“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.
Boeing has prepared a new 737-800 for Brazil’s GOL with the first-ever application of a chrome-free primer to a single-aisle aircraft bound for revenue service.
As part of Boeing’s life cycle approach to reducing environmental impact, and in response to requests from GOL and other customers, Boeing has introduced a chrome-free primer to complement chrome-free exterior decorative paint, which Boeing has used for more than a decade. In addition to simplified health and safety monitoring requirements, a chrome-free primer reduces the environmental impact of the paint and stripping process.
Using a chrome-free primer eliminates the need for designated off-site disposal areas and special handling of paint waste and clean up. Such advantages also are of benefit when the aeroplane is prepared for repainting.
Boeing will apply the chrome-free paint and primer on its models for in-service evaluation, with the intention of making it a standard option in the future. GOL is the first airline in the Americas and the first 737 operator to take part in the evaluation programme.
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.