Germany just test-fired a ballistic missile from a warship. Ukraine's F-16s are flying without enough missiles to fight.
Top story
UK commits to developing boom refueling capability for Royal Air Force tankers. Defence minister Luke Pollard confirmed in a written parliamentary answer that the RAF will develop a flying-boom refueling capability to complement its existing probe-and-drogue fleet. The capability is driven by requirements for the future Tempest fighter, which is expected to need boom refueling. The RAF currently operates only probe-and-drogue tankers, limiting interoperability with aircraft designed for boom systems. Why it matters: This is the RAF acknowledging that Tempest’s design choices have locked them into a capability gap they’ve avoided for decades — and that gap now requires a parallel tanker fleet or costly retrofits. (Corroborated) The War Zone → · The Aviationist →
The rundown
DRONES — Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessels struck the port of Sochi, a major Russian resort town on the Black Sea, marking the first known Ukrainian drone boat attack on the city. The strike extends Kyiv’s maritime campaign deeper into Russian-controlled waters and demonstrates increasing operational range for Ukraine’s naval drone fleet. Sochi is home to civilian and military infrastructure and lies over 400 km from Ukrainian-controlled coastline. (Single source) The War Zone →
DRONES — Members of Congress have written to Army leadership expressing ‘deep concerns’ over the decision to end the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment’s experimental counter-drone and reconnaissance mission, developed in response to lessons from Ukraine. The unit is set to return to its core airborne infantry role after an exercise in Germany concludes this month. Lawmakers argue the mission provided critical operational learning and should not be terminated without a replacement capability. (Single source) DefenseScoop →
SPACE — The White House reportedly urged American aerospace companies not to attend a French-hosted space policy summit, drawing criticism from industry insiders who called the move ‘unfortunate’ and warned it could harm transatlantic cooperation. One policy director told Defense One that U.S. companies risked being used as a ‘prop’ against their country’s interests. The pressure campaign reflects broader tensions over European strategic autonomy in space and defense. (Single source) Defense One →
NAVAL — The U.S. Navy is studying modern frigate designs from Japan, South Korea, and Turkey as potential solutions to meet urgent fleet demands, according to The War Zone. The Japanese Mogami class, South Korean FFX Batch III, and Turkish MILGEM Ada class have emerged as candidates. The review reflects growing urgency to expand the surface fleet amid delays to the Constellation-class frigate program. (Single source) The War Zone →
DRONES — Rostec announced it will display a new, previously undisclosed weapon on the Su-57E export fighter at the El Alamein International Airshow in Egypt next week. The company also plans to unveil a family of stealth drones designed for launch from Su-57 fighters. The announcements signal Russia’s continued push to secure export orders for its fifth-generation platform despite limited domestic production and combat losses. (Corroborated) Defence Blog → · Defence Industry Europe →
PROCUREMENT — Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Britain must increase defence spending and prepare for the possibility of major conflict within the next four years. Badenoch’s warning aligns with similar assessments from NATO and European defence officials, who have cited 2028–2030 as a window of heightened risk. The statement reflects growing cross-party concern over UK readiness and industrial capacity. (Single source) UK Defence Journal →
By the numbers
7 events in this issue · 2/7 corroborated · 5/7 European · busiest beat: procurement
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