Weapons & Technologies - Page 8

The French, German, and Spanish defense ministries have committed to the next stage of the tri-national Future Combat Air System. Their signature on Phase 1B unlocks €3.2 billion for a thirty-six-month round of design and demonstration work. The agreement comes two weeks

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has notified NATO headquarters that Spain will not accept a future rule requiring every ally to channel five percent of national output into defense. His letter, delivered late Thursday to Secretary-General Mark Rutte, calls the target “unreasonable” and

Airbus used the mid-week peak of Le Bourget to firm up two programs that matter to every logistics planner on the continent. The A330-800neo Multi-Role Tanker Transport Plus (MRTT+) moved closer to launch as production leaders laid out a clear ramp-up plan.

Every tank feels different. Controls on a T-72 ask for muscle memory, while the Leopard’s clutch and gearbox demand a softer touch. “The Leo turns quicker and keeps speed on hills,” one Ukrainian trainee explains through a volunteer interpreter. “That helps when