The contract for the purchase of 24 Rafale aircraft by Qatar came into force today. The contract was signed in Doha, on 4 May 2015, in the company of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, and Mr. François Hollande, President of the French Republic. The acquisition of Rafale continues Qatari reliance on French fighter jets, that included the Mirage F1, Alpha Jet and Mirage 2000. The deal includes the aircraft, weapons and training for 36 pilots and ground crews is worth €6.3 billion ($7.1 billion). First delivery is due in 2017. Qatar joins France, Egypt and India that have ordered the Rafale. The Qatari order increases the foreign orders worth €15 billion for Rafale to 84. Egypt and India placed orders for 60 aircraft earlier this year.
Qatar Confirms Order for 24 Rafales
The contract for the purchase of 24 Rafale aircraft by Qatar came into force today. Qatar joins France, Egypt and India that have ordered the Rafale. The Qatari order increases the foreign orders worth €15 billion for Rafale to 84.
From Ukraine to Taiwan: The Global Race to Dominate the New Defense Tech Frontier
As traditional defense primes face mounting competition from agile “neoprimes” such as Anduril, Palantir and Helsing, the balance of innovation is shifting toward software-defined warfare and scalable, dual-use technologies, while global industry consolidation—marked by Boeing’s integration of Spirit AeroSystems and other strategic mergers—signals an intensified race to secure control over the defense technology value chain. Our Defense-Tech weekly report highlights these trends.
U.S. Air and Space Forces Push Next-Gen Programs at the AS&C 2025 Conference and...
At the 2025 Air, Space & Cyber Conference, U.S. Air Force and Space Force leaders unveiled major updates on next-generation fighters, bombers, unmanned systems, and space initiatives, highlighting both rapid innovation and critical readiness challenges as the services race to outpace global competitors. A short version is available here, with a more detailed version for subscribers.
TADTE 2025: Reflecting Taiwan’s Strategic Themes
The Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE) 2025 crystallized around four dominant strategic themes that collectively illustrate Taiwan's comprehensive approach to defense modernization amid escalating regional tensions. Based on a detailed report by Pleronix (available upon request). Includes a Podcast discussion on TADTE 2025's highlighting Taiwan's four strategic themes beyond the post's coverage.
Iron Beam 450 Completes Testing, Soon to Join With Operational Air Defense Units
Israel’s Iron Beam 450 high-power laser system has completed final testing, marking a major leap in air defense. Developed by Rafael, it offers precise, cost-effective interception of rockets, UAVs, and mortars, and is set for IDF deployment by 2025.
U.S. Accelerates Drone and eVTOL Integration: What the New Executive Order Means for America
President Trump’s June 6, 2025 executive order “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” sets an aggressive timeline for FAA BVLOS rulemaking, launches an eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, and prioritizes domestic manufacturing and export of U.S. drone technologies—aiming to modernize logistics, public safety, and defense while securing global leadership in advanced air mobility.
