HAL enters into agreement with SAE for production of LEAP engine parts at Paris Air Show
Paris Air Show, organised by SIAE, a subsidiary of the French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS), is the largest event in the industry, bringing together stakeholders from around the world. This year it is being held from June 16 to June 22.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Meet FWD-LM01, the Indian drone that flies 100km, finds targets, and hits on its own
India officially entered the global arena of long-range tactical drones with the unveiling of the FWD-LM01 , a new loitering munition developed by Bengaluru-based Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace ( FWDA ). The launch took place at the 55th edition of the Paris Air Show, one of the most watched global events in defence aviation. This is the first time an Indian firm has showcased a fully indigenous, export-ready loitering munition with a range of 100 kilometres on foreign soil. Until now, India's domestic development in this category had been limited to sub-40km systems. With FWD-LM01, India signals a shift—not just in reach, but in ambition. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Tactical precision, portable power The FWD-LM01 is built for missions that demand speed, stealth, and accuracy. It's compact. Just 6kg in weight, man-portable, and designed to be deployed in under five minutes, without any tools. That makes it ideal for units on the move. Once launched, the system can loiter in air for up to 1.5 hours, climb to altitudes of 17,000 feet, and strike with a 2kg explosive payload. It integrates electro-optical infrared (EOIR) sensors for real-time visual intelligence and precision targeting. Live Events The munition's wingspan measures 2 metres, giving it flight stability and longer loitering ability over hostile terrain. Crucially, it's also AI-enabled, with autonomous targeting and navigation capabilities baked into the design. At the Paris launch, FWDA Founder and CEO Suhas Tejaskanda said, "With FWD-LM01, we are signalling the arrival of next-gen Indian capability in AI-enabled loitering strike systems. This is a highly agile, high altitude tested platform designed for modern asymmetric warfare." He added, "As India's first export ready loitering munition in the 100km range, we are committed to advancing India's defence capabilities with scalable solutions aligned with global standards." 100% made in Bengaluru, ready for export Every part of the FWD-LM01 is made in India. From concept to prototype to flight trials, the development has taken place entirely at Flying Wedge's Bengaluru facility. The company confirmed that the system has already completed its high-altitude flight tests, with explosive live-fire trials scheduled later this year for international certification. The launch isn't just about a new drone—it's about proving India's place in the fast-evolving world of autonomous warfare . Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace is a young company, but it's moving fast. Founded in 2022 by Suhas Tejaskanda, the firm started with a goal: to reduce India's dependence on imported defence systems and create scalable solutions rooted in AI. Key Specifications of FWD-LM01: Model Name: FWD-LM01 Take-off Weight: 6kg Payload: 2kg warhead + EOIR sensors Endurance: 1.5 hours Wingspan: 2 metres Range: 100km (linear) Deployment Time: Under 5 minutes (tool-free) Features: Autonomous targeting and navigation Status: High-altitude flight tested; global explosive trials due later in 2025 It's not just about making drones—it's about making India matter in the global conversation on next-generation warfare. And with players like FWDA leading the charge, the future may arrive sooner than expected.
Mint
9 hours ago
- Mint
Europe's Arms Revival Pits Homegrown Wares Against US Stalwarts
Europe's arms manufacturers are duking it out with American rivals to win their slice of the region's fast-growing military pie, as governments embark on an unprecedented expansion of defense spending. The jockeying between European and US firms was in the spotlight at the Paris Air Show this week, where talk of fighter jets, drones and missiles led the conversation, instead of the commercial aircraft orders that typically dominate the expo. Defense and security took up about 45% of the footprint on the show's floor — a 'strong increase' from two years ago, its organizers told Defense News. Behind the shift is a growing realization in Europe that the region needs to become more self-reliant for its security, as threats escalate and the US signals a retreat under President Donald Trump. War has raged in Ukraine for more than three years, exposing the menace posed by Vladimir Putin's Russia, and Israel attacked Iran just days before the meeting began, putting countries in the Middle East more on edge. After 80 years of peace, European nations haven't developed the 'culture of defense' seen in the US, Russia and Israel, said Roberto Cingolani, chief executive officer of Italian state-backed defense contractor Leonardo SpA. 'We were not as well prepared because we almost forgot that war could happen,' Cingolani said. 'We were more used to peacekeeping missions where you don't develop a real defense system, you develop an assistance system. And our army now is making a lot of effort for the so-called capacity boost.' With Trump demanding that allies dedicate a greater share of their resources to defense, European NATO spending is expected to double by the end of the decade to as high as €800 billion in 2030, according to McKinsey. NATO leaders meet next week at the Hague to discuss raising current spending targets. 'The surge in European defense funding is significant,' Hugues Lavandier, leader of McKinsey's aerospace and defense practice in Europe, said in an interview. France's Dassault Aviation wasn't subtle about seizing the opportunity, touting its Rafale warplane as 'the choice of sovereignty' and conducting a demonstration above the makeshift chalets at Le Bourget airfield. Lockheed Martin Corp. put its F-35 through the paces as well. At least half of Europe's 13 current customers for the fighter jet are talking publicly about buying more, said Frank St. John, Lockheed's chief operating officer, with other countries seeking US approval for purchases. By decade's end, Lockheed expects to have around 700 of its fighters on the continent, he said in an interview. 'We're headed into a period over the next three to five years of increasing budgets,' St. John said, including in the US, Japan and Australia. According to the Financial Times, the US firm is also seeking a piece of the UK's Iron Dome-type missile defense project. Boeing Co. had a muted commercial presence at the show because of the Air India crash involving one of its 787 Dreamliners last week. The US company sees an opportunity to expand in European defense with autonomous aircraft like its MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone, designed to fly on reconnaissance and tactical missions in tandem with crewed aircraft, Bernd Peters, vice president of business development and strategy, told reporters. American defense contractors are increasingly willing to forge deals with European counterparts to better make the case for their wares. Honeywell International Inc. said it plans to acquire more companies in the region and expand in the UK, Germany and Czech Republic. Lockheed is raising its investment with Rheinmetall AG to jointly develop missiles and rockets. The German supplier inked a separate drone-technology partnership with US startup Anduril Industries Inc. — underscoring the boom in demand for future weaponry. Germany, Europe's biggest economy, is emblematic of the changes afoot. Its armed forces are shrinking as soldiers age, hampering the biggest push to re-arm since World War II. The government has lifted caps on defense spending, clearing the way for hundreds of billions of euros in expenditures. Given the recent strains on the US relationship, many in Europe want to see the money allocated at home rather than with American companies that have long supplied NATO. 'The time has come to buy European products,' Michael Schoellhorn, who heads Airbus SE's Munich-based defense unit, said in an interview. 'That way we not only gain higher tax revenues but also the technology. If you just buy, the money is gone.' But Europe needs weapons now, and its companies are struggling to gear up the factories and supply chains that would fulfill the demand. To that end, France and Spain renewed their commitment to the troubled A400M military transport aircraft. Airbus, Thales and Leonardo are working to unify their satellite and space operations, and Leonardo, working with Rheinmetall, is trying to vacuum up the military vehicle business of Italy's Iveco Group NV. Yet it's not certain whether these deals will ultimately go through, and a public quarrel between Airbus and Dassault Aviation, its French partner on Europe's FCAS Future Combat Air System, served as a reminder of the challenges going forward: Europe's defense industry is currently seen as too fragmented and driven by nationalistic priorities to truly compete with American, Russian or Chinese rivals. For the current Eurofighter warplane, Airbus is aligned with Leonardo and the UK's BAE Systems, competing against the F-35 and Dassault Aviation's Rafale. On the next-generation FCAS, the German and French governments have teamed Airbus with Dassault. It's not easy to go from being a rival on a high stakes weapons program to becoming its partner on the next one, said Jean-Brice Dumont, head of air power at Airbus. 'We have to make the 'Europe of defense' — it has to happen,' he said. But 'you are having two competitors poised to marry, and that creates a natural ambiguity, a natural paradox.' With assistance from Anthony Palazzo. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Economic Times
10 hours ago
- Economic Times
Eutelsat shares surge on deal with French armed forces
Shares in French satellite operator Eutelsat shot 10% higher on Thursday after it said it had signed a 10-year deal with the French government to provide connectivity for the country's armed forces. Under the €1 billion ($1.15 billion) agreement, the French military will have priority access to OneWeb satellites as well as operational and security maintenance, the company said in a statement late Wednesday. The deal also covers the upgrading of satellites for military-grade use, it said. Eutelsat shares climbed as much as 21% in early trade before paring some gains by late morning. Eutelsat has garnered unprecedented attention this year from European governments looking for alternatives to SpaceX's Starlink for internet connectivity. There is a "real appetite" for sovereignty across the industry, CEO Jean-Francois Fallacher said at the Paris Air Show this week, according to an Eutelsat post on X. France's Ministry of the Armed Forces said in a statement that the agreement was part of a programme to strengthen its space communications by supplementing its Syracuse military satellites which are in higher geostationary orbit with a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). "While not entirely unexpected, the deal is a clear positive for Eutelsat, reaffirming the growing strategic relevance of LEO and the EU's push for sovereign satellite capabilities independent of foreign players like Starlink," said Alessandro Cuglietta, analyst at Kepler Cheuvreux. The French ministry also said the deal underlines the importance and strategic nature of Europe's IRIS² programme, which is an EU-backed satellite constellation due to launch in 2030. The deal will also shore up Eutelsat's finances as it works on raising funds for a second generation of its LEO satellites and to fulfil its commitments to the IRIS² project. It needs more than three times the satellites than previously thought, requiring up to €2.2 billion in financing. ($1 = €0.8721)
