Breaking Defense

Breaking Defense is an online magazine focused on defense topics. It serves as a central place for discussions on important defense concepts, where major stories are reported and analyzed. You can also find the latest news and videos about cutting-edge weapons. Our team includes seasoned journalists, skilled analysts, and senior contributors from the defense industry, all working together to provide high-quality reporting that keeps our readers well-informed.

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At the NATO Summit at The Hague, Ukraine takes a backseat

1 day ago | breakingdefense.com | Michael Marrow

THE HAGUE — On Tuesday for the first day at the NATO summit here, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a plea for continued support while delivering a warning: Russian Vladimir Putin has ambitions beyond Ukraine, and could seek to move on a member of the multinational alliance within five years. Shortly after, Zelenskyy faced the press alongside NATO chief Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa.
‘We’re with them all the way’: Amid worry, Trump renews American defense of NATO

2 days ago | breakingdefense.com | Tim Martin |Michael Marrow

BELFAST and THE HAGUE — President Donald Trump today reaffirmed the United States’s commitment to support NATO nations in the event of an enemy attack, a day after suggesting that the alliance’s mutual defense pact leaves room for ambiguity. “We’re with them all the way,” Trump told reporters this morning in a briefing with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, praising a plan by the alliance to ramp up defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2035 amid pressure from the White House.
Europe is pouring money into defense. Can US firms reap the reward amid trans-Atlantic tension?

2 days ago | breakingdefense.com | Valerie Insinna |Aaron Mehta

PARIS — European nations are in the process of pouring billions of dollars into their defense budgets, individually and collectively, quickly becoming one of the hottest growth markets for defense on the planet.
NATO orders additional A330 MRTT aircraft, onboards Denmark, Sweden

2 days ago | breakingdefense.com | Tim Martin

BELFAST — The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has placed an order for two additional Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft, expanding the alliance’s air refueling and cargo transport capabilities. Alongside the new buy, Denmark and Sweden joined the Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF) pooling program, “strengthening European strategic autonomy and collaborative defence capabilities,” in the process, said Airbus in a statement.
Lithuania warns Europe against making 'big mistake' of breaking off from US defense industry

3 days ago | breakingdefense.com | Tim Martin

BELFAST — Europe should continue to make investments in the US weapons industry instead of breaking away from its transatlantic partner, according to senior Lithuanian and Estonian lawmakers. Kestutis Budrys, Lithuania’s foreign affairs minister, said during an event on the sidelines of the NATO Summit today that it would be a “really big mistake for Europe just to draw the line, to build defense” capabilities without the US.
Sweden inks $900M IRIS-T air defense deal through European Sky Shield Initiative

3 days ago | breakingdefense.com | Jonas Olsson

STOCKHOLM — Sweden has launched a major procurement to bolster air defense capabilities in the Baltic Sea region. The initiative includes medium- and short-range missile systems, radars, command infrastructure and vehicle platforms. Kicking off the effort, a German authority on Tuesday signed an agreement with the German company Diehl for the procurement of seven medium-range air defense systems (fire units) in the form of IRIS-T SLM (Surface-Launched Medium-range) on behalf of Sweden.
America ‘isn’t going anywhere,’ US ambassador tells NATO summit

3 days ago | breakingdefense.com | Michael Marrow

THE HAGUE — The US ambassador to NATO today sought to reassure European allies that America is still committed to their security, despite earlier suggestions from him that Washington will begin discussions to draw down its military presence in the continent. “I think this is a real moment,” Matthew Whitaker said today at the NATO summit here, pointing to a “transition” where Europe “take[s] over primary responsibility” for its security amid other challenges facing the US.
NATO allies, besides Spain, set to make 5 percent GDP spending pledge

4 days ago | breakingdefense.com | Tim Martin |Michael Marrow

BELFAST and THE HAGUE — NATO allies, with the exception of Spain, will formally agree on a new 5 percent GDP defense spending target at the alliance’s two day annual summit, kicking off in the Netherlands tomorrow. “The defense investment plan that allies will agree in the Hague, introduces a new baseline, 5% of GDP to be invested in defense,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said during a press conference today.
Operation Midnight Hammer: How the US conducted surprise strikes on Iran

5 days ago | breakingdefense.com | Ashley Roque

WASHINGTON — Hours after the US conducted a surprise, significant military operation against three Iranian nuclear sites, top defense officials unveiled the details what the Pentagon called Operation Midnight Hammer, which involved seven B-2 bombers and the first known operational use of a 30,000-pound bunker buster bomb. “This mission was not, has not, been about regime change,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters today.
How chiefs of Honeywell Aerospace and Leonardo DRS each plan to expand

1 week ago | breakingdefense.com | Aaron Mehta

PARIS AIR SHOW — The chief of Honeywell Aerospace told Breaking Defense the firm is looking to increase its mergers and acquisitions activity in its near-future, a business strategy separately echoed by the head of Leonardo DRS days later. “Our M&A pipeline is as robust it has ever been in my years of Honeywell Aerospace,” company CEO Jim Currier said in an interview on the sidelines of this year’s Paris Air Show. “I do anticipate we will continue to be acquisitive,” he said.