The U.S. Navy just bought $24 billion of SM-6 missiles. Europe is still debating pooled procurement.
Top story
U.S. Navy awards RTX $24.4 billion five-year contract for SM-6 missile production. The Navy handed Raytheon a five-year, indefinite-delivery contract valued at up to $24.4 billion to accelerate SM-6 production. The deal comes as the Pentagon pushes to replenish munitions stockpiles depleted by Middle East operations. SM-6 is the Navy’s primary long-range air-defense and anti-ship missile; current production has struggled to keep pace with demand from both the U.S. fleet and allied orders. Why it matters: At $24 billion, this is the largest single-missile contract in modern U.S. procurement — a wartime production posture by any other name. (Corroborated) Defense News → · Defence Industry Europe →
The rundown
NAVAL — Diehl Defence will adapt the land-based IRIS-T SLM air-defense system for installation aboard the Navy’s five F125 frigates, building prototypes and conducting live-fire testing. The move addresses a persistent gap: the F125s entered service without medium-range air defense. IRIS-T SLM has proven itself in Ukrainian service; naval integration will be more complex. (Corroborated) Hartpunkt → · Militär Aktuell →
SPACE — The Bundeswehr University’s 300 kg ATHENE-1 satellite launched aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 mission from Vandenberg. Built with OHB subsidiary LuxSpace, the smallsat is a technology demonstrator for future military space capabilities. Germany continues to build out sovereign space capacity incrementally. (Corroborated) Hartpunkt → · Militär Aktuell →
SPACE — Rheinmetall and Italian partner Argotec launched their first collaborative satellite aboard SpaceX Transporter-18 from Vandenberg. The sat is designed for air-defense surveillance missions. The partnership, announced earlier this year, aims to deliver responsive space-based ISR tailored to ground-based air-defense networks. (Single source) Hartpunkt →
NAVAL — RTX received a $511 million contract modification to produce hardware and spares for the AN/SPY-6(V) radar family. SPY-6 equips the Navy’s Flight III Burkes and Constellation-class frigates. Adds to the SM-6 contract announced the same day. (Single source) Naval Technology →
NAVAL — KNM Otto Sverdrup successfully fired an ESSM Block 2 missile, the first launch of the upgraded interceptor from a Norwegian frigate. The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency conducted the test. ESSM Block 2 adds active radar homing and extended range over the legacy semi-active version. (Single source) Naval News →
INDUSTRY — Rheinmetall Nordic opened a new facility in Skoppum, Norway, expanding the company’s in-country development and production capacity. No program details or investment figures were disclosed. (Single source) EDR Magazine →
INDUSTRY — Airbus Defence and Space finalized its acquisition of Quarkslab, a French cybersecurity company specializing in offensive and defensive security research. The deal strengthens Airbus’s sovereign cyber capabilities in France. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Single source) EDR Magazine →
Signals
INDUSTRY — Konteradmiral Wilhelm Tobias Abry assumed command of the German Navy from Vizeadmiral Jan Christian Kaack in a ceremony at the Mürwik Naval School. Kaack retired with full honors. (Single source) Hartpunkt →
By the numbers
9 events in this issue · 3/9 corroborated · €23.1bn in stated deal values · 7/9 European · busiest beat: naval
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