Archive: News & Articles

Leonardo and Italian railway infrastructure manager Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) have signed a partnership agreement to implement a joint Military Mobility project, the two companies announced on 15 April 2024. The project, which is an EU initiative, will add to existing infrastructure and digital capabilities, facilitating the swift and large-scale movement of military personnel within […]

On 10 April 2024 neutral Switzerland’s Federal Council approved the country’s participation in the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI): a German-led project intended to co-ordinate Europe’s air and missile defence networks. “By participating in the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), Switzerland is increasing its international co-operation opportunities,” the Swiss Federal Council stated on its website. “At […]

On 4 April 2024 the US government took a significant holding of war materiel seized from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and transferred it to the Ukrainian armed forces to help them defend against the Russian invasion, US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on 9 April. The material included more than 5,000 AK-47 assault rifles, […]

As NATO foreign ministers concluded two days of talks in Brussels on 4 April 2024, the alliance marked 75 years since the signing of its founding document: the North Atlantic Treaty. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the landmark, stating, “Since 1949 we have been the strongest and most successful alliance in history.” While there […]

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) published its Defence Nuclear Command Paper on 25 March 2024. Titled ‘Delivering the UK’s Nuclear Deterrent as a National Endeavour’, the paper sets out the country-wide strategy that will see the UK’s Continuous-At-Sea Deterrent (CASD), delivered by the Royal Navy’s Operation ‘Relentless’ since April 1969, maintained and renewed. More expansively, […]

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 18 March 2024 that, for the first time since 2021, an activity under the Treaty on Open Skies had occurred over the UK. The event, which occurred in February, involved NATO partners France and Romania conducting three flights over two days using a Romanian Air Force Open-Skies-configured […]

European missile house MBDA is continuing to adapt its processes in a complex geopolitical environment that is producing intensifying requirements from its customer base. Delivering the company’s annual press conference in Paris on 13 March 2024, MBDA CEO Eric Béranger noted that geopolitical events last year in the Middle East, such as the Hamas attack […]

A flag-raising ceremony was conducted at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on 11 March 2024 to mark Sweden becoming the 32nd member of the alliance. Flag-raising ceremonies took place simultaneously at Allied Command Operations (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium, and Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk, Virginia, in the United States. Sweden officially became a NATO member on […]

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 7 March 2024 that the UK is to provide Ukraine with a complete package of GBP 325 million (EUR 382 million) for cutting-edge unmanned systems to help fight the Russian invasion. The investment is a significant boosting of the GBP 200 million unmanned system package announced by […]

A conference call involving the chief of the Luftwaffe, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, has led to awkward questions being asked of the German government after it emerged that the conversation had been intercepted by Russia. During the call high-ranking air force officers including Gen Gerhartz discussed German military policy in relation to the country’s support […]

The path to Sweden’s membership of NATO has been cleared after the Hungarian National Assembly voted ‘yes’ on 26 February 2024 in relation to Sweden’s application to join the alliance. Of the 194 members of parliament who voted, just six rejected Sweden’s accession. Following the National Assembly speaker and Hungarian President Viktor Orbán signing the […]

NATO defence ministers met in Brussels on 15 February 2024 to address the alliance’s deterrence and defence, as well as support to Ukraine. Addressing the media following the meeting, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg pointed to “historic progress” in increased defence investment. “By the end of 2024, European Allies and Canada will have added more […]

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has welcomed an unprecedented rise in NATO defence spending across European allies and Canada. Commenting on the latest NATO defence spending figures, released on 14 February 2024 in advance of a meeting in Brussels of NATO defence ministers, Stoltenberg announced that European Allies and Canada have added more than USD […]

Comments recently made by likely Republican nominee for the US presidency Donald Trump on NATO nations’ defence spending have been roundly condemned from many quarters, including the alliance, current US President Joe Biden, the European Union and former US military commanders. Addressing a rally in Conway, South Carolina, on 10 February 2024, Trump recalled that […]

A senior US acquisitions official with the Department of the Army used the opportunity of the Defence iQ International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) conference, held in Twickenham, London, from 22-25 January 2024, to outline how the US Army is adapting its AFV procurement to meet the challenges of the 21st Century battlefield. In his keynote address […]

The chief of the British Army has argued that the United Kingdom needs to put its forces – and indeed its society – on a ‘pre-war footing’ in the face of Russian aggression. Speaking at the Defence iQ International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) conference at Twickenham Stadium, south London, on 24 January 2024, Chief of the […]

The latest NATO Military Committee in Chiefs of Defence Session, which took place at NATO Headquarters in Brussels from 17 to 18 January 2024, saw the alliance girding itself to be stronger than ever amid challenges to the rules-based international order on multiple fronts. In opening the session, the NATO Military Committee chair, Dutch Admiral […]

The current Red Sea crisis is revealing the urgency of developing increased naval and commercial collaboration to maintain capacity in world trade, argues Charlotte Kleberg, a research assistant in the defence and security team at RAND Europe. In mid-January 2024 the United States and United Kingdom carried out air strikes against the bases of Iran-backed […]

During a visit to Kyiv on 12 January 2024 UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the United Kingdom will provide GBP 2.5 Bn (EUR 2.91 Bn) worth of military funding to Ukraine in 2024/25: an increase of GBP 200 M over the previous two years. Sunak also joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in signing […]

As the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) continue to confront Hamas militants in a bitter conflict in Gaza, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Israel of M107 155 mm projectiles and related equipment worth an estimated USD 147.5 M (EUR 135 M), the US Defense Security Cooperation […]

The US Department of Defence (DoD) announced a security assistance package for Ukraine valued at up to USD250 M (EUR 228.3 M) on 27 December 2023, but it is likely to be the last such US assistance Ukraine receives unless the US Congress authorises additional funds. The latest package includes air defence capabilities, artillery and […]