NATO

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

Lockheed Martin will partner with a group led by Finish synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite supplier Iceye.

Thales says it has signed a contract with NATO’s arms procurement organization to provide a ForceShield very-short-range air-defense system to Portugal.

The Swedish government plans to spend more than $460 million to join a NATO-led joint procurement of up to 1,000 Patriot missiles, the government said Nov. 15.

Germany Defense Minister Boris Pistorius waited less than 24 hr. to travel to Paris to meet his French counterpart, Sebastien Lecornu.

NATO’s Airborne Early Warning and Control Force has taken delivery of its first Boeing E-3 Sentry upgraded to Final Lifetime Extension Program (FLEP) standard.

Airbus’ A400M airlifter is set to receive a series of upgrades as part of a new agreement between the launch customer nations.

The service is pursuing an “allied by design” approach that includes a new push for space-related military sales.

Gunfire and explosions were heard at the company site west of Ankara.

Sweden and the UK have joined a European initiative to develop and procure long-range deep-strike weapons to provide an additional deterrent effect.

NATO and Japan entered the Individually Tailored Partnership Program in July 2023 to cover 16 cooperation areas.

The decision on a preferred configuration likely will emerge from concept design activities planned for 2026-2027.

NATO partners have linked arms on a responsive space launch initiative that could use Europe’s growing network of spaceports.

Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 followed by its full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched in 2022 has driven NATO's European members to significantly boost defense spending.

The Norwegian government has unveiled plans to expand rocket motor and other production capacities to meet its own demand as well as that of Ukraine and allies.

Thus far in 2024, non-U.S. NATO military spending has increased 18% while Asia’s defense expenditure has grown 10%, compared to 7% in the U.S.

The strategy was first discussed publicly around the time of the NATO summit in Washington in July.

The manufacturer is flight-testing the AW249 attack helicopter to meet Italian Army and international needs.

NATO's new Secretary General Mark Rutte identified higher defense production across alliance members as one of his top priorities as he formally took on the role.

The UK has launched an assessment of its military commitments as part of a wider strategic defense review.

Aircraft WT001 got airborne from Birmingham Airport, England, shortly before 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 20.

In 2024 average defense expenditure among NATO members has surpassed guideline levels for the first time this century.

The NATO SeaSparrow Consortium has awarded BAE Systems Australia a contract to increase the production of Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) Blk. 2 components.

The Russia-Ukraine war and what comes next in Russia will remain major factors shaping defense markets in this decade and beyond.

The six aircraft are part of a wider defense spending package worth €2.4 billion ($2.6 billion).