On the flightline with Swedish fighter jets in Iceland, in Cold War 2.0
Deployment comes after Reykjavík adopted Iceland’s first-ever defense strategy in 70 years of NATO history.
Deployment comes after Reykjavík adopted Iceland’s first-ever defense strategy in 70 years of NATO history.
By deciding against a request to secure funding for all 36 jets and move ahead with a reduced buy, the Swiss Federal Council accepted that “negative consequences” are to come.
Analysts noted that after decades of underinvestment, Berlin is flipping the script by moving ahead with a seismic increase in defense spending, set to hit a high mark in 2029 of €150 billion a year.
The new AW149 fleet is desperately needed to plug a rotary capability gap left by retirement of the Puma HC2 fleet in March 2025.
Separately, state-owned Havelsan announced the commissioning of an armed unmanned surface vessel, dubbed Sancar, on Tuesday.
A recent study co-sponsored by NATO's Innovation Fund found that investment in European "Defence, Security and Resilience" startups increases by 55 percent in 2025.
"A company cannot work with East and West. You have to make strategic decisions. And the decision has been made within SCOPA. We're working with NATO countries," company executive Walid Abu Khaled told Breaking Defense.
America’s chief diplomat took aim at what he framed postwar “delusion” in the West and a mass migration “crisis” in Europe, echoing terms found in the National Security Strategy released last year.
A contract for the top-up order of the stealth aircraft will be signed “this year," Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken told Breaking Defense.
The longer industry problems persist, the greater the risk of delay or outright breakup for the Franco-German-Spanish fighter program.
Breaking Defense Europe will launch May 4 with Tim Martin and Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo as co-editors.
Besides transatlantic tension, other topics on the agenda at the Munich Security Conference include AI, climate change, hybrid warfare, nuclear security and space.
The US will hand over charge of Joint Force Command Norfolk to the United Kingdom and relinquish leadership of Joint Force Command Naples to Italy.
Amid strained relations between the US and Canada, Saab is positioning its fighter as an alternative to American-made F-35s.
"The parties will now move into the next stage of discussions, intended to achieve a procurement contract signing soon,” said Italian defense firm Leonardo.