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09 Apr 25. European Defence Agency portfolio swells under bloc’s defense ambition. The European Defence Agency enters its third decade with a beefed-up mandate and record spending, as officials face mounting pressure to transform political ambitions into combat-ready capabilities. The agency now oversees five core tasks – up from three – including joint procurement facilitation and defense innovation coordination, the agency said in its annual report, released this week. The update follows a May 2024 landmark Long-Term Review endorsed by EU defense ministers, who pledged to increase collaborative spending amid concerns over industrial fragmentation and technological gaps. EU defense expenditure was projected to have reached €326bn, or $361bn, in 2024 (1.9% of GDP), a 30% increase since 2021. Almost a third (31%) now flows to defense investments, primarily the procurement of new equipment. Nonetheless, Europe still spends less than 0.05% of its GDP on defense research and technology – a fraction of U.S. and Chinese investments. “Buying together saves money, while developing assets together makes us more independent,” said Jiří Šedivý, the Agency’s chief executive, last December. The agency’s expanded role includes managing around 200 projects worth €681m, from the Low Earth Orbit satellite demonstrator to the multinational procurement of 155 mm artillery shells for Ukraine. Ten countries have ordered over €350m worth of ammunition through EDA’s fast-track mechanism, with first deliveries reaching Kyiv in May 2024.
“The European defence base remains fragmented, characterised by a lack of joint procurement and national preferences for defence spending. This results in small, localised markets with relatively low production numbers,” Šedivý told a February 2025 European Economic and Social Committee forum. One of the EDA’s key objectives is to neutralize this European disadvantage and instead play to the Union’s strengths.
The joint procurement of weapons is one example of this, and an entirely new dimension to the EU’s capabilities that would have been unthinkable until Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It was formalized as one of the EDA’s tasks in May 2024. Brussels’s joint purchase of shells was the first time that the bloc had jointly made an arms purchase.
Since 2022, the European Union has become more assertive in the defense space and has made decisive moves towards increasing Brussels’ role in military matters. Just last month, EU leaders greenlit a new defense spending scheme. Closer collaboration with Switzerland, Norway, Ukraine, and the United States – albeit based on pre-Trump trends – was also in the cards, according to the EDA report. Four landmark letters of intent were facilitated by the European Defence Agency last year. The flagship amongst them—literally—is an agreement to develop a common European combat vessel by 2040. The ECV is meant to “protect trade routes to ensure the uninterrupted flow of goods to and from EU territory,” the Agency said in its report. The other three big new projects cover loitering munitions, electronic warfare and an integrated air and missile defense for the continent, with the Agency working to coordinate procurement and conduct research into disruptive technologies to give Europe a leg up on threats only just beginning to emerge. Despite the increase in scope and subsequent back-patting in its annual self-assessment, some challenges do remain for the EDA. For one, the EU’s stated goal to make 35% of all defense procurements collaboratively is likely still ambitious, with the most recent numbers from 2021 putting it at 18%.
“The urge to swiftly address capability shortfalls through readily available military equipment has led to a surge of national off-the-shelf acquisitions, causing a temporary slowdown of collaborative procurement,” the EDA wrote in its end-of-2024 report last December.
As the Agency prepares to move into its brand new, purpose-built Brussels headquarters by 2027, its test will be converting ministerial declarations into deployable capabilities. With the European Defence Fund allocating €1bn for 2025 R&D projects – including AI-enabled systems and dual-use technologies – the agency will see growing importance, but also increased pressure to deliver strategically relevant results.
“As Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine enters its fourth year, the need for a strong, resilient, and coordinated European defence is greater than ever,” Šedivý said in his recap of the past year. The EU must be able to defend itself, he added — “alone, if necessary. This new era demands bold decisions and action.” (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
10 Apr 25. Sacrificing UK Energy Security at the altar of wokeism. It appears that the word North Sea Oil has been deliberately erased from any dialogue of the Department of Energy, run by chief Green Energy evangelist Ed Miliband. Sources suggest that the main thrust of the UK contribution to the European Energy Security Conference next month will be the benefits of energy transition using renewables whilst valuable and strategic oil and gas resources are left in the ground. Given the dwindling oil and gas supplies because of this policy this has the ongoing effect of the Forties Interconnector network being shut down, leaving the UK completely at the mercy of imports from various oligarchs to keep the lights on. Energy experts are also appearing to bow to the demands of Donald Trump to buy more US LNG just at the time when fracking is becoming unaffordable due to the drop in oil prices. Will the US be able to supply their promised output in the current climate of US instability? The UK must be the only country in the world to keep oil in the ground to meet unachievable Green predictions whilst at the same time threatening our security. Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves want increased productivity, they have to look no further than increased UK oil and gas production, but the god of Green says they can’t! Suicidal economic madness!
08 Apr 25. Britain’s defence and tech industries have urged EU and UK leaders to step up efforts to clinch a new security pact with Brussels next month. (Source: FT.com)
08 Apr 25. DOD Leaders Highlight Need for Increased NATO Defense Spending. To ensure an effective alliance, NATO needs to generate and field forces necessary to provide credible deterrence, increase military spending and take the lead in supporting Ukraine’s defense requirements, said Katherine Thompson, performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, who testified today at a House Armed Services Committee posture hearing in Washington.
“Allies are taking steps to that effect. Last month, for instance, the United Kingdom hosted the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. The U.K. and France have also committed to lead additional efforts to ensure a lasting peace in Ukraine,” she said.
NATO played a central role in America’s strategy throughout the Cold War, but they forgot how important it was to invest in their defense when it ended. Instead, Thompson said, they grew accustomed to the peace that defined Europe and divested their militaries.
Some NATO nations, like Poland and many of the Baltic nations, already spend more on defense than the United States as a percentage of gross domestic product, and they are on track to reach 5% GDP. On the other hand, Western and Central Europe are home to several of the world’s largest and wealthiest economies. These allies are more than capable of raising powerful militaries, she said.
“Tragically, however, they have chosen not to do so. Instead, for decades, they have shown themselves content to freeride, not just at the expense of American taxpayers, but at the expense of their fellow allies’ security,” Thompson said.
Over the last four years, the international threat environment has grown far more dangerous. This is why Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reoriented the Defense Department’s focus squarely on warfighting and lethality and has called for a “factory reset” of the NATO alliance, she said.
Army Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli, commander of U.S. European Command and supreme allied commander Europe, said Russia’s war in Ukraine has revealed it to be a chronic threat, and in the coming years, that threat will continue to grow. He said Russia has shown it is willing to use military force to achieve geopolitical goals, and it is actively waging a campaign of destabilization across Europe and beyond.
NATO deterrence has held. War has not spilled into NATO territory thanks to support from a broad international coalition. Military support for Ukraine from the U.S., allies and partners has enabled them to mount a courageous defense, Cavoli said.
“Now NATO has taken up this task,” he added. The threat of war also led NATO to embark on a historic campaign to fundamentally overhaul and modernize its military capabilities.
“After years of underinvestment — too many years — our allies are finally optimizing the alliance for high-end warfighting, and within NATO, we now have the plans, the forces, the command and control, and we have the focus to meet that mission. And there’s still much to do, but our allies are investing in defense at a rate we haven’t seen since the Cold War, a 40% increase overall since February of 2022,” Cavoli said. (Source: U.S. DoD)
08 Apr 25. Croatia to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030. Croatia plans to boost defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and to 3% by 2030, it said on Tuesday, the latest European member of NATO to pledge higher military spending amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump. The Balkan nation currently spends 2% of its economic output on defence. The Reuters Tariff Watch newsletter is your daily guide to the latest global trade and tariff news. Sign up here.
“Croatia is intensively working on the development of its defence industry and further cooperation with its allies,” Defence Minister Ivan Anusic was quoted as saying by his ministry at the opening of the Adriatic Sea Defence & Aerospace Exhibition and Conference in the capital Zagreb. Anusic said that Croatia’s armed forces were negotiating with Germany to buy 50 Leopard tanks that should arrive in 2028, part of a push across Europe to boost military capabilities amid concerns Washington is stepping back from defending the region. (Source: Reuters)
08 Apr 25. Security and renewal at heart of plans for steel sector. The Government has hosted the second meeting of the Steel Council today, and reiterated its commitment to British steelmaking.
- Steel sector, union and trade body leaders meet Government to drive forward development of its steel plan as part of drive towards industrial renewal.
- Industry Minister restates the Government’s commitment to British-made steel, including energy cost relief for businesses expected to be worth over £300m in 2025 alone.
- Government is reviewing nearly 100 responses to its steel consultation as it brings forward plans to help the industry secure jobs and deliver economic growth across the UK, as part of its Plan for Change.
Steel sector leaders were reassured about the Government’s plans to revitalise British steelmaking today (8 April) at the second meeting of the Steel Council, bringing together industry leaders to feed into amid global concerns around US tariffs on steel and aluminium. Industry Minister Sarah Jones hosted the meeting earlier today after the Government’s steel plan green paper consultation closed on 30 March, receiving almost 100 responses and recommendations from business leaders and industry experts. The meeting follow’s the Prime Minister’s speech yesterday where he pledged to do the right thing by the UK’s national interest, prioritising security and renewal in a changing world. Minister Jones reiterated the Government’s firm support for industry and its role in delivering economic growth, as well as in the context of global tariffs on steel and aluminium imposed by the US. She assured Steel Council members the Government is continuing to do all it can to stand up for the sector. The meeting comes as the Government continues to work round the clock to protect jobs at British Steel in Scunthorpe. CEOs of steel firms including Tata, Liberty, British Steel and others joined leaders from trade unions and the industry’s trade association UK Steel to discuss the sector’s future and the challenges facing it.
Industry Minister Sarah Jones said: “We know this is a concerning time for our steel industry in the face of global challenges. That’s why we’re working in lockstep with industry to drive forward our steel plan so it can help the sector secure jobs, deliver growth and power the modern economy. This government will always stand up for UK steelmaking, and where others may talk tough, we are acting, with money ready to go to back up British industry. With our steel plan we’re placing it at the heart of our growth mission, and we’ll keep all options on the table to help steel in the UK thrive and deliver on our Plan for Change.”
The Steel Council’s second meeting comes as the final measure in the Government’s British Industry Supercharger package – the Network Charging Compensation (NCC) scheme – comes into force, bringing energy costs for steel companies and other energy-intensive industries closer in line with other major economies worldwide. The first payments to industry from the NCC scheme will be made next month and provide over 15 m in energy price relief for businesses in May alone. Once fully implemented, the total value of reduced electricity prices from the Supercharger package is expected to be between 320 m and 410 m in 2025, and more than 5bn over the next 10 years.
Background:
A full list of attendees for the Steel Council meeting is below:
- British Steel
- Celsa Steel UK
- Liberty Steel
- Marcegagalia Stainless Sheffield Ltd
- Sheffield Forgemasters
- TATA Steel
- UK Steel
- British Metals Recycling Association
- Materials Processing Institute
- WMG High Value Manufacturing Catapult
- Community Union
- GMB Union
- Scottish Government
- Welsh Government
- Northern Ireland’s Department for the Economy
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
08 Apr 25. Royal Navy aircraft carrier in final preparation to lead multinational deployment to Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific. Nearly 4,000 British personnel will support the deployment, which will deliver trade events in Singapore, Japan, and India, promoting Britain’s world-leading industry. Final preparations are underway for a multinational deployment, led by the Royal Navy flagship HMS Prince of Wales, reaffirming the UK’s commitment to the security of the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific, while providing an opportunity to promote British trade and industry. Aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales is scheduled to sail from Portsmouth on 22 April, where it will proceed to join a formation of warships, supply ships, and aircraft off the coast of Cornwall, before departing for the Mediterranean where it will conduct exercises to reinforce European security. Around 2,500 personnel from the Royal Navy and 592 from the Royal Air Force will be involved in the eight-month deployment, which will see the group sail through the Indian Ocean to conduct exercises and port visits with partners including the US, India, Singapore, and Malaysia. They will be joined by around 900 personnel from the British Army for exercises during the deployment. The deployment, named Operation Highmast, provides an opportunity for the UK’s Armed Forces to conduct a major global deployment and a chance to exercise complex operations alongside partners and allies in the region, with 12 other nations supporting the deployment with ships or personnel. The Indo-Pacific is a critical region for UK trade, with imports and exports in the region worth bns of pounds for the UK economy, and the deployment will provide a chance for UK companies to take part in trade events during port visits. Trade between the UK and Indo-Pacific accounted for 17% of total trade between the UK and all trading partners in the 12 months to September 2024, with the total amount traded in goods and services between the UK and Indo-Pacific standing at £286 bn in the same period. As the biggest class of ship in the Royal Navy, the flight decks of HMS Prince of Wales and her sister ship are roughly the size of three football pitches and defended by advanced weapons. A maritime strike force of this size is composed of multiple types of ship, frigates, destroyers, submarines, and supply ships to support logistics.
Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said: “I want to thank the thousands of our Armed Forces personnel involved in the delivery of this immensely complex operation, demonstrating the UK’s world-leading capability to deploy a major military force around the world. This is a unique opportunity for the UK to operate in close coordination with our partners and allies in a deployment that not only shows our commitment to security and stability, but also provides an opportunity to bolster our own economy and boost British trade and exports. As one of only a handful of countries in the world able to lead a deployment of this scale, the Royal Navy is once again demonstrating its formidable capability while protecting British values and sending a powerful message of deterrence to any adversary. Of the 12 other nations supporting the deployment, Norway will provide a warship to support the carrier strike group for the entire duration of the deployment. Canada and Spain are among the other nations providing support to the deployment.”
After its compliment of up to 24 Royal Air Force F-35B Lighting fighter jets is embarked on board HMS Prince of Wales, and the departure for the Mediterranean, the group will initially be placed under NATO command as it joins Exercise Neptune Strike – testing the Alliance’s ability to use high-end maritime strike capabilities, including multiple aircraft carrier and amphibious strike groups. The group will transit though the Indian Ocean, conducting exercises and port visits with partners including the US, India, Singapore and Malaysia, before joining 19 partner nations for Exercise Talisman Sabre near Australia, and then training alongside the Japanese Self Defence Forces and conducting a port visit to India.
Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard MP, said: “Through this deployment of our Carrier Strike Group and 4,000 Service Personnel, we will stand firm with our allies against those who challenge the international order. Reminding the world that the security of the Euro Atlantic and Indo-Pacific are fundamentally indivisible. This isn’t just about hard power; it’s about building influence and opening new trade opportunities both for defence and other sectors of our economy which will deliver British jobs and growth. This deployment follows the Prime Minister’s historic commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, demonstrating this Government’s commitment to keep the UK secure at home and strong abroad. Following the inaugural deployment in 2021, the Carrier Strike Group 2025 highlights the strength of the UK’s leadership in seeking to uphold stability in the Indo-Pacific. This has been bolstered by the Royal Navy’s persistent presence in the region through HMS Spey and HMS Tamar, as well as the landmark Global Combat Air Programme collaboration. Keeping the country safe is the Government’s first priority and is the foundation of its Plan for Change. The strength, capability and global reach of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, demonstrated through Operation Highmast, is critical to the security and stability of the UK, supporting the delivery of the Government’s five missions. “(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
07 Apr 25. The Dutch government said on Monday it had tightened export controls for all military and ‘dual use’ goods destined for Israel.
All direct exports and the transit of these goods to Israel will be checked to see if they comply with European regulations, and will no longer be covered by general export licences, the government said in a letter to parliament.
“This is desirable considering the security situation in Israel, the Palestinian territories and the wider region,” foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp and trade minister Reinette Klever wrote.
“Exporters will still be able to request permits, that will then be checked against European regulations.”
The government said no military goods for Israel had been exported from the Netherlands under a general permit since Israel started its war in Gaza following the attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
It said that the general licence for the export of “low risk information security goods”, such as routers for network security, was frequently used for export to Israel. (Source: Reuters)
07 Apr 25. EU finance ministers to discuss joint fund to buy and own defence gear.
- Summary
- Companies
- Bruegel think tank proposes European Defence Mechanism
- EDM aims to reduce EU’s military dependence on the US
- Could include non-EU members like Britain, Ukraine, Norway
European Union finance ministers will discuss this week the setting up of a joint intergovernmental defence fund that would buy and own defence equipment, and charge members a fee for its use, a paper prepared for the ministers’ discussions showed. The paper, drafted by the Bruegel think tank, was commissioned by the Polish presidency of the EU and could generate large defence funding without boosting national public debt levels – a worry of many high-debt countries. (Source: Reuters)
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