 30 years after the U.S.-brokered peace deal ended the 1992-95 war, Bosnia remains deeply divided between its two regions – Republika Srpska with a majority Serb Christian Orthodox population, and the Bosniak-Croat Federation, which has a majority Muslim population. (Source: Google/Reuters)
03 Oct 24. EIB Group and the European Defence Agency deepen partnership to strengthen European security and defence capabilities.
- EIB and EDA commit to jointly identify security and defence projects across the EU for financing
- Both sides also aim to enhance knowledge sharing and exchange of expertise
The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group and the European Defence Agency (EDA) have today reinforced their partnership to boost financing for Europe’s security and defence capabilities.
Building on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2018, the updated agreement was signed on 3 October 2024 during an informal meeting of National Armaments Directors at EDA in Brussels. The enhanced MoU will enable both organisations to identify financing needs for collaborative defence projects involving EU Member States and their defence industries to support capability developments, research, development and innovation (RDI), technology, and infrastructure in the area of security and defence in the EU. It will also better address the financing needs of collaborative defence projects in areas such as RDI, involving EU Member States and their defence industries.
A key feature of the revised agreement is the reinforcement of mechanisms such as the Cooperative Financing Mechanism (CFM), designed to support pan-European defence initiatives with a comprehensive package that includes facilitation, procurement, and funding. The MoU also promotes greater knowledge-sharing between the EIB, the European Investment Fund (EIF), and EDA, allowing for more robust assessments of market demand and industrial capacities across Member States. Under the new framework, EDA will provide industrial defence advice to the EIB Group, while the EIB will contribute its financial market expertise to support EDA’s objectives.
This strengthened collaboration comes at a critical time, as Europe faces increased calls for greater investment in security and defence. The partnership between the EIB Group and EDA aims to provide increased investments to strengthen the EU collective defence capabilities.
“The updated Memorandum of Understanding is an important element of our Defence Action Plan, which includes strengthening Europe’s industry through collaborative initiatives,” said EIB Vice-President Robert de Groot. “By partnering with EDA, we leverage the unique expertise of each institution in investing in peace and security across Europe. The EIB Group is implementing its objectives outlined in the Defence Action Plan, and is committed to helping scale up this industry.”
EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý said: “European defence spending has been increasing for eight consecutive years and EU Member States are on course to hit collective spending targets. Yet we still need to pull together our resources to finance joint efforts and boost defence capabilities. The updated Memorandum of Understanding with the EIB will give us the right tools to help Member States meet their goals, namely in securing access to financing for Europe’s defence industry.”
The EIB Group includes the EIF.
“We are committed to continuously adapting our approach to meet the dynamic challenges of the defence sector,” said EIF Chief Executive Marjut Falkstedt. “Our collaboration with EDA will ensure that the EIF is equipped with the expertise necessary to drive impactful initiatives that reinforce our shared goal of enhancing European security.”
Background information
The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group is the financing arm of the European Union, owned by its member states. It supports sound investments that contribute to EU policy objectives. Financing for Europe’s security and defence industry is among the EIB Group’s strategic priorities. We provide a comprehensive range of financial support and solutions designed to meet the demands of companies and public sector entities in the security and defence sector, regardless of their size. From reconnaissance and surveillance, spectrum protection and control, to cybersecurity solutions, infrastructure and military mobility, our financing solutions are designed to bolster projects that keep Europe safe, resilient, and innovative.
The European Investment Fund (EIF) is part of the European Investment Bank Group. Its central mission is to support Europe’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by helping them to access finance. The EIF designs and develops venture and growth capital, guarantees and microfinance instruments which specifically target this market segment. In this role, the EIF fosters EU objectives in support of innovation, research and development, entrepreneurship, growth and employment.
The European Defence Agency (EDA) supports its 27 Member States in improving their defence capabilities through European cooperation. Acting as an enabler and facilitator for Ministries of Defence willing to engage in collaborative capability projects, the Agency has become the hub for European defence cooperation with expertise and networks allowing it to the whole spectrum of defence capabilities. Member States use EDA as an intergovernmental expert platform where their collaborative projects are supported, facilitated, and implemented. Website: www.eda.europa.eu
02 Oct 24. Embraer strengthens its Industrial Cooperation with the Czech Republic.
- The company signed today an Industrial Cooperation Agreement with the Czech Ministry of Defense, further strengthening the successful collaboration of Embraer with the Czech Aerospace industry
- This agreement will increase Aero Vodochody’s workshare on the C-390 Millennium program and knowledge exchange, transfer of know-how and expertise to LOM Praha
- At the same time, Embraer will strengthen its cooperation with local universities on innovative projects
Embraer (NYSE: ERJ; B3: EMB3), a global leader in the aerospace industry, takes a major step forward by signing an Industrial Cooperation Agreement (ICA) with the Czech Ministry of Defense (MOD). This strategic agreement reflects Embraer’s deep commitment to strengthening its long-term partnership with the Czech Republic, aiming to enhance local industrial and technological capabilities while fostering innovation, creating highly qualified jobs, and contributing to the growth of the countries’ aerospace and defense sector.
Separate agreements also signed during the ceremony will increase Aero Vodochody’s workshare on the C-390 Millennium program and knowledge exchange, transfer of know-how and expertise to LOM Praha.
Director General for Industrial Cooperation of the Czech MOD Mrs. Radka Konderlova further added: “Industrial cooperation is an important part of all strategic armament projects, including the procurement of C-390 Millennium aircraft. Thanks to its long-term engagement with the Czech industry dating back to the development phase of C-390, Embraer was an excellent partner throughout the negotiations of the Industrial Cooperation Agreement. The company was able to propose projects that will significantly contribute to securing essential security interests of the Czech Republic. In addition, Embraer commits to explore further opportunities to work with the Czech industry to expand and strengthen its global supply chain”.
“We are thrilled to extend our cooperation with the Czech Republic, a nation with a rich history in aerospace and defense. Aero Vodochody, LOM Praha and the local universities are essential partners. We look forward to working together while contributing to the growth of the Czech aerospace industry”, said Jose Gustavo Vice President Sales and Business Development at Embraer Defense & Security for Europe and Africa.
“This contract is a significant milestone for Aero, with positive impact on the whole Czech industry. Through our increased cooperation we will focus on continued development of the supply chain, technology investments and preparation for rapid production growth, all of which are of utmost importance for our company”, said Mr. Viktor Sotona, President & CEO at Aero Vodochody.
“This cooperation agreement is a major milestone for LOM Praha, cooperating with Embraer is for us the perfect opportunity to acquire a significant expertise and know-how on new generation military transport aircraft”, said Mr. Jiří Protiva, CEO at LOM Praha.
Aero Vodochody, a key Czech aerospace manufacturer, has been an integral partner in the C-390 Millennium program since its inception in 2011, producing the rear fuselage, the doors for paratroopers and crew, the emergency door and hatches, the cargo ramp, and the fixed leading edge. The cooperation agreement will represent an increase of C-390 parts manufactured in Aero, and the implementation of new industrial capabilities, with a positive impact in terms of jobs created in Czech Republic and the value of the exports from this company.
The state-owned Maintenance Repair and Overhaul company, LOM Praha, will benefit from knowledge exchange on the C-390 aircraft’s maintenance, preparing its technicians to perform organic and intermediate maintenance activities, and enabling the company to be integrated in the C-390’s life cycle management. Additionally, this agreement will also allow the companies to explore further opportunities in services and support for the C-390, paving the way for a possible long-term partnership.
This new milestone reinforces Embraer’s commitment to strengthening its ties with its local partners, thus contributing to their growth.
As part of its strategy, Embraer also intends to collaborate with local universities and research institutions on advanced aerospace projects. These initiatives will foster knowledge exchange, create opportunities for Czech engineering talent, and drive forward innovation in next-generation aerospace technologies.
30 Sept 24. Reservists must become even more lethal to double the Army’s fighting power by 2027.
Watch: Reserve force is crucial to boosting the Army’s fighting power
Reservists are needed now more than ever and should be upskilled to become even more lethal, says the new Commander of the 19th Light Brigade, the Army’s first fully reservist brigade since the Second World War.
Speaking to BFBS Forces News, Brigadier Lisa Brooks, said: “The threat, the strategic context that we now find ourselves in, all the geo-political frictions and challenges that we see going on across the world, the imperative has changed.
“The training that we are delivering and doing is far different, it is much more focused on a warfighting state.”
Brig Brooks has joined 8th Battalion The Rifles for Exercise Sava Star in Croatia, a country where conscription is being reintroduced.
Throughout the exercise, they have been working alongside the Croatians honing their skills in conventional warfare – on the ranges, in the trenches, and the kill house.
Although this is the 10th iteration of Sava Star, more recently there has been a marked step change in both the intensity and importance of training like this.
Across Nato, nations are strengthening their forces and, in the UK, the head of the British Army has pledged to double its fighting power in just three years.
More emphasis is now being put on overseas exercises, with reservists, like regulars, needing to be used to working with Nato allies.
Every two years, troops from 19 Brigade will take part in Exercise Rhino Heart – this year held in Germany – operating at brigade level rather than just within their own units.
There is a focus on reducing mobilisation time by training reservists to a higher standard ahead of deployment.
Scaffolder and 8th Battalion The Rifles reservist, Lance Corporal Cefan Ashton, said: “I think the way, not just the British Army is going, but other militaries across the world are depending more on reserves – it makes sense.”
Among the ranks on exercise in Croatia are doctors, a Scottish botanist, an Irish postman and a former sheep farmer.
For 8th Battalion’s Regimental Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer 1 Lucas Farrell, it is this mix which makes it all work so well.
He told BFBS Forces News: “The variety of professions within the battalion, I think that’s what makes an Army reserve unit special.”
(Source: forces.net)
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