Category: News

German auditors warn of ‘unlimited’ debt for defence

A 2000 A2 self-propelled howitzer drives on the grounds of the Weiden-Frauenricht military training area on June 27, 2024 at Bavaria, Weiden | File Photo: Armin Weigel/dpa

Germany’s Federal Court of Audit warned that a ‘signal of unlimited willingness to incur debt’ could lead prices in defence industry to soar, with incentives for industry to charge higher prices for the same services due to ‘almost unlimited availability of financial resources and increased demand.’

EU clears €150B SAFE fund for defence loans

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, participates in the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France on 11 March, 2025 | Photo: Christophe Licoppe/EC - Audiovisual Service/European Union

The €150 billion SAFE fund will come into force on May 29, offering loans to EU states for defence procurement, that will require 65 percent of all purchases to be of European origin, with contractors required to fully control design to avoid new dependencies.

SIPRI: Peacekeeper nos. fall by over 40% in last decade

Map of Multilateral Peace Operations 2025 | Graphic: SIPRI

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute found the number of personnel deployed on peacekeeping operations around the world fell by over 40 percent between the years 2015 and 2024 because of budget cuts, refusal of host states and geopolitical tensions, and noted the growing reliance being placed on private military companies.

Germany unveils roadmap to 5% on defence


German Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius gives a statement at the EU Defence Ministers' Meeting in Brussels | Photo: Ansgar Haase/dpa

Defence Minister Boris Pistorius outlined a plan for Germany to increase military expenditure as a ratio of gross domestic product (GDP) by 0.2 percentage points per year over a period of seven years.

Helsing unveils new underwater drone

According to Helsing, hundreds of SG-1 Fathoms can be deployed with the Lura AI software platform by a single operator to autonomously detect threats at 10% of the cost of crewed Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) patrols.

Boeing catches big break with Next-Gen fighter win

Illustration of the F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter aircraft | Graphic Art: U.S. Air Force

The U.S. Air Force has already flown multiple prototypes of the new F-47 fighter, which is part of the Next Generation Air Dominance program that includes uncrewed loyal wingman drones and new adaptive engines. It is planned to be cheaper than the F-22, with a larger fleet and an export version.

Europe plans rearmament without U.S.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, participates in the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France on 11 March, 2025 | Photo: Christophe Licoppe/EC - Audiovisual Service/European Union

Europe appears to have accepted the prospect of acting independently of the United States, with a new rearmament program proposed by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, last week.