President Trump used his speech at the World Economic Forum to pressure defense giants to accelerate production of weapons. Meanwhile, reports suggest that Qatar's Boeing 747, intended as an interim Air Force One, could take flight this summer.
The Aerospace Industries Association has urged the Trump administration to make more aggressive changes to the federal acquisition process. The organization argues that current requirements for cost and pricing data are overly burdensome and lead to companies choosing not to work with the government.
The World Defense Show (WDS) 2026 took place at the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Center, attracting 1,400 companies from 89 countries. Saudi Arabia aims to become a major aerospace industrial hub by 2030, with the percentage of localized work growing from 4% in 2018 to nearly 25% in 2024.
Breaking Defense reports on the most significant news stories from the Middle East in 2025, including Turkey's Steel Dome air defense system, Saudi Arabia's potential deal with General Atomics, Egypt's military drills with China, UAE's satellite launch plans, and the Middle East defense industry's growing presence in SIPRI's Top 100. The region's defense landscape is characterized by increased investment, cooperation, and competition, reflecting the complex web of alliances and rivalries that shape global security.
Breaking Defense reports that the Israeli defense industry is poised for growth in 2026, driven by lessons learned from the recent conflict. The country's ability to deliver advanced systems on time has led to record sales in 2024, with a focus on European markets.
Desan, a Turkish defense firm, has signed a Joint Venture and Cooperation Agreement to build its first overseas shipyard in Malaysia. The $171 million project will be launched early this year and is expected to become operational in two years.
Booz Allen has long been a trusted advisor to the Pentagon, with a history of strengthening government processes and systems. The company is now shifting its focus toward rapid engineering capabilities, which it believes can help address the defense enterprise's time bottleneck.