German firearms manufacturer Heckler & Koch reported a sharp rise of 255% in first-quarter profit and revenue. Strong demand and long-term contracts with NATO armed forces are expected to support future business growth.
Norway and France have signed the Narvik Agreement, a bilateral defence pact covering mutual military assistance, Arctic cooperation, defence industry ties and participation in French-led nuclear deterrence talks.
Thales has completed the first live firings of its X-Fire launcher, a long-range land strike system being developed with Soframe as France plans future deep-strike capabilities and replacement of existing LRU systems.
Airbus Defence and Space plans to open a new A330 MRTT conversion centre in Seville, Spain, by the end of 2027. The facility will increase annual aircraft conversion capacity, support maintenance work and upgrade aircraft already in service.
Lithuania has signed an agreement with Saab for Carl-Gustaf M4 weapons and training equipment valued at SEK 460 million ($49 million). Deliveries are planned from 2026 to 2029, while options within the ten-year agreement could increase the total value to SEK 640 million ($69 million).
Germany plans to buy an initial 40% stake in defence company KNDS, the maker of Leopard 2 tanks and Panzerhaubitze 2000 systems, as Berlin seeks greater involvement in the defence industry and aims to retain key expertise.
The European Commission has opened applications for founding members of a new EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance aimed at improving European drone and counter-drone capabilities. The initiative will bring together industry, innovators and military users from Europe and Ukraine.
The EU has approved SAFE defence funding for France and Czechia, allocating up to €15.09 billion and €2.06 billion respectively. The financing supports joint procurement and investment to strengthen defence production and readiness across member states.
German companies are increasingly exploring defence opportunities as geopolitical tensions drive demand. A new survey shows rising interest, with more firms planning to enter the sector in the coming years.
The U.S. Department of War and Boeing have agreed on a seven-year framework to triple PAC-3 seeker production, supporting increased output of missile interceptors and expanding industrial capacity for air and missile defence systems.
Rheinmetall and Boeing Defence Australia have partnered to offer the MQ-28 Ghost Bat to the Bundeswehr as a collaborative combat aircraft. Rheinmetall will act as system integrator, with the platform targeted for deployment by 2029.
European defence company KNDS has confirmed plans to go public in 2026, with a stock market listing in both Paris and Frankfurt. The German-French group, manufactures the Leopard 2 main battle tank and the CAESAR artillery system.
Germany’s parliament will consider spending around €50 billion on defence this week, covering major arms procurement for the Bundeswehr, including Arrow 3 and Patriot air defence systems and Puma infantry fighting vehicles.
Global defence revenues surged to a record $679 billion in 2024, driven by the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and rising geopolitical tensions, according to new SIPRI data. The world’s 100 biggest arms makers saw sales grow 5.9 percent, with strong increases in Europe and steady dominance by U.S. firms. SpaceX entered the Top 100 for the first time, while China posted a rare decline due to procurement disruptions.
The European Commission and the High Representative have introduced a military mobility package aimed at enabling fast, coordinated movement of troops across Europe by 2027, alongside a Defence Industry Transformation Roadmap to strengthen innovation and production capacity. The proposals include harmonised cross-border procedures, new emergency transport mechanisms, infrastructure upgrades and measures to accelerate defence technology development across the EU.
