PARIS — Five European defense firms led by startup Destinus plan to form an industrial partnership to develop Europe’s first exo-atmospheric interceptor, aimed at defending against ballistic missiles, with plans to conduct a test of the kill vehicle in space in 2027.
Destinus, MBDA, Safran, Airbus and Thales signed a letter of intent in Paris on Tuesday to set up the Bliksem EXO consortium…
The U.S. Navy is looking for a family of carrier-based drones that can fulfill a variety of missions, according to a July 14 Request for Information.
The sea service “is exploring the industrial base’s capacity to deliver highly capable, autonomous platforms optimized…
Manufacturing woes hamper US 155-mm ammo production
July 15, 2026
Manufacturing problems are dashing the U.S. Army’s plans to boost production of urgently needed 155-mm howitzer shells, a Pentagon watchdog warned.
Despite a goal of 100,000 rounds per month by October 2025, the Army had only managed to produce 36,000 rounds per month as…
PARIS — Ukraine has agreed on a plan to acquire 16 Rafale fighter jets from France together with the accompanying weapon systems, French President Emmanuel Macron said at a press conference here late Monday following a meeting of the group of countries that have pledged support to Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Macron agreed on a roadmap between their two countries that…
PARIS – Germany’s Helsing raised US$1.8 billion in Europe’s biggest-ever funding round for a defense-technology startup, valuing the company at $18 billion and continuing a flurry of mega rounds for the continent’s defense industry.
Munich-based Helsing raised the…
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), operated by Canada and the United States, has gaping holes in its airspace radar coverage. Ottawa went some way to filling those gaps when it signed four related agreements in June for a new…
PARIS — The Hydis project to develop a European interceptor against hypersonic threats settled on a concept based on a solid-propellant rocket motor, according to MBDA, Europe’s biggest missile maker, with the program’s steering committee validating the final concept review milestone on Friday.
The remaining year of the Hydis program will focus on advancing critical technologies to at least…
Zelenskyy taps European allies to build Freya, a cheaper Patriot-alternative to Russia’s ballistic missiles
July 13, 2026
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine will hold its first coalition meeting on a homegrown ballistic missile defense system in France “in the coming days” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday, advancing Kyiv’s yearslong effort to begin producing a domestically…
PARIS — Rheinmetall and MBDA will develop a high-energy laser weapon for the Germany Navy that builds on previous work by the two companies on a laser demonstrator, with the weapon system expected to be operational in 2029.
The equipment office of the German armed forces…
ROME — Russia has told one of its spies in Europe to find out more about air defense capabilities western nations are sending to Ukraine, Italian investigators have reported after breaking up an alleged espionage ring in Rome.
Police who filmed and wiretapped an alleged Russian military intelligence officer quizzing an accused informant in Italy heard him demanding information on systems like…
