European Defense
European Defense — Page 2
EU rearmament, European drone procurement, and NATO coverage.
Coverage
Arcanus Aerial Licenses Beyond Vision UAVs for Canada
Arcanus Aerial signed a production licence with Portugal's Beyond Vision to manufacture UAVs in Canada for NATO customers.
Saab CEO: Europe Should Buy 70% of Defence From Europe
ASD chair Micael Johansson calls for 70% European sourcing in defence procurement and demand coalitions for consolidation.
EU and Ukraine Launch €100M BraveTech Weapons Program
The EU and Ukraine's Brave1 platform launched BraveTech EU, a €100M initiative to fast-track combat-tested weapons.
Stendr Raises $5.4M Pre-Seed for Nordic Counter-Drone AI
Norwegian startup Stendr raised $5.4M in pre-seed funding to build an AI-native defense platform targeting Europe's drone detection and response gap.
Volatus Aerospace Wins CAD $2.1M NATO Training Contract
Volatus Aerospace won a CAD $2.1M contract to deliver drone training for security forces at a NATO-allied ministry.
EU Commits €1.07B to Drone and C-UAS Defence Projects
The EU approved €1.07B for 57 defence projects under the European Defence Fund, with major funding for drones and C-UAS.
Netherlands Commits €248M to Drone Production for Ukraine
The Netherlands will fund €248M in drone production for Ukraine, covering Dutch-made and Ukrainian-made UAVs.
Europe's Drone Production Gap: How the EU Plans to Close It
France, Germany, and Poland are spending billions on military drones as the EU produces less than 30% of its own needs.
Germany Commits €4B to Ukraine: Patriots, IRIS-T, Drones
Germany's €4B defense package for Ukraine covers Patriot missiles, 36 IRIS-T launchers, €300M in long-range weapons, and 5,000 AI-guided strike drones.
Royal Netherlands Navy Declares Shield AI V-BAT Operational
The Royal Netherlands Navy has fielded 12 Shield AI V-BAT drones across 8 vessels after testing aboard HNLMS Johan de Witt off northern Norway.
Serbia and Elbit Systems to Build Combat Drone Plant
Serbia's Yugoimport and Elbit Systems will open a joint drone manufacturing facility, with the Israeli firm holding a 51% stake in the venture.
Europe's Drone Procurement Runs 3-6 Months Behind the Tech
European defence procurement cycles are too slow for drone technology that evolves every three to six months, according to BCG analysis.
Japan Scraps Attack Helicopters, Buys Drones Instead
Japan's FY2026 defense budget allocates $70M for five wide-area UAVs to replace its entire attack and observation helicopter fleet.
Frontline Robotics Begins Drone Production in Germany
Frontline Robotics and Quantum Systems launched a joint venture in Germany — Ukraine's first official military tech export.
Ukraine, France Hold Defense Industry Matchmaking in Paris
27 Ukrainian drone makers met 60 French defense firms in Paris seeking co-production deals and European industrial ties.
FlyFocus Raises €4.5M for NATO UAV Production in Poland
Warsaw-based FlyFocus secured €4.5M led by ffVC to build a dedicated manufacturing facility and launch two new UAV platforms in 2026.
France Plans Up to 400% More Explosive Drones by 2030
The rise covers explosive drones, not the whole fleet. A Senate report says most of France's drone money still goes to a few big programmes.
Romania and Ukraine Negotiate €200M Joint Drone Deal
Ukrainian drone manufacturers are in Bucharest this week to finalise a joint production agreement funded through the EU's new SAFE rearmament mechanism.
UK Army AI Drones Detect Landmines in Live Trial
Britain's DSTL successfully tested AI-powered drones to detect landmines and explosive ordnance, with further trials planned ahead of full procurement.
Companies
Rheinmetall
German defense and automotive group producing armored vehicles, ammunition, air defense systems, and military drone platforms.
Germany
Baykar
Turkish defense company behind the Bayraktar TB2, the most widely exported armed drone of the past decade, now also the owner of Italy's Piaggio Aerospace.
Turkey
Quantum Systems
German maker of VTOL reconnaissance drones and autonomy software for European and US defense customers, with large-scale deployment in Ukraine.
Germany
Destinus
Netherlands-headquartered defence manufacturer producing cruise missiles, interceptor drones and turbojet engines, leading the Bliksem EXO consortium.
Netherlands
Elbit Systems
Israeli listed defense electronics company producing UAVs, electro-optics, electronic warfare, precision munitions and C4I systems worldwide.
Israel
Helsing
Munich defence company building AI software, the HX-2 strike drone, the SG-1 Fathom underwater glider and the CA-1 Europa uncrewed combat jet.
Germany
Thales
French defense and technology group producing avionics, radar, electronic warfare, satellite systems, and counter-drone solutions.
France
Arcanus Aerial Systems
Canadian UAV manufacturer scaling sovereign drone production for defence and government markets, with a Series A upsized to $25 million.
Canada
Funding
Series D
UC Investments, Baillie Gifford, Merlyn Advisors, Crescent Cove, Ventura Capital, Iberis Capital
TekeverGrowth
Dragoneer Investment Group, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Disruptive, Iconiq, Goldman Sachs Alternatives, JPMorganChase, CPP Investments, General Catalyst, Plural, StepStone
HelsingSeries D
Blackstone, Noteus, Airbus, Advent, BOND, Fidelity Management & Research Company, Wellington Management, A.P. Moller Holding, Elephant Lake Ventures, Balderton, HV Capital
Quantum SystemsUndisclosed
Sequoia Capital, Founders Fund, NATO Innovation Fund, Project A, Air Street Capital, 201 Ventures, Advent, Döpfner Capital
STARKSeed
Rainfall Ventures, ACME Capital, Skyfall Ventures, Sisyphus Ventures, Antler, Startuplab, Off Piste, Andøya Ventures
StendrContracts
U.S. Coast Guard
Shield AI
Order 70Z02326F93130011 to add sensors to current and future V-BAT operations, running to 30…
U.S. Army
Wescam USA (L3Harris)
Ceiling of a three-year IDIQ for commercial counter-drone capabilities under JIATF-401's Domestic…
UK Ministry of Defence
Tekever
Project CORVUS: AR5 long-endurance surveillance drones to replace the British Army's Watchkeeper, up…
Government of Canada
AVSS, Volatus Aerospace, Draganfly, Objexis AI, Twenty20 Insight, Beonyx
First contracts under the Defence Drone Initiative Marketplace: up to C$50 million across six…
Hellenic Ministry of National Defence
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems
Supplementary agreement for Rafael Drone Dome counter-drone systems to defend Greek strategic sites…