Swedish air chief talks next-gen warplane, Gripen’s anti-drone role
The year 2026 promises to be a time of decisions, as the Swedish air force strives to keep its options open when it comes to a new fighter design.
Asia Pacific
DOD needs more consistent Indo-Pacific deterrence funding, GAO says
An annual assessment of how DOD funds deterrence efforts in the Indo-Pacific revealed problematic inconsistencies, according to a GAO report.
Kongsberg, Helsing team up for European satellite-intel constellation
The cooperation will include setting up local satellite production in Germany to create “a self-reliant European defense capability,” the companies said.
In Estonia, Europe’s last road through Russia has closed for good
Across the snowy and muddy forests of eastern Estonia, NATO and Russia are locked in a staring match.
Italy’s sudden defense-spending uptick lacks details, economist finds
NATO is satisfied with Rome's proclaimed budget boost in line with alliance targets, despite questions over the internal mathematics.
The British Army’s faulty Ajax vehicles come back to rattle Parliament
The armored vehicles had been declared fully functioning after nine years of delays to the $8 billion program and repeated problems with vibrations.
Opinion
Don’t let Trump let Putin miscalculate on Europe
Taken together, Trump’s policies towards Europe have an isolationist flavor with lack of clarity about U.S. commitments
Tanks, howitzers galore: Australian Army embraces influx of new armor
Australia has never operated a self-propelled howitzer before, and the weapon extends the range of the army’s tube artillery to around 25 miles.
The disarming of Hezbollah tests fragile government in Lebanon
In essence, according to one analyst, the situation amounts to a catch-22 that could escalate at any time.
Polish rearmament plan banks on US weapons bought with EU backing
The Polish government wants to involve U.S. producers in additional procurements of weapons and equipment that could be bankrolled by SAFE loans.
Trump’s national security strategy slams European allies
The Trump administration's new national security strategy suggests long-standing U.S. allies in Europe face the “prospect of civilizational erasure."
