DefenseNews

European military installations are targeted in Iran retaliation

BERLIN — Iranian strikes on the weekend targeted regional bases that host European troops, triggering air defense systems and sending soldiers to seek shelter in bunkers. “We can confirm that attacks took place yesterday and today on the multinational military bases in Erbil, Iraq, and Al Azraq, Jordan,” the Operational Command of the German Armed Forces said in a Sunday statement, adding…
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DefenseNews

The good, the bad and the ugly — Inside Europe’s race to supplant US defense enablers

PARIS — Europe will likely need until the early 2030s to develop some of the critical defense enablers needed to deter or defeat Russia without the United States, according to security researchers and experts surveyed by Defense News. Establishing robust air and missile defenses, a priority for both NATO and the European Union, may still take five to 10 years, according to the analysts. Europe…
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DefenseNews

US soldiers earn French medal for 2023 Iraq rescue

Heavy rotor blades cut through the Iraqi night as American aviators raced towards a firefight unfolding below. In August 2023, French special operations forces had come under attack from Islamic State militants near Hawija and a New York Army National Guard crew was sent to…
DefenseNews

Once-reluctant Germany goes big on one-way attack drones

COLOGNE, Germany — The German government plans to equip its military forces with one-way attack drones, setting up three domestic manufacturers for deals that could reach billions of euros. Lawmakers on the parliamentary budget committee on Feb. 25 approved contracts worth…
DefenseNews

Leonardo to set up aerostructures joint venture by mid-year

ROME — Italian defense giant Leonardo aims to set up its long planned aerostructures joint venture with an unnamed partner by June, CEO Roberto Cingolani has said, promising the new firm will be one of the world’s top three of its kind. “Our partner is both financial and industrial, and they have a strong demand for civil as well as military aviation components, rotorcraft and potentially…
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DefenseNews

US Army revamping its electronic warfare acquisition system

As the U.S. Army embarks on a massive reorganization of its acquisition agencies, it’s also changing the ways it acquires electronic warfare and signals intelligence systems. The problem is that “the Army lacks the ability to sense, locate, attack, and protect” across…
DefenseNews

Ukrainian officials to meet Trump envoys in Geneva over more Russia talks

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Ukrainian delegation will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoys in the run-up to another round of trilateral talks with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday. Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, is due to hold talks with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Thursday in Geneva, Zelenskyy told…
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