Archive: News & Articles

In front of a high-ranking audience headed by German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksii Makeiev, KNDS presented the first RCH 155 wheeled self-propelled howitzer (SPH) for Ukraine at the company’s production site in Kassel on 13 January 2025. The combat vehicle was symbolically handed over by KNDS CEO Ralf Ketzel. The RCH […]

Another 30,000 first-person view (FPV) drones will be sent to Ukraine following GBP 45 million (EUR 53.3 million) worth of contracts being placed by the international Drone Capability Coalition, co-led by the UK and Latvia, as the UK steps up its leadership in supporting Ukraine in 2025. The initiative was announced by UK Defence Secretary […]

Schiebel, as part of the Thales-led SEACURE consortium, announced on 13 January 2025 that it has been awarded a grant agreement under the European Defence Fund’s (EDF’s) call for unmanned anti-submarine and seabed warfare solutions. The SEACURE (Seabed and anti-submarine warfare capability through unmanned feature for Europe) consortium consists of 35 companies from 13 European […]

On 14 January 2025 Israeli edge computing specialist Maris-Tech launched Uranus Ultra: an advanced 360° 3D video situational awareness platform designed specifically for armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) and mission-critical defence operations. Developed to address overhead and airborne threats to AFVs, Uranus Ultra enhances battlefield effectiveness by providing comprehensive 360° situational coverage, including crucial aerial perspectives. […]

Babcock France, part of Babcock International, has been awarded a new 17-year contract to support military air training solutions for the French Air and Space Force and French Navy, the company announced on 10 January 2025. The EUR 795 million contract, awarded by France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) defence procurement agency, will see student […]

Almost three years since Russia invaded Ukraine, the rules-based order that once governed security on the European continent lies entirely in shreds. Yet, one European security organisation, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was created during the Cold War to deal with precisely the threats that the European continent is faced with […]

ESD was recently invited on board a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker to observe part of the Norwegian-led trilateral exercise ‘Apex Buccaneer’. This article details what this exercise involved and examines why exercises like ‘Apex Buccaneer’ are essential in facilitating Arctic security. On 3 December 2024 Norway, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States […]

In late 2024, the prospects for ending the war in Ukraine or at least suspending hostilities remained unclear; however, officials from both Ukraine and its partners in the West are increasingly discussing the possibility of such a scenario. The inauguration of US president-elect Trump on 20 January 2025 is considered the starting point for the […]

According to various Russian news agencies and online forums, the Russian Kirov-class nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov was scheduled to deploy to sea in late 2024, after an extensive service overhaul, and initiate sea trials. This intention was confirmed by the general director of United Shipbuilding Corporation, Andreĭ Puchkov, who made his announcement on the […]

Bremen-based Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH has acquired another 11% of the shares in Bavarian software developer blackned by means of a share purchase agreement, Rheinmetall announced on 10 January 2025. With this acquisition Rheinmetall Electronics, which has so far held a 40% stake in blackned, intends to control 51% and thus the majority of the company. […]

MASS Consultants, a specialist UK data technology company serving the defence and security markets and a member of the Cohort Group of companies, announced on 6 January 2025 the appointment of Keith Norton as its managing director. In his new role Norton “will accelerate the businesses’ ambitious growth strategy and drive innovation opportunities for the […]

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of MK 54 MOD 0 lightweight torpedoes, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 3 January 2025. The proposed sale, which is worth an estimated USD 78.5 million (EUR 76.8 million), has been passed to […]

The UK-led multinational Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) has activated an advanced reaction system to track potential threats to undersea infrastructure and monitor the Russian ‘shadow fleet’ of sanctions-busting tankers in response to reported damage to a major undersea cable in the Baltic Sea, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 6 January 2025. The […]

The US Navy declared initial operational capability (IOC) for the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) system in December 2024, US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) reported on 6 January 2025. NAVAIR said the advent of the NGJ-MB system brings “a quantum leap in capability over legacy systems with drastic increases in power, target flexibility and […]

The Polish Ministry of National Defence (MND) has ordered three MQ-9B SkyGuardian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), manufacturer General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) announced on 16 December 2024. The sale to Poland will also include two Certifiable Ground Control Stations (CGCS) and three years of GA-ASI support services. The MQ-9B has an endurance in excess […]

The US State Department has approved a major potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Japan of AIM-120D-3 and AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) and related equipment, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 2 January 2025. The proposed sale, which is worth an estimated USD 3.64 billion (EUR 3.53 billion), has been […]

Germany’s Rheinmetall and Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim), a wholly owned subsidiary of BAE Systems that provides advanced simulation and training software solutions, announced on 7 January 2025 the start of a strategic collaboration. The co-operation aims to promote the development of innovative simulation solutions that are crucial for modern combat training. It will take effect […]

As if to presage what is to come, US president-elect Donald Trump began 2025 with comments that could easily be construed as imperialist. In a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on 7 January 2025, Trump renewed his first term ambition to buy Greenland from Denmark; said the United States should […]

Turkey’s Havelsan announced on 6 January 2025 that its Advent Marti command-and-control (C2) system has been successfully integrated into aircraft TCSG-553: an Airbus CN235MP-100M operated by the Turkish Coast Guard Command (TCGC). The Advent Marti solution, which is part of Havelsan’s Advent combat management system product family and was developed under the leadership of Turkish […]

Belgium’s FN Herstal announced on 6 January 2025 the official launch of the Small Arms Ammunition Technologies (SAAT) project. The four-year initiative, co-ordinated by FN Herstal and conducted by a European consortium consisting of defence companies, research organisations, and the defence ministries of nine countries, aims to establish a common standard for small arms ammunition in Europe […]

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has commissioned Rheinmetall to deliver additional 35 mm ammunition for its Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns (SPAAGs), Rheinmetall announced on 6 January 2025. The new order comprises 180,000 rounds of HEI-T (High Explosive Incendiary with Tracer) ammunition and was booked in December 2024, with the ammunition to be delivered from 2026. […]