“Capital follows confidence” as defence courts private money
Outside investment and the direction in which venture money flows may reveal what defence will buy years before formal programmes begin.
The first Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft equipped with Goodrich Corporation Duracarb carbon brakes has been delivered to flydubai, taking the airline’s 737 fleet to seven.
Goodrich will supply wheels and carbon brake equipment for flydubai’s entire fleet of more than 50 Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft and will retrofit the airline’s other six aircraft.
The wheels and carbon brakes will provide a weight saving of approximately 700 lb (318 kg) per aeroplane compared with high capacity steel brakes, and 550 lb (250 kg) compared with standard capacity steel brakes. In addition to the fuel cost savings from the reduced weight, the Goodrich Duracarb brake also offers airlines significantly higher brake life compared to the steel brakes.
“We believe that we are setting a new standard by being the first airline using Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft to receive Goodrich’s carbon brakes,” remarked Ghaith al Ghaith, chief executive officer of flydubai. “The many advantages of using these brakes will enable us to keep our costs low and make savings which we can pass onto our customers. The on time delivery of this new aircraft also marks the arrival of flydubai’s seventh Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 in a span of just 10 months since we started commercial flights. It also ensures we can keep the expansion of the airline on track with the start of services to our 12th and 13th destinations, Muscat, Oman and Kuwait City, Kuwait.”
The two routes mentioned by al Ghath start on Sunday 28 March and Tuesday 30 March respectively.
Photo shows Phil Brugger, account manager–Aircraft Wheels and Brakes, Goodrich Corporation (left) and Ghaith Al Ghaith, flydubai’s CEO, celebrating the arrival of the first 737 equipped with Duracarb carbon brakes from Goodrich.
Outside investment and the direction in which venture money flows may reveal what defence will buy years before formal programmes begin.
The Department of National Defence expects initial contracts to deliver thousands of uncrewed systems, but has yet to establish the quantities, capability mix or deadline behind Ottawa’s promised tenfold expansion.
The company told Shephard that Ukraine is operating modified Protector weapon stations originally supplied for armoured vehicles, with human operators authorising engagements from hundreds of kilometres away.
A report from the Council on Geostrategy argues the UK should move away from a traditional balanced force and shift investment to naval, air and space capabilities, backed by a larger fleet of attack submarines and deeper AUKUS integration.
At its technology summit in London, attended by Shephard, Thales UK examined the importance of speed to delivery, the growing focus on cross-domain capabilities and how procurement reform could be crucial for future battlefield advantage.
Are all systems ready for the next mission? Have upgrades been applied? Are all assets aligned to deploy together, on time and fully prepared? In modern defence operations, readiness is no longer measured platform by platform. It is measured by how well people, assets, data and decisions move together — across land, sea and air.