Portugal Defence & Space News

What an aviation security incident says about resilient business systems in the UAE and Portugal: The security incident aboard flydubai flight FZ1073 on 30 September is still under investigation, and that fact should discipline every serious discussion of it. UAE authorities have confirmed that the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv experienced a security incident, was diverted and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. We do not need to guess the motive to recognise the

Defence News Europe - Belgium invests 50 million euros for an Ammunition factory in Portugal, according to a statement by Portugal´s Ministry of National Defence dated September 29, 2026. Here is how Portugal is recovering the country´s production capacity of small arms and ammunition:

Defence News Europe - Portugal signs an MOU with Dassault for Rafale fighter jets on September 23, 2026:

Investment News Europe - Portuguese Unicorn TEKEVER raises $580 million Series D investment round led by University of California Investments and Baillie Gifford, marking UC Investments’ first direct investment in Europe, with the participation of Merlyn Advisors, Crescent Cove Advisors LP, Ventura Capital and Iberis Capital. This investment round raises the valuation of TEKEVER to USD 6.4 billion.

Portugal Government News - Here is Portugal´s declaration about becoming a shareholder of its power grid operator REN alongside China:

Defence News Europe - Here are the new Sovereign AI LLM platforms of Portugal Defence: AI Afonso developed for Portugal´s Army and AI Silicon Sailor for Portugal´s Navy:

Space News Europe - Open Cosmos raises 300 million euros for next-generation satellites with its Open Constellation satellites, which consist of a shared constellation with the aim of reducing the delivery time of Earth observation to 30 minutes instead of 48 hours.

Space Tech News - Here are the Space Tech sectors with the highest growth in Venture Capital, according to a report by PitchBook dated August 25, 2026:

Business News Europe - Portugal tries to offset China´s control over its power grid by purchasing a 13.7% stake in REN. This follows the news report that China’s state-owned company State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) was the largest shareholder of Portugal´s Critical Infrastructure in Foreign Policy Magazine following a Portugal Business News report on China´s influence on Portugal´s Power Grid. Here are the main shareholders of Portugal´s Power Grid operator REN since Se

Business News Europe - The EU and Canada are negotiating a Trade and Security Agreement, according to a Bloomberg report dated September 8th, 2026:

Defence News Europe - Portugal´s Navy is hosting REPMUS 2026, the world's largest robotics and Maritime Unmanned Systems exercise in collaboration with the NATO Joint Capability Group Maritime Unmanned Systems, the European Defence Agency, the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, and the Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation on August 31st - September 25th, 2026. Here is what is REPMUS 2026:

Defence News Europe - Portugal is investing 133 million euros to buy 75 Military Vehicles from UROVESA Spain. The investment is funded by EU SAFE, with deliveries expected between 2027 and 2029, according to an announcement by Portugal´s Ministry of Defence dated August 27th, 2026. Here is what are VAMTAC military vehicles:

Tech News Europe - Portuguese startup GTechPlasma developed revolutionary Stealth Technology for high-quality graphene production with unique properties for absorption-based electromagnetic shielding and stealth applications that could make drones and airplanes nearly invisible to radars. Here is how the Graphene developed by GTechPlasma may revolutionize the Defence Industry:

Space News Europe - The European Space Agency can create artificial solar eclipses lasting up to 6 hours through the Proba-3 mission that uses the TEKEVER GAMALINK technology to coordinate the Occulter satellite to block sunlight, while the Coronagraph satellite has the time to observe the Sun's corona. Here is how TEKEVER’s technology creates a total solar eclipse on demand:

Defence & Space News Europe - Portuguese Neuraspace has raised 15.6 million euros for European Space Defence in a funding round led by LINCE CAPITAL, Explorer Investments and Armilar Venture Partners, together with funding awarded under the Recuperar Portugal Plan, according to an announcement dated August 5th, 2026:

Defence News Europe - An innovative Portuguese TEKEVER AR3 drone surprises Russian authorities because they had never seen anything like it before, since the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) had a different tail and wing structure, according to statement by a Russian Commander on August 3, 2026:

Defence News Europe - Indra Spain is investing 200 million euros for a Military Vehicles Plant to accelerate the development of one of Europe’s largest industrial Hubs with the capacity to produce around 500 military vehicles a year, according to an announcement dated July 30, 2026:

Space News Europe - Portugal invests 600,000 euros to investigate Mars through five research projects funded by the European Space Agency under the PROSSE program as listed below. Here are the Portugal Space Agency´s 5 research projects to investigate Mars:

Defence News Europe - Portuguese company UAVision will test attack drones for the European Defence Agency (EDA) during the EU's OPEX26 exercise in Portugal. The experimentation will focus on Loitering Munition Systems, that is a type of attack drone that searches for a target before striking, under controlled, realistic and operationally relevant conditions. Here is the list of the Top 10 attack drone companies in the EU:

Defence News Europe - Portuguese drones from TEKEVER will supply the British Army under £400 million Project CORVUS. TEKEVER will provide a fleet of spy drones to equip British soldiers, according to an announcement by the British Ministry of Defence dated July 25, 2026. Here are the specifications of the AR5 surveillance drones:

Space News Europe - The Azores Space Tech Hub will launch the Space Rider in 2028, while Space companies including Space Forge, Orbital Paradigm, the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium (ASC), Space Forest, Stellar Kinetics, ATMOS Space Cargo and US companies plan to establish operations in Portugal´s new Space Hub. Portugal´s new Space industry is a geo-strategic location with the Santa Maria Space Hub in the Azores set to become a critical infrastructure for the European Defence

Defence News Europe - Portugal purchases three FREMM EVO frigates for around €3.9 billion from Italian company FINCANTIERI, with delivery expected to be between 2029 and 2030. Here are the specifications of FREMM EVO frigates:

Space News Europe - Here is what is the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium and the list of members of the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium (ASC):

Defence News Europe - Portugal increases its Defence Spending to 3.1% of GDP in 2026, according to an announcement by Portugal´s Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, at the NATO Summit held in Ankara on July 7-8, 2026. Here is the list of Portugal´s Defence priorities:

Defence News Europe - Here is Europe´s NATO Defence Investment per country in 2026, as well as the the total NATO Defence Investment of Europe and Canada in 2026, according to the NATO report published on July 7th, 2026:

Defence News Europe - Portugal`s Navy will receive a drone carrier worth 132 million euros in April 2027, that is the first European multi-platform drone carrier:

Space News Europe - Here is the list of the Top 20 companies in Portugal´s Space Industry, according to a report produced by Portugal Space and Novaspace, published on July 2, 2026:

Defence News Europe - Portugal will receive heavy military equipment worth 5.8 billion euros under the EU SAFE (Security Action for Europe) fund and is also revising its Military Programming Law. Here is date and the list of heavy military equipment to be received by Portugal, as well as Portugal´s Defence capabilities deployed under NATO, and Portugal´s share of GDP allocated to Defence:

Defence News Europe - Here are the new EU Counter Terrorism measures including measures to fight cross-border crime through Europol and Eurojust, according to an announcement published by the European Commission dated June 24, 2026:

Defence News Europe - Spanish FOSSA Systems just raised 9.25 million euros for Defence Satellites in a funding round led by Kibo Ventures, according to an announcement dated June 24, 2026. Here are the new investors of FOSSA Systems and their expansion plans:

Defence News Europe - The Portuguese Army is testing military drones for NATO deployment with Portuguese Defense Manufacturing company Beyond Vision. The Portuguese drones will be deployed for a NATO mission in Slovakia at the end of this month.

Defence News Europe - Portugal´s Astral project obtains investment for the development of Stealth Technology with an investment of 1.86 million euros funded by Portugal 2030. The global market for materials capable of absorbing electromagnetic radiation is expected to grow to USD 1.1 billion by 2034. Here is what is Portugal´s Astral project and how it will impact Europe´s Defence Sector:

Defence News Europe - Protuguese drone company TEKEVER partners with Estonian company Skeleton Technologies to advance European Defence.

Defence News World - Here are the countries that won seats on the UN Security Council in 2026 on June 3, 2026, as well as the countries that have non-permanent seats in 2026 and 2027:

Defence News Europe - Here are the Top 10 countries in the Defence sector in Europe in 2026, according to Dealroom report Tech Ecosystem Index 2026 published on May 28th, 2026:

Space News Europe – Here is what is needed to explore Mars and what would allow humans to settle on Mars, according to a study by the European Commission and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions program published on February 13, 2026:

Defence Industry News Europe – Here are the Top European Defence startups in the Drone sector by highest annual growth according to the latest Dealroom report published on February 11th, 2026 in collaboration with NATO Innovation Fund (NIF):

Defence News Europe - Portugal launches an accelerator for the EU Defence sector through Startup Leiria:

Satellite News Europe - Open Cosmos will expand its satellite constellation to Liechtenstein. Open Cosmos will build and operate its new sovereign constellation of broadband satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to be launched in the coming weeks.

Government of Portugal News - Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced that Portugal and Ukraine have signed an agreement for the joint production of underwater drones and the holding of an economic forum between the two countries. Luís Montenegro was speaking at a joint press conference with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, on December 20th in Kiev.

Defence Investment News Europe – Here are the Top Defence Companies by funding rounds in European hubs in UK and Germany in 2025, according to a CNBC report dated December 11th, 2025: While Europe scrambles to rearm amid rising geopolitical tensions, the U.K. and Germany are emerging as key hubs for AI defense startups.

Government of Portugal News - Portugal intends to increase its contribution to the ESA by 51% to reach 204.8 million euros, that is Portugal’s largest contribution ever to the European Space Agency, creating a Space Technology Hub in the Azores. Here are Portugal’s Space Programs and the economic impact of Portugal’s Space sector:

Defence News Europe – Here are the Top 10 countries on the frontlines of European Defence by VC Investment in 2025 as well as the VC funds that invested in Tough Tech Defence startups, according to the Tough 10 countries by VC Funding report by Dealroom.co published in November 2025:

Aerospace News Europe - Airbus partners with tech company Critical Software to develop Portugal's Aerospace sector. The Joint Venture is established under the name Critical FlyTech, where Airbus owns 51% of the new company.

Defence News Europe - Portugal collaborates with NATO for tactical space-based intelligence providing target identification, through a collaboration between ICEYE, CTI Aeroespacial, the Portuguese Air Force, and Geosat. Here is what is the ICEYE ISR Cell for NATO space-based tactical Intelligence:

Defense News Europe - Sweden will produce Gripen E fighter jets in Portugal, following the Memorandum signed between SAAB and Portuguese companies OGMA and Critical Software when Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson visited Portugal on September 25th.

Tech News Europe - Cybersecurity company ESET is joining Europol's Cyber Intelligence Extension Programme (CIEP). This is how ESET will contribute to Europol's Cyber Intelligence Extension Programme:

Space Tech News Europe - Space Tech startups in Europe raised over $700M in 2022. Here is the list of the Top 20 fastest-growing Space Tech Startups in Europe, according to Dealroom: