Global tensions drive defence supply chain scrutiny
Governments worldwide are scrambling to decouple defence supply chains from dependency upon strategic rivals, but countries could struggle to do it all themselves.
AirTran Airways has reported traffic figures for December 2009 and the whole of last year including new December records for traffic, capacity and passengers carried.
For December, 2009, AirTran Airways revenue passenger miles (RPMs) increased by 5.3% to 1,534,077,000 from 1,456,396,000 on an 8.2% rise in capacity, 1,975,465,000 in December 2009 compared with 1,825,229,000 in December 2008.
This resulted in a 2.1 percentage point (pp) decrease in the month’s load factor to 77.7% from 79.8%. The number of embarked passengers, however, jumped 1.7% to 1,978,508 from December 2008’s 1,945,868.
For the full 2009 figures, RPMs fell by 1.9% to 18,588,036,000 from 18,955,843,000, while ASMs dropped to 23,294,117,000 from 23,809,190,000, a 2.2% decrease. These figures mean that the annual load factor was 79.8%, a 0.2 pp increase over 2008’s figure of 79.6%. The total passengers carried in 2009 fell by 2.5% to 23,997,810 from 24,619,120.
Governments worldwide are scrambling to decouple defence supply chains from dependency upon strategic rivals, but countries could struggle to do it all themselves.
Saab has outlined how it is using artificial intelligence to make training more like electronic gaming, while the UK’s Power Size Technologies is applying the same technology to better evaluate and design vehicle capability, moving AI-enabled innovation further upstream from the frontline.
Philipp von Brandenstein, Head of Corporate Communications at Rheinmetall, explains how Eurosatory 2026 marked a new stage in the company's evolution.
The US Department of Defense has requested new contracting authorities from Congress, using the Army's MV-75 Cheyenne programme to demonstrate how competition, digital engineering and closer industry collaboration could accelerate acquisitions.
The US government plans to accelerate production even further after achieving key B61-13 milestones months ahead of schedule, as the programme advances amid growing US-China strategic competition.
General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada is the country’s first strategic partner under the Defence Industrial Strategy’s Strategic Partnership Framework, an effort to provide companies with confidence to invest and boost the defence labour force.