US defence firms chase European military spending wave
U.S. defence giants, backed by a strong Congressional delegation from Washington, used the
Paris Airshow
to showcase cutting-edge technologies and court European partners as they seek to tap into rising regional military spending.
Many European nations have pledged to significantly increase defence budgets in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and as U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has threatened to scale back military support for the region.
That tension has been notably absent at this week's Paris Airshow, where U.S. lawmakers and arms manufacturers pledged greater transatlantic partnership as Europe ramps up spending on everything from artillery shells and fighter jets to missile defence systems.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Trebinje: Unsold Furniture Liquidation 2024 (Prices May Surprise You)
Unsold Furniture | Search Ads
Learn More
Undo
"We understand that our allies and partners are a force multiplier, so we are stronger when we are working together," U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, a member of Trump's Republican party, told reporters at the show, the world's largest aerospace and defence gathering.
Moran, whose delegation was supporting U.S. weapons makers, said it was in Paris to send a message that the U.S. "is a dependable and reliable partner".
Live Events
The conciliatory tone stands in stark contrast to the Trump administration's recent string of disparaging remarks about Europe and its defence industry.
"I think antagonising our allies does not make us stronger," Democrat Senator Jeanne Shaheen told reporters in Paris, expressing her desire to cement defence relations with Europe.
RELIANCE ON U.S.
Despite pledges by many European nations to boost military self-sufficiency, the continent remains heavily reliant on U.S. defence manufacturers.
For instance, Europe buys American-made fighter jets and missiles from
Lockheed Martin
, Patriot missile defence systems from
Raytheon
Technologies and military jets and helicopters built by
Boeing
.
In emerging military areas, like artificial intelligence, drones and satellite constellations, U.S. tech firms like Anduril, Palantir and Elon Musk's SpaceX are far ahead.
U.S. firms are hoping to press home their advantage as
European military spending
surges, including through partnerships which are a way to soften any potential diplomatic tensions, delegates said.
U.S. drone-maker Anduril and German defence giant Rheinmetall said on Wednesday they will link up to build military drones for European markets, in a sign of Europe leveraging American technology to boost military capabilities.
Thomas Laliberty, president of Land & Air Defense Systems at Raytheon, said there were no easy replacements for its weapons in Europe and he expected the firm to maintain a long-term footprint on the continent, including through new partnerships.
Laliberty said Raytheon was close to announcing a plan to manufacture Stingers - a lightweight air defence missile used by Ukrainian forces against Russia - in Europe.
"For immediate needs, Raytheon is well positioned to support the European demand," Laliberty told reporters in Paris.
"We have a very bright future here."
Boeing, which won a contract from Trump's administration to develop the next-generation F-47 fighter jet this year, said Europe and the U.S. would remain long-term partners despite political wobbles, partly to hold off the Chinese threat.
"Nobody can do it themselves - maybe the Chinese can try, but certainly the rest of us, we are going to have to work together," said Turbo Sjogren, Boeing's general manager for government services.
"To do otherwise takes too long and will be unaffordable."
The chairman of Italian aerospace and defence group Leonardo, Stefano Pontecorvo, added that U.S. participation in some European programmes would be "unavoidable" in coming years due to the defence technologies available to them.
EUROPE TOO SLOW
European rivals were bullish about their future growth prospects but said budget constraints and a lack of regional alliances were holding back progress, conceding that they would continue to need significant U.S. support.
"National sovereignty matters but fragmentation is detrimental. We need to find a way to hit a balance," Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani told reporters on Tuesday.
Jean-Brice Dumont, head of air power, defence and space at Airbus, said Europe's dependence on the U.S. was "very high".
"Zero dependency on the U.S. I believe is a dream. We have a need for interoperability that drives some U.S. needs," said Dumont, whose firm makes the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet with Britain's BAE Systems and Italy's Leonardo, as well as Earth observation satellites and drones.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said Europe had "too much bureaucracy" compared to the U.S. and needed to adapt to a new military era of faster, cheaper and more nimble technology.
"Either Europe adapts its industry to these new parameters - different from those with which it has lived until four years ago - or it will have huge competitors, and not only the American ones," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
Railways to tweak rules for Gati Shakti cargo terminal bidding
New Delhi: Indian Railays is set to revise its guidelines for award of Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals (GCTs), a measure aimed at revenue maximisation by the national transporter, officials said. It will allow bidders for the terminals to offer a higher premium for bagging rights to operate, said an official, who did not wish to be identified. The move has been prompted by robust demand from logistics companies for some of the terminals being auctioned. The railways is also looking to double the number of terminals. Bids for GCTs are traditionally called on share of terminal charge and terminal access charges (TC/TAC) that companies are willing to part with India Railways. But there have been instances where logistics players have been willing to fully accede the TC/TAC and even offer additional revenue to the railways. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why Walgreens Hides This Cheap 87¢ Generic Cialis Health Alliance by Friday Plans Undo New Sakhun, New Gothangam and New Bhaupur are GCTs on the Dedicated Freight Corridor where bidders have offered a premium to bag the projects. "Bid criteria have now been changed to formalise such interest," said another official. Now, a GCT operator can also place negative bids, the official said. Live Events "The associated land is available free of cost in such projects, allowing bidders to monetise them and offer a premium to the railways," the official said. The change in the criteria come as a build-up to the new GCT policy which is expected to be unveiled later this year.
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
Jeff Bezos Venice wedding to Lauren Sanchez: Locals threaten to block city's iconic canals
Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder of Amazon, is planning to marry journalist Lauren Sanchez in Venice later this month. Many young people in Venice are angry and say they will block the city's famous canals to stop the wedding. About 300 Venetians gathered near the Rialto Bridge to protest against the wedding. The protesters put up a big banner saying 'No Space for Bezos' with a drawing of Bezos' Blue Origin rocket. The wedding's details are secret but it is said to cost around $10 million. The island of San Giorgio Maggiore and a 14th-century building called Misericordia in Venice are likely to be wedding venues, as per the CNN report. Why are locals protesting? Protesters want to stop Bezos from reaching Misericordia and plan to block canals with boats and their own bodies. Protesters want the wedding to be remembered for their fight, not for Lauren Sanchez's many outfit changes. Some locals are upset about Bezos' $500 million superyacht named Koru coming to Venice. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 3.5, 4.5 BHK Homes starting at ₹4.89 Cr.* Hero Homes Learn More Undo They also complain that big events like this only bring temporary jobs, not long-term work. Venice has big problems with too many tourists. The city now charges a 10-euro fee to day visitors on busy days. More locals are leaving Venice because of fewer schools, hospitals, and affordable homes. Some tourists, like Jake Springer from New Orleans, say the protest is peaceful and Americans could learn from it, as mentioned in the report by CNN. Protests in Venice have been successful before. The 'No Grandi Navi' campaign stopped giant cruise ships from going near the city center. Because of that campaign, many cruise lines stopped using Venice as a port or starting point. Protests also caused rules to limit Airbnb rentals in Venice. Live Events Some people say it's too mean to protest a rich person's wedding in a city famous for love. When George and Amal Clooney married in Venice in 2014, the local people were happy about it. This year, three other expensive weddings happened in Venice without protests. Luca Zaia, the head of the Veneto region around Venice, said protests are a disgrace and wants to welcome Bezos warmly, as stated by CNN. Venice's mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, said he is ashamed of the protesters and hopes Bezos still comes. Some visitors at the Venice Biennale of Architecture said the wedding will help local workers like waiters and water taxi drivers by bringing money. American travel writer Gillian Longworth McGuire said rich weddings and yachts have been part of Venice for a long time. She said Venice doesn't always know what it wants to be: a magical old city or a place for big parties and weddings. People will come to Venice no matter who gets married there or who protests, according to the report by CNN. FAQs Q1. Why are people in Venice protesting Jeff Bezos' wedding? They are angry because they think the wedding will cause problems like blocking canals and only giving temporary jobs. Q2. Where will Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez get married in Venice? They are likely to marry at the Misericordia, a 14th-century events venue, and possibly on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore.
The Hindu
32 minutes ago
- The Hindu
U.S. top court upholds ban on gender-affirming care for minors
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday (June 18, 2025) upheld a state law banning gender-affirming medical treatments for transgender minors – an issue at the heart of the American culture wars. The court voted 6-3 to uphold a Tennessee law barring hormone therapy, puberty blockers and gender transition surgery for those under the age of 18. The six conservative justices on the top court rejected a challenge to the law while the three liberals dissented. Two dozen Republican-led states have enacted laws restricting medical care for transgender youth, and the case will have repercussions for the prohibitions across the country. 'This case carries with it the weight of fierce scientific and policy debates about the safety, efficacy, and propriety of medical treatments in an evolving field,' wrote Chief Justice John Roberts, author of the majority opinion. 'The Court's role is not 'to judge the wisdom, fairness, or logic' (of the law) but only to ensure that the law does not violate equal protection guarantees,' Mr. Roberts said. 'It does not. Questions regarding the law's policy are thus appropriately left to the people, their elected representatives, and the democratic process,' he added. The Supreme Court heard the case in December, and the Justice Department of then-president Joe Biden joined opponents of the law, arguing that it violated the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause since it denies transgender minors access to medical treatments permitted to others. Republican President Donald Trump has since taken office, and he signed an executive order in January restricting gender transition procedures for people under the age of 19. While there is no U.S.-wide law against gender-affirming medical treatments for transgender youth, the Mr. Trump order ended any federal backing for such procedures. Reacting to the ruling, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said it 'sets a dangerous precedent for legislative interference in the practice of medicine.' 'Gender-affirming care is medically necessary for treating gender dysphoria and is backed by decades of peer-reviewed research, clinical experience, and scientific consensus,' the AAP said. 'Denying patients access to this care not only undermines their health and safety, but it also robs them of basic human dignity.' 'Must end' The Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal group, welcomed the ruling as a 'huge win for children' and a 'step toward ending dangerous experiments on kids.' During oral arguments in December, Tennessee Solicitor General Matthew Rice told the court the law was designed to 'protect minors from risky, unproven medical interventions' with 'often irreversible and life-altering consequences.' Chase Strangio, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney representing three transgender adolescents, their parents, and a Memphis-based doctor, countered that the law has 'taken away the only treatment that relieved years of suffering.' 'What they've done is impose a blunderbuss ban, overriding the very careful judgment of parents who love and care for their children and the doctors who have recommended the treatment,' said Mr. Strangio, the first openly transgender lawyer to argue before the court. Mr. Trump, in his inauguration speech, said his government would henceforth only recognise two genders – male and female – and he issued his executive order a week later restricting gender transition procedures for minors. 'Across the country today, medical professionals are maiming and sterilising a growing number of impressionable children,' the executive order said. 'This dangerous trend will be a stain on our Nation's history, and it must end.' Mr. Trump's order said it would now be U.S. policy that it would 'not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called 'transition' of a child from one sex to another.' The order bars funding for gender transition under the Medicaid health insurance program for poor families, the Medicare scheme used by retirees, and Defense Department health insurance that covers some two million children. According to a study by UCLA's Williams Institute, an estimated 1.6 million people aged 13 and older in the United States identify as transgender.
