Defense news and analysis from Central and Eastern Europe, covering procurement, military modernization, defense industry developments, emerging technologies, and regional security.
Austria
Austria is nearing agreement on a major overhaul of its espionage laws that would widen authorities’ ability to pursue foreign intelligence activity conducted from Austrian territory.
Germany
Germany is advancing legislation that would allow federal authorities to automatically match biometric data against publicly available images online, bringing AI-assisted internet searches into police investigations.
Hungary
Hungary’s ABZ Innovation has opened a €7 million drone manufacturing expansion capable of producing up to 3,500 aircraft annually, adding significant new capacity to Europe’s growing domestic drone industry.
Czech Republic
Colt CZ reported a 72.7% increase in first-half net profit to CZK 1.6 billion and raised its 2026 outlook as military contracts, stronger ammunition margins and its new energetics business boosted performance.
Czech Republic
Czech surveillance specialist ERA has entered a strategic partnership with U.S.-based HawkEye 360 to expand the use of space-based radio-frequency intelligence for defense and security missions. Under the agreement, ERA will become an international processing partner for automated terrestrial and maritime radar products derived from HawkEye
Czech Republic
More than 250 political, military and industry leaders are meeting at the IISS Prague Defense Summit as Europe confronts industrial capacity gaps, logistics bottlenecks and growing requirements for long-range strike and military mobility.
Romania
US Ballistic will invest at least $25 million to develop a new NATO-standard 155mm ammunition production capacity at Romania’s Sadu industrial site.
Latvia
Latvia’s Ministry of Defence has launched a study into the availability of critical components and raw materials for the country’s defense industry, as Riga pushes to strengthen domestic production and supply-chain resilience.
Estonia
Estonia is discussing deeper nuclear deterrence cooperation with France, a day after Finland formally joined Paris’s initiative aimed at strengthening Europe’s nuclear security framework.
Romania
Romanian defense technology company BlueSpace Technology has signed a €2.33 million contract with US-based RavenTek to supply TEMPEST-secured IT equipment, expanding its presence in the American defense and cybersecurity market.
Romania
Romania’s Uzina Mecanică Cugir has signed a €54 million contract for new equipment to produce 12.7×99 mm NATO ammunition, part of the plant’s largest modernization program in three decades.
Germany
ARX Robotics has appointed Florian Taitsch as Senior Director Marketing & Communications, effective September 1, 2026, after four years at Eurofighter.