CEE defense PR surged in Q1. MBDA,Thales, Diehl, KNDS, and Hensoldt communicated often. Entry 1 of the Sentiment Index analyzes the Q1 2025 PR output of Rheinmetall - highlighting message cohesion, assertiveness, low sentiment volatility, and high alignment with EU defense initiatives.
Weibel’s XENTA-M integrates into DefSecIntel’s Eirshield C-UAV and USHORAD, under the EU initiatives Sky- and Eastern Shield. Focus on fast, low-cost production via EU and Ukrainian factories, backed by EU funds.
April 13–20, 2025 | NATO & European Defense, Tech, and Policy – Europe’s Weekly Briefing. Curated for Policy, Intelligence, and Defense Communities in NATO and the EU.
Long-range, high-impact—and withheld. Germany’s Taurus missile could help Ukraine strike deep into Russian territory, but Berlin won’t send it. This is the story behind Berlin’s missile dilemma—and the decision Friedrich Merz says he’s ready to make.
BND president Bruno Kahl proposed 'Euro Eyes' as a European intelligence-sharing alliance to counter growing threats, focusing on cooperation in cyber defense, signals intelligence, and counterintelligence—positioned beyond NATO/EU frameworks, with broad German political support.
Dassault CEO fires a direct shot at FCAS—Europe’s sixth-generation fighter aircraft program led by Dassault, Airbus Defence and Space, and Indra—calling it “very difficult” and mired in bureaucratic gridlock. Tensions rise and timelines slip - FCAS may be flying into turbulence.
Germany’s Bundeswehr and MBDA Deutschland continue supporting the NATO-France-U.S. POLYGONE program with legacy Soviet systems like the SA-6 and SA-8 for air defense simulation at Hermeskeil.
Germany’s €763.5M order of 120 PAC-3 MSE missiles to enhance its Patriot air defense system highlights how early procurement shapes air defense readiness and access in a constrained global supply environment.
MGCS GmbH marks the formal start of a Franco-German defense initiative to replace Leopard 2 and Leclerc tanks by 2040—with KNDS, Rheinmetall, and Thales now sharing the lead.
Strategic European naval alliance seeks to enhance Philippine maritime defense and deepen Indo-Pacific cooperation through advanced submarine capabilities.
Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and Ulstein Verft have signed a strategic Letter of Intent to collaborate on the Royal Norwegian Navy’s future frigates, combining German naval systems expertise with Norwegian shipbuilding capabilities.
Denmark is replacing Harpoon missiles with Norway’s Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) on Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates in a 2.1 billion NOK deal led by DALO and supplied by Kongsberg. The upgrade boosts NATO interoperability and Danish naval strike power.
