NATO allies oppose US peace deal for Ukraine as FCAS falters: 2025 review
From spikes in European military spending to the push for a virtual wall to protect NATO countries from Russian drones, the continent faces a new era in defense.
From spikes in European military spending to the push for a virtual wall to protect NATO countries from Russian drones, the continent faces a new era in defense.
"Please understand that the content of yesterday's [trilateral] discussions will be treated as confidential," the German Ministry of Defense told Breaking Defense.
A key meeting on the future fighter has been "postponed," a German official told Breaking Defense, as analysts weigh what's next.
"A decision must and will be made regarding whether and how FCAS will continue” said German defense minister Boris Pistorius.
A Lockheed Martin executive previously told Breaking Defense that the F-35 was Madrid's only real option to replace aging Harrier jets for ship-based operations.
On the helicopter front, Airbus and Italian manufacturer Leonardo announced they are collaborating on a NH90 Block 2 multirole rotorcraft upgrade architecture study to determine the long term evolution of the type.
Editor-in-Chief Aaron Mehta and Senior Reporter Valerie Insinna run down the biggest news from the second day of the Paris Air Show.
“Clearly, we have observed with this [1B] phase, difficulties in the execution," Jean Brice Dumont told reporters during an Airbus media briefing at Le Bourget today.
The F-35 has won every competition it's been in, but now is facing new hurdles from geopolitics and new sixth-gen fighters. What's the best path forward?
"There's [got] to be one European sixth-generation fighter jet, and then we can sell it to all the world. [That's] not the way we're doing it for the moment, and it's very frustrating," Minister Theo Francken said.
Over the last 12 months, weapon assessment phase activities have included a first TP15 ultra Low Observable [LO] subsonic prototype missile undergoing “extreme” RF trials, and wind tunnel propulsion system testing of a RJ10 supersonic variant.
“We are seeing estimates between $200-300 million per unit" for NGAD, said Douglas Barrie of IISS. "The US is the only country in the world that could afford to do that."
MBDA’s Vice President for Europe Arnaud Rousset said that there needs to be “commonality” between both programs, as well as elsewhere across Europe.
Sweden has yet to tell the defense firm exactly the capabilities it needs, but Saab knows "they want us to be fast and quick," a senior company official said.