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BEDEX puts Brussels at the centre of Europe’s defence industry
BEDEX, the Brussels European Defence Exhibition and Conference, opens at Brussels Expo from 12 to 14 March 2026, with the first two days reserved for defence and security professionals and the final day open to the general public. The organisers…
European defence build-up gathers pace as missile shields and spending targets move centre stage
Europe’s defence debate is no longer centred on whether to spend more, but on how quickly governments can convert political commitments into deployable capability. Across the continent, missile defence, drone interception, ammunition output and cross-border procurement have moved to the…
The End of Europe’s Peace Dividend
For much of the post-Cold War era, Europe indulged the belief that war had become a distant memory. Defence budgets shrank, arsenals aged, and the continent grew comfortable under the long shadow of American protection. That illusion is now dissolving…
Strategic Refuelling and Strategic Choices: Poland’s Defence Dilemma
Poland finds itself at a critical juncture in its defence procurement policy, grappling with a choice that illuminates broader questions about alliances, industrial autonomy and geopolitical strategy. At stake is not merely the acquisition of new tanker aircraft for the…
AUKUS: U.K.–Australia Talks Focus on Building Weapons Together
The United Kingdom and Australia have long described each other as “natural partners,” a phrase that has echoed through decades of diplomacy, shared intelligence networks and wartime memory. Under AUKUS, that sentiment is now taking a more concrete form —…
The F-35 and the Future of European Alignment
This week, the United States ambassador to Portugal, John Arrigo, delivered a suggestion that was less a procurement recommendation than a geopolitical proposition. Lisbon, he said, should replace its aging fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft with the American-made F-35 stealth jet…
Moscow and Tehran: Alleged Verba Missile Agreement Adds New Pressure on Washington
A reported secret Russian-Iranian air defence deal has added a new layer of risk to an already volatile stand-off between Washington and Tehran, while raising wider questions about the strategic alignment linking Russia, Iran and, indirectly, China. According to a…
Trump Administration Warns EU Over ‘Buy European’ Defence Procurement Plans
Europe’s accelerating rearmament has opened a new line of tension with Washington: not over whether European states should spend more on defence, but over where that money should go. Reports this week indicate that the Trump administration warned the European…
LEAP Forward: The New Defence Blueprint from Europe’s Military Leaders
In Krakow this week, defence ministers from Europe’s most powerful military states convened under the shadow of a new strategic imperative — the airborne battlefield. France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom, traditionally cautious in their collective defence responses,…
New EU funding and procurement architecture for Ukraine shifts towards arms contracts
The European Commission has put forward a new two-year financial package designed to cover a large share of Ukraine’s forecast needs in 2026 and 2027, while tying a substantial portion of EU-level support more directly to defence procurement. The proposals,…