APDR News in Brief 14 December 2025

Leonardo’s Michaelangelo security dome completes test: Less than ten days after the official launch of Leonardo’s Michelangelo Security Dome, the advanced integrated defence system, the company provides further evidence of its excellence in the field of Radar Sensor technology for Air and Missile Defence, one of the pillars of the Italian Dome. On 3 December 2025, the first qualification launch for the Italian SAMP/T NG Surface-to-Air Missile was carried out, equipped with Leonardo’s latest-generation KRONOS Grand Mobile High-Power Radar Sensor. This Radar, based on a multifunction AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) architecture and the most advanced technologies required for this capability, proved its excellent performance by tracking the threat and guiding the missile to intercept at a distance never before achieved with the Eurosam SAMP/T system during land trials. This performance confirms Leonardo’s KRONOS Grand Mobile High Power as the best-in-class Radar Sensor in Europe for air and missile defence systems. BAE Systems awarded $1.7 billion U.S. Navy contract: The U.S. Navy has awarded BAE Systems a new five-year, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract for APKWS laser-guidance kits to equip U.S. armed forces with tens of thousands of additional low-cost precision munitions. The contract has a maximum value of $1.7 billion, with an initial $322 million order. The new contract supports increased domestic and international demand, enabling the Navy to purchase APKWS guidance kits over a five-year period. The kits are available to all U.S. armed forces, as well as allies via foreign defense sales. The APKWS guidance kit completes the mission and controls the cost. APKWS kits are combat proven as an air-to-surface, surface-to-surface, surface-to-air, and air-to-air munition. APKWS guidance kits transform unguided 2.75-inch rockets into laser-guided rockets for precision strikes. Operators can use the combat-proven kit to engage a range of soft and armoured stationary and moving targets, minimizing collateral damage. APKWS guidance kits accurately strike air and ground targets, giving operators the ability to use them in a wide range of missions. The highly versatile kit can be fired by various platforms, including rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, static and mounted ground platforms, and maritime vessels. The APKWS guidance kit is compatible with new and existing inventories of rocket motors, warheads, and fuzes. It requires minimal training to use in the field and has a simple, affordable maintenance concept, making it an efficient way to transform an unguided rocket into the precision munition of choice. Rheinmetall acquires company for storage and disassembly of ammunition: Rheinmetall has announced the takeover of Muni Berka GmbH, a company based in Dietersdorf, Saxony-Anhalt, specialising in the field of ammunition disassembly and storage. The aim of the now contractually agreed takeover is to significantly increase the group´s own storage capacities, which have become necessary due to the considerable growth in the group´s production of ammunition and components. The acquisition also expands the group´s network to gain capacities for the disposal and recycling of explosives, as well as further research and development expertise in the field of explosives, fuses and pyrotechnics. The parties have agreed on confidentiality regarding the purchase price. The transaction is still subject to the usual regulatory approvals. In addition to Dietersdorf, Muni Berka has a location in Ochtrup (North Rhine-Westphalia). The existing infrastructure enables Rheinmetall to have a direct access of the acquired capacities without any loss of time or further follow-on investments. With this acquisition, the group significantly increases its storage capacity for raw materials, such as explosives, as well as for projectiles, fuses, primers and propellant modules (collectively referred to as ‘full shot’). The acquisition enables Rheinmetall immediately to permanently store more than 1 million 155 mm projectiles or 500,000 155 mm full shots. This increase is particularly necessary in connection with the new production site in Lower-Saxony at the Unterlüß site, where up to 350,000 artillery shells per year shall be produced in the future. The strategic intention here is also to be able to fulfil the requirements for security of supply in Germany by generating domestic value added. Airbus to implement AI in French armed forces’ information systems: The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) has awarded Airbus Defence and Space a framework contract worth up to €50 million for the integration of artificial intelligence components into the weapons, information, communication and cybersecurity systems used by the French armed forces. The contract covers information systems delivered by Airbus Defence and Space and Airbus Helicopters. Within this framework, Airbus and the DGA are working in collaboration with the Ministerial Agency for Defence AI (AMIAD), created in May 2024 to enable France to master these technologies and avoid dependence on other nations. It is part of the ministerial strategy on artificial intelligence for defence, which aims to address the challenge of sovereignty in this field and develop the use of AI for military operations. The first stage of this contract will consist of increasing the capabilities of Spationav, the French maritime surveillance system with AI elements that will enable the automated merging of surveillance data from satellite systems and Spationav. GE Aerospace wins gas turbine order for Arleigh Burke Flight III Destroyers: GE Aerospace’s Marine Engines & Systems has received orders to supply eight LM2500 marine gas turbine engines for the U.S. Navy’s next two Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers: the future USS Intrepid (DDG 145) and USS Robert Kerrey (DDG 146). Each destroyer is powered by four LM2500 engines, providing the proven propulsion power that has made the Arleigh Burke class the backbone of the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet for over three decades. As of January 2025, 74 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are active with GE Aerospace’s LM2500 engines being the prime mover for propulsion. The LM2500 has provided the fleet with unmatched reliability and performance, enabling the U.S. Navy to focus exclusively on performing its worldwide mission. With these latest orders, GE Aerospace will have delivered engines for all active Arleigh Burke destroyers, representing 296 LM2500 engines across 74 ships in what is considered the U.S. Navy’s most successful ship building program. The LM2500 marine gas turbine is the most widely used naval propulsion system globally with thousands of engines in service across multiple navies. GE Aerospace’s commitment to innovation, reliability, and comprehensive support makes it the partner of choice for mission-critical marine propulsion. HENSOLDT appoints Sven Heursch as chief digital officer: HENSOLDT announced that Sven Heursch, previously Head of Software-Defined Defence & Digitalisation, will be appointed Chief Digital Officer (CDO) with effect from 1 January 2026. In this role, Heursch will be a permanent member of the Group Executive Committee (GEC) and report directly to CEO Oliver Dörre. This appointment underscores the strategic importance of software-defined defence (SDD) and the digitalisation of the product portfolio as central elements of HENSOLDT’s ‘North Star’ corporate strategy. The new role combines leadership responsibility for the CTO division and engineering governance with the role of Head of Software-Defined Defence & Digitalisation in order to anchor innovation, software, data and AI even more firmly across the entire product portfolio, establish cyber security as a key design driver and thus expand HENSOLDT’s position as a pioneer of resilient software-defined sensor solutions. ‘Sven Heursch has already achieved a great deal in a very short time in his previous role. In his new role, he will provide decisive impetus for the further implementation of our “North Star” strategy and thus make a significant contribution to our future growth,’ says CEO Oliver Dörre. Hegseth hosts AUKUS defence ministers meeting: US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth welcomed Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles and the United Kingdom’s Defence Secretary John Healey to the Pentagon for a meeting concerning a trilateral partnership between the three countries. Announced in September 2021, the Australia, U.K. and U.S. trilateral security agreement, known as AUKUS, is a partnership intended to promote freedom, security, stability and openness in the Indo-Pacific region.   “I can’t count how many meetings we’ve had at this point, and I say that only out of goodness,” Hegseth told his counterparts at the meeting’s outset. “Because the strength of our alliances … [and] trilateral relationships are as strong as they’ve ever been,” he added. Under the AUKUS security pact, the US is scheduled to begin selling a limited number of Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia in the early 2030s. Following that, an entirely new class of nuclear submarines — the AUKUS-class — is planned to be delivered to the U.K.’s Royal Navy in the late 2030s and the Royal Australian Navy in the early 2040s. During his brief remarks, Marles spoke optimistically about the three AUKUS partners’ ability to deliver on the program’s stated goals. “This is a massive project, and there is so much more to do; and I think delivery is very much the focus of the conversation that we will be having today,” Marles said.  “I’m very excited about what we can do together, the progress that we’re making [and] the challenges that we all need to grab hold of as we move forward,” he added. AFI KLM E&M wins AWACs support deal: Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) and the DMAé (Aeronautical Maintenance Directorate) have signed a comprehensive support agreement for the fleet of four Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft of the French Air and Space Force (AAE). The contract includes aircraft and combat systems engineering services, logistical support for operations at the operating base, and major maintenance visits carried out at AFI KLM E&M’s facilities. Under this integrated contract, for which AFI assumes performance responsibility and guarantees operational availability, the French Armed Forces will benefit from an industrial partnership for the next ten years, which is expected to support the fleet until its planned retirement in 2035. “This contract marks an important milestone in our long-standing collaboration with AFI KLM E&M,” said Marc Howyan, Director of Aeronautical Maintenance. “The expertise of the AFI KLM E&M and DMAé teams has always ensured, for the benefit of the Air and Space Force, the highest level of performance, allowing for excellent availability despite the fleet having been in service for over 30 years.” Saab receives order for sight and fire control system: Saab has received an order from BAE Systems Hägglunds for the sight and fire control system UTAAS (Universal Tank and Anti-Aircraft System) for Combat Vehicle 90. The order value is approximately SEK 314 million. Deliveries will take place 2029-2030. UTAAS is a modular, integrated sight and fire control system for the Combat Vehicle 90 (CV90), currently in service in Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Estonia, and Ukraine, and has also been ordered by the Czech Republic and Slovakia. “The increasing global demand for the CV90 underscores its proven capabilities and reliability on the battlefield. Our long-standing partnership with BAE Systems Hägglunds has enabled us to enhance our production capacity for the UTAAS, ensuring that we can meet the growing needs of our customers”, says Carl-Johan Bergholm, head of Saab’s business area Surveillance. Penske partners with Soldier On: Penske announced a new national partnership with Soldier On, a not-for-profit organisation delivering holistic support services that enable current and former Australian Defence Force personnel, and their families, to lead meaningful civilian lives. Through this partnership with Soldier On, Penske will expand career and training opportunities for veterans across Australia and New Zealand by enhancing internal awareness, strengthening veteran-inclusive workplace practices, and building meaningful opportunities for engagement across its workforce. Across the three-year partnership, Penske’s support will strengthen Soldier On’s national capacity by increasing awareness of veteran skills, expanding opportunities for veterans to engage with Soldier On’s services, and enabling deeper collaboration between the two organisations. Hamish Christie-Johnston, managing director of Penske Australia, said the organisation is proud to stand alongside Soldier On. “As an employer of military veterans and as a supplier to the Australian Defence Force, we appreciate the important role that Soldier On plays in empowering and supporting veterans, and we are excited to explore synergies through this partnership,” he said. “At Penske, we deliver powerful solutions through people, products, and partnerships to make a difference, and through this initiative, we can make a significant impact. We also pride ourselves on fostering a caring culture, and through the resources offered by Soldier On, we will be able to raise awareness of the rewarding careers that veterans can enjoy post-service.” For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Kym Bergmann at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Group Sales Director Simon Hadfield at [email protected]