Rudy Ruitenberg

France asks FCAS partners to ‘rethink’ work share on fighter project “The principle and details of this redesigned cooperation are currently being discussed with the partners," French armaments agency DGA told Defense News.

France confirms it proposed overhauling cooperation on FR-DE-ES Future Combat Air System based on `strengthening industrial leadership' - @dassaultaviation.bsky.social has been vocal about this / France asks FCAS partners to ‘rethink’ work share on fighter project www.defensenews.com/global/europ...

Raytheon says rocket-motor squeeze still constrains missile output “It’s not just about the constraint for demand today, it’s very much more about the increased demand we see in the future,” one company executive said.

Raytheon says rocket-motor squeeze still constrains missile output - https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2025/06/24/raytheon-says-rocket-motor-squeeze-still-constrains-missile-output/

French Navy tests unmanned beach assault, expands drone tactics In the exercise called Dragoon Fury, the French Navy used its amphibious helicopter carrier Tonnerre as a drone platform.

French Navy boss Vaujour spoke about how the @marinenationale.bsky.social applies drones, including an amphibious assault conducted with UAVs and USVs, and uses and limitations of underwater gliders.

French Navy tests unmanned beach assault, expands drone tactics www.defensenews.com/global/europ...

Burgundy vineyard prices set new records in 2024 - Decanter Burgundy vineyard: Côte-d’Or vineyard prices rose 11% last year to a record, even as the average cost in France to buy a hectare of vines declined

#Burgundy #wine property prices in 2024 shrugged off the malaise that weighed on vineyard values elsewhere in France including #Bordeaux. Average Côte-d’Or prices rose for a 28th year to top €1 m/ha for the 1st time.

Burgundy vineyard prices set new records in 2024 www.decanter.com/wine/burgund...

France kicks of high-intensity naval exercise targeting Atlantic ports Adm. Nicolas Vaujour, the French Navy commander since September 2023, has been seeking to harden the force and strengthen its immediate combat capability.

France moves Polaris naval exercise to the Atlantic. Scenario (?): hybrid attacks on Brest, Cherbourg ports → amphibious ops on English coast → naval battle → landing on French Atlantic coast

France kicks of high-intensity naval exercise targeting Atlantic ports www.defensenews.com/global/europ...

The Danish model for Ukraine still going strong in 2025, including spending a significant amount of windfall profits from frozen Russian assets.

Denmark to spend €830 million on Ukrainian defense on behalf of EU www.defensenews.com/global/europ...

Part of the Pégase exercise , with France flexing its airborne nuclear deterrent muscle. bsky.app/profile/arme...

Interestingly direct comments by the ambassador suggesting Sweden is covered by the French nuclear umbrella, I don't think Macron has been much more specific than to say there is a European aspect to France's vital interests.

Global wine consumption falls to six-decade low as inflation bites - Decanter Global wine consumption fell 3.3% last year to the lowest in more than six decades, with inflation weighing on purchasing power

Another year of lower #wine consumption in 2024 as inflation hits spending, but production drop creates a degree of market equilibrium: both the lowest since 1961. Price trends and trade value indicate there's no wine-sector crisis at the global level, OIV DG says
www.decanter.com/wine-news/gl...

Dassault CEO strikes dark tone on Europe’s sixth-gen fighter progress Trappier's view contrasts with that of Airbus, which cited "strong progress" in a statement.

@dassaultaviation.bsky.social CEO was bleak on working w/ Airbus on FCAS. “I don’t want to sound arrogant at all, but whose capabilities do I need other than my own to make a combat aircraft?”

Dassault CEO strikes dark tone on Europe’s sixth-gen fighter progress www.defensenews.com/global/europ...

France plans to test homemade HIMARS alternative by mid-2026 French officials have tasked two industry teams with developing options, while a foreign purchase is also still in the cards.

If either Safran-MBDA or Thales-ArianeGroup manage to field a tactical rocket artillery capability by the middle of next year, that would offer a 100% EU-developed alternative to HIMARS/PULS/Chunmoo

France plans to test homemade HIMARS alternative by mid-2026 www.defensenews.com/global/europ...

KONGSBERG to deliver 280 microsatellites to SpinLaunch’s LEO satellite communication constellation SpinLaunch has selected Kongsberg NanoAvionics (‘KONGSBERG’) as its exclusive satellite supplier for its low earth orbit (LEO) broadband communication constellation, Meridian Space. The parties have s...

New Space really is a different animal. Kongsberg contract from SpinLaunch to build 280 micro sats for LEO for €122.5m, so €438k/sat. Once upon a time sat contracts would be hundreds of millions for a single orbiter (still the case for some GEO monsters of course)

www.kongsberg.com/newsroom/new...

Toespraak minister Brekelmans bij Symposium Coalitie voor Veiligheid

However, I don't know the basis for the assessment by Brekelmans. His speech is here, in Dutch: www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/t...

First reported end-Jan 2022 afaik but your point stands. Dismissed as scaremongering by Ukraine's deputy defense minister at the time... On Feb. 17 2022, Austin was still saying Russia might use shelling/ false-flag attack to justify a conflict, without saying an invasion was imminent.

Russia seen ready for big troop move year after Ukraine truce: Dutch The Dutch threat assessment appears even more acute than warnings from German and Danish intelligence reports.

I’ll flag Dutch military intelligence saying Russia could be ready for a major troop movement — for example to the Baltic borders — a year after a halt to the fighting in Ukraine… www.defensenews.com/global/europ...

France calls for new EU ammo plan, speeding up satellite constellation “We have to stop with the big speeches," French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said, alluding to European Union mechanics for re-arming Europe.

France at this week's Warsaw meeting will push for a successor to the ASAP plan that covers complex munitions (missiles) and is asking the Commission to throw money at IRIS² to speed things up

France calls for new EU ammo plan, speeding up satellite constellation www.defensenews.com/global/europ...

UK rushes naval laser weapon, as major tank upgrade hits snag The British government in its Spring Statement in March announced plans to spend at least 10% of the Ministry of Defence equipment budget on new tech.

The U.K. speeds up the DragonFire laser weapon program, goal is to equip four Royal Navy destroyers starting in 2027. Defence procurement minister Eagle says schedule now 5 yrs ahead of previous plan

UK rushes naval laser weapon, as major tank upgrade hits snag www.defensenews.com/global/europ...

Wowza... five years of ineligibility for an elected position for Marine Le Pen, four years of prison of which two years non-suspended, though they can be fulfilled with an electronic bracelet, €100,000 fine. This can be appealed, but until then, the ineligibility stands, and applies immediately.

FWIW, response from French Foreign Trade Ministry today as reported by AFP: "American interference in the inclusion policies of French companies, like the threat of unjustified customs duties, is unacceptable. France and Europe will defend their companies, their consumers, but also their values."

Well, Roche got CHF28.9 billion of 2024 sales from the U.S., or 48% of its total revenue. And management has a fiduciary duty to shareholders... that is indeed how it works in publicly traded for-profit companies.

Since Les Echos broke this only late Friday afternoon, debate still needs to gear up, more clarity by Monday I suspect, after the political interviews over the weekend.

The “preemptive disobedience”may be a little unfair to them, I understand Roche resisted and was told by the US government to comply or risk losing their ability to sell to the US government. Roche vice-Chairman André Hoffmann from the controlling family has been disparaging of Trump.

Very important reporting by the @kyivindependent.com that sheds more light on the systemic issues in Ukraine's military command, with feedback from nine commanders from company to brigade level on where things go wrong. The first step to fixing it.

True for now, but they were able to replace Turkey, and the vibe from European air force officers at the Paris security forum earlier this month was that they’d be able to do the same for other partners if push came to shove, even if it might take a few years.

Russia seen ready for big troop move year after Ukraine truce: Dutch The Dutch threat assessment appears even more acute than warnings from German and Danish intelligence reports.

Brekelmans asked his audience to imagine Russian troops on Baltic borders for a large exercise. Ukraine’s experience shows “we know only one week in advance” whether that would foretell an attack
Russia seen ready for big troop move year after Ukraine truce: Dutch www.defensenews.com/global/europ...

Capacity expansion is happening, a good chunk no doubt outside the limelight. At the same time, there are some CEO rumblings (Thales) about orders not being there yet. Counterpoint: orders for European defense firms are through the roof. And the French calling for industry to take more risk.

‘Obviously classified’: Experts say Hegseth chat leaks invited danger Former U.S. defense officials said the unsecured messaging chain could have jeopardized the operation and put American lives at risk.

“Attack plans are actually far more sensitive,” said a former U.S. defense official with experience planning such operations, who spoke anonymously to avoid the threat of retaliation.

‘Obviously classified’: Experts say Hegseth chat leaks invited danger www.militarytimes.com/news/pentago...

I very much doubt it. The Dutch in particular learned a very hard lesson in Srebrenica, and they sent a very different force into Afghanistan, including their own F-16s and Apaches for support. I think (or would hope) that those lessons have been absorbed all over Europe.

This is in line with the French language following the E5 format meeting in Paris on March 13, where Armed Forces Minister Lecornu said the "first security guarantee for Ukraine is the Ukrainian army."

Thank you!