MADRID, Spain - The Spanish government plans to boost defense spending in 2025 to reach NATO's 2 percent of GDP target, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced following a meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Spain's FY25 defense and security expenditure will hit EUR33.123 billion ($37.7 billion) this year, the government said, which should amount to around 2 percent of GDP. To reach this level, the government will need to invest at least an additional EUR10.5 billion according to the government's estimates. Spanish defense spending presently lags well behind the NATO target, with only 1.3 percent of GDP spent on defense in 2024 -- and Washington has highlighted Madrid in particular as needing to raise its military expenditure.

Of the EUR10 billion in additional spending, EUR2 billion will go towards the production and purchase of defense equipment. Another EUR3.7 billion will go towards improving working conditions for troops and maintenance of the Armed Forces' equipment. Close to EUR3.3 billion will be devoted towards improving telecommunications and both civil and military cybersecurity capabilities. About EUR1.75 billion will improve the military's "dual" capacity to assist in emergencies like natural disasters.

No details were provided on any platform acquisitions that the Spanish military will make with the additional investment.

The Spanish government said in a statement that "most of the money mobilized will remain in Spain," providing a boost to the country's economy and workforce.

Source: La Moncloa
Associated URL: https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/consejodeministros/resumenes/Paginas/2025/220425-rueda-de-prensa-ministros.aspx
Source Language: Spanish

ROME, Italy - The Italian Ministry of Defense has placed an order for Jump 20 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones from AeroVironment, the U.S. defense company said in an April 21 announcement.

AeroVironment will deliver the Jump 20 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over a five-year period as part of the $46.6 million contract, the company stated. The number of drones included in the order was not disclosed.

Along with the new VTOL UAVs, Italy will also receive engineering services, initial sustainment, and onsite technical support.

Italy selected the Jump 20 after a competitive procurement process. The UAV has a payload capacity of 30 pounds and can remain aloft for over 13 hours, covering a range out to 185 kilometers. In its statement, AeroVironment highlighted the drone's ease of storage, transportation, and launch as making it ideal for 'on-the-move operations' and expeditionary missions.

Once in service, the Jump 20s will replace Italy's RQ-7 Shadow drones, which entered service in 2010.

Source: AeroVironment
Associated URL: https://www.avinc.com/resources/press-releases/view/av-secures-46.6m-contract-with-italian-ministry-of-defence-for-combat-proven-jump-20-vtol-aircraft-system

COLUMBIA CITY, Ind. -- Ultra Maritime has received a multi-product order from Thales Group to supply sonobuoys to the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA), the French Government’s defense procurement agency. The DGA will acquire both active and passive sonobuoys, including recent technologies from Ultra Maritime’s U.S. production lines, to enhance anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities.

These sonobuoys aim to improve undersea domain awareness against increasingly stealthy submarine and uncrewed threats. Ultra Maritime now offers several qualified, volume-produced sonobuoys manufactured in the U.S., Canada, and the UK.

Through Thales, Ultra Maritime will provide the French Navy with enhanced ASW capabilities and improved undersea threat detection.

The order includes U.S.-built AN/SSQ 62E DICASS and AN/SSQ 53G DIFAR sonobuoys, which offer performance improvements and extended operational life due to advanced battery technology. These sonobuoys provide detection, localization, and classification capabilities. Ultra Maritime will also supply G-size AN/SSQ 536G Bathythermal buoys from its Canadian facility. These compact sonobuoys are suited for rotary wing and Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) operations where payload size and weight are considerations.

Source: Forecast International
Associated URL: https://umaritime.com/