EU
European governments are rebuilding the continent’s defense-industrial base after decades of underinvestment and shrinking production capacity. Rising defense budgets are beginning to translate into expanded manufacturing and long-term procurement plans.
Serbia
Serbia’s Ministry of Defense has issued 15 licenses for the production of weapons and military equipment in 2025 to companies that met regulatory requirements. Most approvals involved renewals of existing permits, while two companies received licenses for the first time.
Lithuania
Lithuania has approved €710.5 million from its State Defence Fund for 2026 to support military capability development and infrastructure projects. The package includes plans for the local assembly of Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks in Kaunas.
German defense group Rheinmetall has acquired a stake in Croatian robotics and unmanned systems manufacturer DOK-ING. The move expands Rheinmetall’s presence in unmanned ground systems and strengthens cooperation with a specialized robotics developer in South-Eastern Europe.
ZVS Holding, part of CSG, and France’s Eurenco will establish a joint venture to produce modular artillery propellant charges in Slovakia. The €300 million project aims to expand European capacity for key artillery ammunition components.
German defense company Rheinmetall and Croatian robotics specialist DOK-ING have agreed to form a strategic partnership focused on unmanned ground systems. The cooperation will combine Rheinmetall’s defense integration capabilities with DOK-ING’s experience in robotic and autonomous platforms.
As exhibition costs rise and decision-makers plan meetings weeks in advance, defense companies are rethinking how they approach trade shows. A growing number are adopting structured pre-event visibility strategies to build awareness before the doors open.
U.S. Central Command confirmed the first combat use of its Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones during Saturday’s air campaign against Iranian military infrastructure. The expendable loitering munitions were deployed alongside missiles and airstrikes as part of Operation Epic Fury.
SWARM Biotactics has moved its bio-robotic insect swarm technology into early operational engagement with NATO users. The step follows a €13 million funding round aimed at transitioning the system from laboratory development to field reconnaissance pilots.
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Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa has signed an investment agreement to recapitalize military truck manufacturer Jelcz with approximately €177 million. The funding will support construction of a new factory and expansion of production capacity.
The European Investment Fund has committed €50 million to Join Capital’s third venture capital fund through the InvestEU Defence Equity Facility. The fund will target early-stage European startups developing dual-use technologies for defence, security, and space.
German defense group Rheinmetall has acquired a stake in Croatian robotics and unmanned systems manufacturer DOK-ING. The move expands Rheinmetall’s presence in unmanned ground systems and strengthens cooperation with a specialized robotics developer in South-Eastern Europe.
ZVS Holding, part of CSG, and France’s Eurenco will establish a joint venture to produce modular artillery propellant charges in Slovakia. The €300 million project aims to expand European capacity for key artillery ammunition components.
German defense company Rheinmetall and Croatian robotics specialist DOK-ING have agreed to form a strategic partnership focused on unmanned ground systems. The cooperation will combine Rheinmetall’s defense integration capabilities with DOK-ING’s experience in robotic and autonomous platforms.
The Austrian engine maker Steyr Motors has agreed a long-term framework contract with European land systems integrator KNDS for the delivery of at least 500 motor-generator units (MGUs) through 2034.
Falcon Defence has formalised entry into Romania’s defence industry with binding €253 million contracts for 2026 ammunition deliveries and announced plans to launch a domestic production platform for artillery rounds and energetic materials.
U.S. start-up AdlerAerospace and its Czech research affiliate TRL Drones have unveiled the TALOS-J and TALOS-E interceptor drone family designed as fixed-wing counter-UAS interceptors.
A delegation from TRB visited Azerbaijan to review ongoing contracts and outline new areas of cooperation. The company confirmed that one project is currently being implemented, while another agreement was signed earlier this year in Riyadh.
Czechoslovak Group has entered the Hungarian defense industry through a partnership involving vehicle production and potential rocket artillery integration.
Austria’s first military satellite, BEACONSAT, is scheduled for launch in February 2027 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Commissioned by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defense, the satellite will focus on detecting interference with global navigation satellite systems from orbit.
According to official material released by U.S. military authorities this weekend, footage shows naval missile launches, carrier-based fighter departures, and attacks on Iranian assets, including unmanned aerial vehicles viewed on the ground. CENTCOM described the operations as delivering an “overwhelming and unrelenting blow” to Iran’s military infrastructure. The
