The UK government has published its Defence Investment Plan, setting out how it intends to invest GBP298bn in defence over the next four years while using defence procurement reform to strengthen the country’s industrial base and expand domestic production capacity. The Plan is expected to impact industrial participation in the UK.
Australia has released its second Defence Industry Development Strategy, which includes an enhanced Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities framework, shifting the country's defence industrial policy from strategy development to implementation.
Canada has selected Team 212CD, led by Germany's TKMS, as the preferred supplier for the long-awaited Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP). Consequently, South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace reportedly shelved plans for a Canadian armoured vehicle manufacturing joint venture after sister company Hanwha Ocean’s CPSP bid was unsuccessful.
US prime Lockheed Martin and Germany’s Rheinmetall have signed an MoU to establish in Europe the first overseas production hub for the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). Signed on 7 July during the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara, the agreement sets out plans to establish a joint venture to manufacture the missiles in Germany.
Italy’s Fincantieri has signed MoUs with Croatian shipbuilders Brodotrogir Cruise and Iskra Shipyard to strengthen its domestic industrial partnerships for Croatia’s Multi Role Corvette programme. The estimated EUR660m–1.6bn programme is expected to involve offsets and local industrial participation.
US defence company Anduril Industries has partnered with Poland’s Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) and its subsidiary Military Aviation Works No 2 (WZL 2) to establish production of Barracuda-500M cruise missiles in Poland, making it the first country in Europe to manufacture them.