The growing air defense business
With the wars in Ukraine and Iran underway, the market for air and missile defense systems for NATO members and their allies is experiencing sustained and significant growth.
Ukraine and the Middle East: The stockpile of MIM-104 Patriot anti-aircraft missiles is declining
The number of Patriot interceptor missiles used by the Persian Gulf nations and Israel in the initial stages of the conflict with Iran significantly exceeds the total supplied to Ukraine during the period of the large-scale Russian invasion. This fact underscores the scale of air defense operations at the beginning of the conflict, while also revealing a possible inconsistency in international support policy.
The glacial slowness of European defense
The maxim of “manufacturing in Europe what Europe needs to defend itself” has ceased to be a desirable industrial policy option and has become an indispensable condition. It is the key for strategic autonomy to transcend the theoretical realm and become a real, effective, and credible defense capability in the face of the challenges of the new geopolitical era.
Civil infrastructure protection and defense against drones
The rapid proliferation of drones, or rather unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), has transformed them into significant threats to civil infrastructure worldwide.
The great restructuring of the post-Cold War defense industry: A new era of agility and specialization
The US defense industry, traditionally dominated by a handful of giants born from post-Cold War consolidation, is on the verge of a radical transformation stemming from both Washington’s interests and stock market investors.
Forecast and trends in European defense in 2026
The European defense sector is undergoing a transformation, driven by the expansion of financial instruments, an increasingly volatile geopolitical context, and the need to strengthen the continent’s strategic autonomy. While NATO remains the primary security framework for the continent, rising national defense spending and stricter EU participation rules are altering the dynamics of access, influence, and prospects for member states in this constantly evolving landscape.
The quest for the “Chilean Mach Loop” goes on…
For the nearly twenty years we've covered Chile's most relevant national commemoration, the Great Military Parade (Gran Parada Militar), we've tried to find new and...
Data mining for Argentine Viper identities…
The Minister of Defense, Luis Petri, visit to Tandil air base for the "F-16 Weapons System Reception Ceremony" acquired last year for the Argentine Air...
The first “Chilean Viper trainer”
After a protracted competition designated Fighter 2000 (Caza 2000) pitting US, French, Swedish and Russian candidates, the F-16 Fighting Falcon was selected by the Chilean...
FIDA’84: When FIDAE first felt like “the Latin American Salon de Le Bourget“
Forty years ago, FIDAE lacked the final “E” in its acronym and didn’t cater for many of the market segments that are usually served in the 21st Century. One of our senior correspondents was there in March 1984 and brings back images, stories and recollections gathered on a week-long stay in Santiago for his first of 10+ visits to the show.