France’s Thales and Spain’s Indra announce new collaboration agreement

France’s Thales and Spain’s Indra announce new collaboration agreement
France’s Thales and Spain’s Indra announce new collaboration agreement

The companies said they aim to work together on cyber defenses and other “critical [defense] systems” to strengthen Europe’s defense industrial base.

Dassault CEO talks Saudi interest in Rafale, takes a shot at F-35 and reveals FCAS details

Dassault CEO talks Saudi interest in Rafale, takes a shot at F-35 and reveals FCAS details
Dassault CEO talks Saudi interest in Rafale, takes a shot at F-35 and reveals FCAS details

A simmering dispute between London and Berlin over exporting Eurofighter Typhoons to Saudi Arabia could pave the way for Dassault’s rival Rafale offer to succeed, Eric Trappier suggested.

UK, Italy, Japan ink GCAP stealth fighter treaty, reveal new program details

UK, Italy, Japan ink GCAP stealth fighter treaty, reveal new program details
UK, Italy, Japan ink GCAP stealth fighter treaty, reveal new program details

The joint effort to get a sixth-gen stealth fighter in the air by 2035 is to be headquartered in the UK, while a Japanese official will be the first program leader.

Spain signs $500M-plus deal for SIRTAP drones from Airbus

Spain signs $500M-plus deal for SIRTAP drones from Airbus
Spain signs $500M-plus deal for SIRTAP drones from Airbus

The Spanish Ministry of Defence said the aircraft will enter service in 2026 — an aggressive timeline considering Airbus only plans to have a prototype in the air by 2025.

FCAS weighing 4 fighter designs, could make final choice by March 2025

FCAS weighing 4 fighter designs, could make final choice by March 2025
FCAS weighing 4 fighter designs, could make final choice by March 2025

“There is a good working atmosphere and the deliverables are being delivered,” Major General Jean-Luc Moritz said of the French-German-Spanish future fighter system project.

Spain punches ‘above its weight’ in European Defense Fund investments: Report

Spain punches ‘above its weight’ in European Defense Fund investments: Report
Spain punches ‘above its weight’ in European Defense Fund investments: Report

Sounding a note of caution however, the report questions if Spain can continue a “high level of performance and involvement” in EDF projects because of industry suppliers reaching a “saturation point.”

Eurofighter consortium sees up to 200 aircraft sales over next 2 years

Eurofighter consortium sees up to 200 aircraft sales over next 2 years
Eurofighter consortium sees up to 200 aircraft sales over next 2 years

Gaincarlo Mezzanatto, CEO of the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium, talked about potential sales to Spain and, after a recent meeting, Poland, among others.

FCAS? SCAF? Tempest? Explaining Europe’s sixth-generation fighter efforts

FCAS? SCAF? Tempest? Explaining Europe’s sixth-generation fighter efforts
FCAS? SCAF? Tempest? Explaining Europe’s sixth-generation fighter efforts

In which the Breaking Defense team attempts to explain the differences between the UK-led FCAS, the Franco-German-Spanish FCAS, the UK-Italian-Japanese GCAP and all the other sixth-generation fighter development efforts in Europe.

Lockheed eyeing plans to keep SPY-1 radar active in fleets globally through 2060

Lockheed eyeing plans to keep SPY-1 radar active in fleets globally through 2060
Lockheed eyeing plans to keep SPY-1 radar active in fleets globally through 2060

The SPY-1 radar, after first coming online in the 1970s, is used by the US Navy as well as the navies of Australia, Japan, Norway, Spain and South Korea.

Spain’s top officers outline their weapons ‘shopping list for Santa’

Spain’s top officers outline their weapons ‘shopping list for Santa’
Spain’s top officers outline their weapons ‘shopping list for Santa’

Gen. Javier Salto Martínez-Avial, chief of the Air & Space Force, wants 25 more Eurofighters under contract quickly – and likely has eyes on the F-35 for the future.

Airbus talks A400M airlifter risks, sees military order slump from Q1 results

Airbus talks A400M airlifter risks, sees military order slump from Q1 results
Airbus talks A400M airlifter risks, sees military order slump from Q1 results

The risks at hand cover qualification of new capabilities, operational reliability, meeting cost reduction targets and securing “overall volume” as defined in a revised baseline contract, according to Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO.

First German Leopard 2 tank deploying to Ukraine ‘very soon,’ but who will be next?

First German Leopard 2 tank deploying to Ukraine ‘very soon,’ but who will be next?
First German Leopard 2 tank deploying to Ukraine ‘very soon,’ but who will be next?

The breakthrough on heavy weaponry marked a pivotal moment in strategic thinking by Western decisionmakers, previously concerned that more modern main battle tanks than the Soviet-era T-72, operated by Ukraine, could lead to an escalation of the war.

‘A powerful signal:’ What it means to send two more DDGs to Spain

‘A powerful signal:’ What it means to send two more DDGs to Spain
‘A powerful signal:’ What it means to send two more DDGs to Spain

Lawmakers have spent years lobbying the Pentagon to send more ships to Spain to reinforce NATO. But experts say there are many issues still to work out.

US increasing troop presence in Europe, while new NATO strategy eyes China

US increasing troop presence in Europe, while new NATO strategy eyes China
US increasing troop presence in Europe, while new NATO strategy eyes China

“We’re going to step up. We’re stepping up,” US President Joe Biden said. “We’re proving that NATO is more needed now than it ever has been and it’s as important as it has ever been.”