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US, Sweden Partner for CSAR Training

Saturday, July 5th, 2025

LULEA, Sweden (AFNS) —

In the challenging terrain of northern Sweden, the 57th Rescue Squadron based out of Aviano, Italy and Swedish air force rangers based out of Ronneby, Sweden, collaborated to accomplish high-stakes personnel recovery training from March 30 through June 14. What began as planned participation in the Arctic Challenge Exercise transformed into a focused bilateral mission in one of Europe’s most strategically vital regions.

“This exercise focuses on traditional personnel recovery—retrieving simulated downed pilots or isolated personnel from contested areas and safely reintegrating them into friendly forces,” explained U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Drew Guerra, 57th RQS Tactical Air Control Party joint terminal attack controller.

The 57th RQS sent a small, specialized team composed of TACP, intelligence, communications and survival, evasion, resistance and escape specialists to integrate with the Swedish air force rangers. Together, they executed live, full-mission profiles to develop and test tactics, techniques and procedures for the ever-evolving battlefield in Unmanned Aircraft Systems, counter-UAS and infiltration methods for traditional and non-traditional personnel recovery.

“We like to have [the 57th RQS] join us on as many occasions as possible, and vice versa,” said Master Sgt. Rasmus Antonsson, Swedish air force ranger troop chief. “We aim to train and compete with the best, and to us, that is the U.S. Air Force.”

The unforgiving northern terrain of swamps, hills and dense woods presents unique operational challenges. Helicopter teams must adapt to limited landing zones while ground crews navigate harsh conditions to move patients swiftly and safely.

For the 57th RQS, this environment is unfamiliar and the experience is invaluable. Training in Sweden offers critical exposure to the operational demands of northern Europe and deepens integration with Swedish partners.

“We have a great history of integration with Sweden and are always grateful for the opportunity to work with our northern allies,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Matthew Doyle, 57th RQS SERE specialist. “Their constant professionalism and willingness to exchange lessons learned is a testament to our seamless partnership.”

Located near the Arctic Circle, northern Sweden offers a critical staging ground for allied operations. In the event of conflict, pre-positioned aircraft and recovery forces in the region could launch missions across the Baltic Sea faster and with greater cohesion. Thanks to this training, U.S. and Swedish teams are laying the groundwork for an integrated, ready and resilient task force in the High North.

By SSgt Brooke Rogers, 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

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Saab Receives Order for Ground-Based Air Defence from Sweden

Thursday, July 3rd, 2025

Saab has received an order from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for the mobile short-range air defence solution RBS 70 NG with missiles. The order value is approximately SEK 1.5 billion and deliveries are scheduled 2027-2028. This order was booked in Q2 2025.

The order also includes equipment which will enable the Swedish Armed Forces to integrate the system on a Mobile Short-Range Air Defence (MSHORAD) solution in the future.

“We are continuously contributing to strengthening the capabilities of the Swedish Armed Forces and Saab’s air defence systems play a vital role in keeping Sweden’s skies secure,” says Görgen Johansson, head of Saab’s business area Dynamics.

Saab’s MSHORAD system with RBS 70 NG features an automatic target tracker and a built-in night sight and provides the user with capability to defeat threats including aircraft, drones and missiles from distances of up to nine kilometers.

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MARTE – Main ARmoured Tank of Europe

Thursday, July 3rd, 2025

Key Facts:

MARTE ARGE leading a consortium of 51 entities from 11 EU Member States plus Norway

MARTE project awarded by European Commission with a grant of approximately €20 Mio. from the European Defence Fund (EDF)

Comprehensive Consortium to design the next generation, future Main Battle Tank system

Grant Agreement signed and Kick-Off-Meeting conducted: Project successfully launched

The European defense sector takes a significant step forward with the launch of the Project MARTE (acronym for Main ARmoured Tank of Europe), a cutting-edge and highly promising initiative designed to strengthen Europe’s technological autonomy by addressing the crucial asset of a Main Battle Tank (MBT) System.

Coordinated and led by MARTE ARGE GbR, a joint venture company between KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co.KG and Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, the MARTE project brings together complementary industrial partners including leading, large entities as well as MidCaps, research institutions and innovative Small and Medium Enitities (SMEs). The ambitious proposal prepared and submitted to the European Commission has been awarded with a Grant from the European Defence Fund of approximately €20 Mio. In addition to the funding granted by the European Commission, the MARTE consortium receives strong support from in total 11 Ministries of Defense (MoDs) as potential future customers. Led by the German MoD, the MoDs from the following Member States are contributing: Belgium, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania and Sweden. At a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty, this initiative expresses the desire for greater strategic autonomy in defense and security matters and thus MARTE represents a strategic investment in Europe’s defense capabilities.

MARTE aims to conduct study and design activities to create a future MBT-System, that adequately meets current and future threats, and the harmonized needs of the European Member States involved. By integrating innovative and disruptive technologies a resilient defense system is to be designed, tailored to the evolving challenges of modern warfare and considering lessons learned from current conflicts.

To achieve this ambitious goal, a consortium composed of 51 legal entities from 12 European Countries (11 Member States plus Norway) has agreed to contribute their respective expertise and gained experiences in the best possible way. MARTE is fostering technological innovation and leveraging cross-border collaboration.

In its role as coordinator, MARTE ARGE takes over the project coordination and manages the project with support of the consulting company Erdyn and a core team of five top-tier defense companies: KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co.KG and Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH (both Germany), Leonardo SPA (Italy), Indra Sistemas SA (Spain) and SAAB AB (Sweden).

Building on their pertinent and significant know-how and know-why in the field of Main Battle Tanks, each of them manages one of the five technical Work Packages in which the project’s scope has been clustered – with all further companies (see depiction below) contributing with their relevant technical knowledge.

With MARTE ARGE and the European Commission signing the Grant Agreement, the MARTE project started on 01st of December 2024 officially. By conducting the Kick-Off Meeting on 5th and 6th of December 2024 in Stockholm, MARTE ARGE as project coordinator brought together both key stakeholders as well as all consortium partners and launched the project with great success.

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DroneShield Receives $9.7m Latin American Contract

Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025

· A $9.7 million package of three standalone contracts for a defence end customer in a Latin American (LATAM) country

· Delivery and payment due Q3-Q4 2025

DroneShield Limited (ASX:DRO) (DroneShield or the Company) is pleased to announce it has received a package of three standalone contracts for its handheld and on-the-move counter-drone systems. The contract sum is $9.7 million, with DroneShield’s privately owned in-country reseller that is contractually required to distribute the products to a defence end customer in a LATAM country. DroneShield expects to deliver all equipment throughout Q3 and Q4 2025, with cash payment expected in Q3 and Q4 2025. No additional material conditions need to be satisfied.

DroneShield has previously received two standalone contracts from this reseller for this defence customer in December 2024 and January 2025 totalling approximately $10.8 million, with all imports, deliveries, and payments handled on-time and in a highly professional manner. There is no obligation for any additional contracts from this reseller or the customer.

Pictured: DroneShield DroneSentry-X Mk2 counter-drone system

Oleg Vornik, DroneShield CEO, commented: “In 2025, DroneShield has successfully delivered products, capability, and training into the Latin American market. With a substantial pipeline, diversified over multiple countries and customers, DroneShield is anticipating further developments in 2025 in this region.”

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Chemring Group PLC: Acquisition of Landguard Systems

Monday, June 30th, 2025

Chemring is pleased to announce the conditional acquisition of Landguard Nexus Limited (“Landguard”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries Landguard Systems Inc and Landguard Systems Limited (collectively the “Landguard Group”) (the “Acquisition”). The Acquisition creates further opportunities for Chemring to enhance the growth of its Roke business.

Acquisition overview

Landguard, based in Fareham, Hampshire, designs, manufactures, and supports, software defined radio (“SDR”) systems and associated security products that enable defence, government, and law enforcement customers to protect crucial operational assets. These specialist systems include high performance tracking products operating across satellite communications, cellular networks and other radio frequency technologies, as well as SDR transceivers which provide flexible and reprogrammable radio capabilities incorporating the latest interoperability standards.

Landguard’s operational agility, and unique technologies, enables it to satisfy customer requirements across the complete product lifecycle of design, manufacturing, and after-sales operational support. The acquisition brings thirty specialist engineers to Roke in addition to a suite of market leading products, unique intellectual property and a range of complementary customer relationships. The current owner-managers of Landguard are expected to remain with Chemring following completion of the Acquisition.

The consideration of up to £20m will be satisfied by a £14m cash payment on completion, funded from Chemring’s existing bank facilities, and cash earnouts totalling up to £6m subject to certain performance targets. In the year ended 31 January 2025, Landguard’s turnover was c.£7m. The acquisition is expected to be marginally earnings enhancing in the year ending 31 October 2026.

Completion of the transaction is subject to approval under the UK National Investment and Security Act.

Opportunity and rationale

The Acquisition creates further opportunities for Chemring to enhance and accelerate growth of its Roke business whilst driving strong operational synergies. The combination of Roke’s Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities (“CEMA”) pedigree and Landguard’s modular, high-performance technologies creates a unique UK Sovereign portfolio of Defence, National Security and Law Enforcement products and capabilities that can be immediately shared with Roke’s existing Defence and National Security customers and also used to enhance its significant (>£300 million) international sales pipeline.

Michael Ord, Chief Executive of Chemring, commented:

“The acquisition of Landguard further enhances Roke’s significant operational capabilities and is further evidence of Chemring delivering its strategy of delivering growth through a combination of organic investment and bolt-on acquisitions in high-priority defence and national security markets.”

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Chemring – Norwegian Feasibility Study moves to Second Stage

Saturday, June 28th, 2025

Chemring’s 2025 interim results announcement, published on 3 June, provided an update on the joint feasibility study between the Norwegian Government and Chemring Nobel, Chemring’s Norwegian subsidiary. This study, which commenced in October 2024, was initiated to assess the feasibility of an additional new production facility to significantly increase the production of military explosives, which are crucial to multiple NATO missile and munitions systems.

The first phase of this co-funded feasibility study investigated the geographic location, infrastructure requirements and environmental considerations of building a new production facility.

Chemring is pleased to announce that the Norwegian Government has confirmed that the study will now progress to its second phase. This concept selection phase will determine the size of the facility, along with the commercial arrangements, and is expected to be finalised next year.

Michael Ord, Chief Executive of Chemring, commented:

“We are delighted that the Norwegian Government has confirmed that this important study will continue to the next phase. This decision is a further indicator of the critical need to rapidly increase capacity across the European defence industrial base.

“This decision is further evidence of Chemring delivering its strategy of delivering growth through a combination of organic investment and bolt-on acquisitions in high-priority defence and national security markets.”

www.chemring.com

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GA-ASI Announces Investment in Dutch Technology Innovator Arceon

Friday, June 27th, 2025

Selection Follows Successful Pitch During Blue Magic Netherlands Event

SAN DIEGO – 26 June 2025 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) announces an investment in another Dutch business, Arceon, following the inaugural Blue Magic Netherlands (BMN) event held in November 2024. GA-ASI is a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems and related mission systems.

GA-ASI selected Arceon following a compelling pitch they made during the BMN event and after detailed business and technology discussions with GA-ASI and GA’s affiliates, General Atomics Energy and General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems. Arceon joins Emergent Swarm Solutions and Saluqi Motors as companies receiving investment from GA-ASI following the BMN event.

Arceon is revolutionizing high-performance ceramic composites through their innovative, fast, scalable, and cost-effective melt infiltration process. Their cutting-edge Carbeon carbon-ceramic components — engineered for applications such as nozzles, nozzle extensions, leading edges, nose caps, and airframes — are tailored to meet the increasing and rigorous demands of the space and defense sectors.

“We are honored to collaborate with General Atomics in advancing hypersonic development. This milestone marks our official entry into the U.S. defense sector, presenting an extraordinary opportunity to demonstrate our technology on a global stage. We look forward, with great anticipation, to the journey ahead,” said Rahul Shirke, founder and CEO of Arceon B.V.

“We’re excited to be working with Arceon,” said Brad Lunn, managing director for GA-ASI. “Their technology could have a broad range of applications for GA, from high-temperature engine exhaust materials to hypersonics and fusion containment.”

At the Blue Magic investment and innovation conference in the Netherlands last November, GA-ASI and its partners heard pitches from innovative Dutch companies about the important technologies they are developing. The event was organized collaboratively between GA-ASI, the Dutch Ministry of Defense, the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Brainport Development in Eindhoven, and Brabant Development Agency (BOM). GA-ASI is delivering eight MQ-9A aircraft to the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF).

GA-ASI is continuing to work with the Dutch government and Dutch industry in supporting the growth of technology innovation in the Netherlands and anticipates holding its second BMN event in Eindhoven later this year. The company hosted its first Blue Magic event in 2019 in Belgium, with subsequent events held in 2020, 2021, and 2023.

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First Success for Rheinmetall Ermine – Dutch Ministry of Defence Orders 20 Manned/Unmanned Ground Vehicles for Ukraine

Friday, June 27th, 2025

The Dutch Ministry of Defence has, on behalf of the Ukraine Task Force, signed a contract with the Ede-based subsidiary Rheinmetall Defence Nederland B.V. to supply 20 Ermine vehicles. The Minister of Defence signed the contract with Rheinmetall on the 24th of June during the NATO Industry Summit in The Hague.

The variants now ordered are manned/unmanned ground vehicles. These are to be delivered to the Ukrainian armed forces, strengthening their capability for casualty evacuation near the frontline. The vehicles are to be delivered in 2026. In this configuration, a cooperation with other Dutch companies like DEMCON defense & security systems B.V. & Abiom Communication Systems (ACS) B.V. has been set up as a force multiplier. This national cooperation among industry and MoD will further develop knowledge and capabilities for the Armed Forces of the Netherlands and Ukraine. Quote by Coen van Leeuwen, CEO of Rheinmetall Defence Nederland B.V.: “We are grateful for the trust in our capacities. Ermine is an innovative and capable solution for the modern battlefield.”

The Ermine (Hermelin) family of small vehicles represents a new generation of mobility, combining tactical transport with a mobile energy source (microgrid). Operational creativity is at the core Ermine’s design. Its features enable it to act as an effective force multiplier.

The modular Ermine family currently consists of an UGV, a side-by-side buggy and a quad. Various 4×4 and 6×6 variants are available. All vehicles are based on the same diesel-electric hybrid drivetrain and base platform. This gives the Ermine maximum modularity with unrivalled agility. Thanks to the hybrid technology, up to one ton of payload, and a range of more than 1,000 kilometres are possible, depending on the vehicle’s configuration. Up to four Ermine vehicles can be transported by cargo helicopters such as the CH-47 or CH-53.

This contract marks the first significant milestone for the Ermine and will, by supporting the Ukraine armed forces, also boost the defence industry in the Netherlands.

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