Defense and Space

The German government says it will meet the NATO target of spending at least 2% on defense in its 2025 budget and following years.

Italy has begun the process for a follow-up order of Eurofighters, which would make Italy the third of the four Eurofighter partners to place a top-up order,.

The European Space Agency (ESA) said that launch service provider Arianespace and Italian space company Avio have agreed to the handover of responsibility for Vega C rockets.

The Japan ministry of defense has agreed to acquire the Lockheed Martin Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile.

New UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed new defense and transport ministers after sweeping aside the Conservative Party in a July 4 general election.

Russia plans to start deploying a new orbital station, ROS, in 2027 using an upgraded rocket, while also developing a new crew capsule.

In the defense industry, all eyes are on the UK in July for RIAT and Farnborough. We kick off the conversation with a special episode about the British elections and what they (and those in France) mean for A&D.

Armasuisse says Switzerland is on track to order mid-range air defense equipment from Diehl Defense after MBDA and Kongsberg pulled out of the competition.

Saudi Arabian defense companies have signed cooperation agreements with their Turkish counterparts during a visit by Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud.

A group of recently launched startups are bucking the strategy.

Germany has awarded Airbus a €2.1 billion ($2.3 billion) contract to build the new SatcomBW 3 constellation due to be deployed before the end of the decade.

Thermal management specialist Intergalactic has unveiled a curved microtube configuration for next-gen propulsion systems and other aerospace applications.

Lithuania is stocking up on small UAS as part of an aggressive effort to build out its military’s autonomous capacity through the end of the decade.

Firefly Aerospace has deployed eight cubesats for NASA with a flight of its Alpha rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, amid operational expansion efforts.

The U.S. Space Force has awarded contracts to Blue Origin and Stoke Space under the Orbital Services Program (OSP)-4 effort.

The Biden administration is accelerating delivery of the much-needed interceptors by moving Ukraine to the front of the line.

Orbit Fab has successfully demonstrated the automated docking of its in-space refueling technology.

The Pentagon did not release a timeline for completing the transition at either base.

NASA has selected rookie astronaut Andre Douglas as a backup for the three agency astronauts assigned to the planned 2025 Artemis II mission.

Germany’s Tesat-Spacecom said it has secured a European Space Agency (ESA) project to deliver a cubesat to test 6G telecommunications technology.

Germany’s push to bolster air and missile defense capacity is continuing, as the Bundestag’s budget committee approved funding for four more Patriot systems.

USAF is expected to begin flight operations with a high-altitude UAS from RAF Fairford, England, in the coming weeks, sources tell Aviation Week.

Airbus Helicopters has opened a new logistics hub in Spain that will support rotorcraft production at its sites across Europe.

BAE Systems has acquired uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) development house Callen-Lenz, absorbing the company into its FalconWorks technology incubator.

Stratolaunch says a series of envelope expansion flights have allowed its Roc carrier aircraft to launch the Talon-A hypersonic test vehicle from 35,000 ft.