What is Portugal’s involvement in developing the next generation of European Defence capabilities? - Portugal Business News Portugal news - What is Portugal’s involvement in developing the next generation of European Defence capabilities? Portugal is part of a group of 6 countries that are developing the next generation of capabilities for European defence in collaboration with the European Defence Agency (EDA). In the wake of the ongoing war in Ukraine, European Defence is modernizing its capabilities to include Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) as well as future surface warship systems. In the field of European air defence, the group of countries that is headed by Spain is developing a prototype that is expected to be completed by 2027. Portugal is working on developing Europe’s air defence capabilities in collaboration with Spain, Germany, Slovenia, Romania and Hungary. The new prototype will be used in high-intensity conflicts, with the capacity to take-off without a runway and to cover a range of 200 kms for up to 10 hours. In the field of maritime defense, Portugal is working with Spain and Italy, in collaboration with the European Defence Agency, in order to develop essential elements of future surface warships under the 4E project. New systems with surface combat capabilities for European defence will be developed for completion between 2035 and 2045. Europe’s next generation of Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems and systems for future surface warships will enhance its defence capabilities both in the air and maritime domains. #portugaldefencenews #europeandefencenews #europeantacticalunmannedaerialsystems #europeanwarshipsystems #EuropeanDefenceAgency #portugalnews

What are the NATO exercises on Unmanned Underwater Vehicles being held in Portugal - Portugal Business News Portugal Defence news - Portugal Defence and NATO are currently holding exercises on Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs). Portugal Defence and NATO are holding two exercises on Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs). The first NATO exercise in Portugal, that is operating under the code name REPMUS 23, is held on 11-22 September 2023. The second NATO exercise in Portugal, that is operating under the code name Dynamic Messenger 23 and focuses on integrating Maritime Unmanned Systems, is held on 18-29 September 2023. The two NATO exercises being held in Portugal focus on the operations of new Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs). The goal of the NATO exercises being held in Portugal is the integration of new maritime technologies under NATO operations as well as the ability of autonomous underwater vehicles to operate together. What are Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs)? Unmanned Systems (UVs) are electro-mechanical systems with no human operator aboard that are able to perform targeted missions. Unmanned Systems (UVs) include UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) that are drones that operate in the air, UGVs (Unmanned Ground Vehicles) that operate on the ground, USVs (Unmanned Surface Vehicles) that operate on the sea surface, and UUVs (Unmanned Underwater Vehicles) that operate in the water column. Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) are used for surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, underwater construction and maintenance, oceanography, hydrography and mine countermeasures. What are the NATO exercises on Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) held in Portugal in 2023? The NATO exercises on Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) that are held in Portugal in September 2023 are divided into two operations. The first NATO exercise on Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), that is held on Portugal on 11 to 22 September 2023, operates under the code-name REPMUS 23 (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping with Maritime Unmanned Systems). The mission focuses on capability development and interoperability and is being held in collaboration with the NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE), the University of Porto’s Laboratory for Underwater Systems and Technology (LSTS), and NATO’s Maritime Unmanned Systems Initiative (MUSI). 15 NATO allied countries, including Ireland and Sweden, are participating in the exercise. The second NATO exercise on Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), that is held on Portugal on 18 to 29 September 2023, operates under the code-name Dynamic Messenger 23. The mission focuses on integrating the operations of Maritime Unmanned Systems, including personnel, training, and readiness. The NATO UUV exercise in Portugal includes 2,000 civilian and military personnel that operate both on shore and aboard ships. 14 NATO allied countries, as well as Sweden, are participating in the exercise. This is the second time that Exercise Dynamic Messenger is being held under NATO’s Allied Command Transformation that is based in the US and NATO’s Allied Maritime Command MARCOM that is based in the UK. The two NATO exercises on Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) that are held in Portugal in September 2023 include partners from the private sector and academia that provide guidance for technology advancements, operational concepts, and future work programs. Both NATO exercises on Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) that are held in Portugal in September 2023 are being held off the Troia Peninsula that is located in the Alentejo region along the Atlantic coast. #portugalnews #newsportugal #portugaldefencenews #defensenewsportugal #whataretheNATOexercisesonUnmannedUnderwaterVehiclesheldinportugal #UnmannedUnderwaterVehiclesPortugal #NATOexerciseinPortugalin2023 #REPMUS23 #DynamicMessenger23 #whatareUnmannedUnderwaterVehiclesUUVs #whataretheNATOexercisesonUnmannedUnderwaterVehiclesUUVsheldinPortugalin2023 #defencenewsportugal2023 #roboticexperimentationandprototypingwithmaritimeunmannedsystems #CMRE #LSTS #MUSI #NATOAlliedCommandTransformation #MARCOM

What is the P-3C ORION aircraft Portugal Defence just bought from Germany? What is the P-3C ORION aircraft Portugal Defence just bought from Germany? - Portugal Business News Portugal Defence news - Portugal Defence invests EUR 45 million to purchase 6 P-3C ORION aircraft from Germany. According to Germany’s Federal Ministry of Defence, Portugal’s Air Force has signed a contract with Germany on September 25th, 2023 to purchase 6 P-3C ORION aircraft. What is the P-3C ORION aircraft Portugal Defence just bought from Germany? Portugal has just purchased Germany’s fleet of six P-3C ORION Turbo-Prop aircraft with its associated equipment, including the flight and tactile simulator as well as the mid-life upgrade (MLU) kits. The Lockheed P-3C ORION is a four-engine, turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft produced in the US by Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems Company. Portugal Defence will use the new P-3C ORION aircraft for maritime patrol, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-surface Warfare (ASuW). The fleet of 6 six P-3C ORION Turbo-Prop aircraft that Portugal just purchased from the Federal Defence Forces of Germany, the Bundeswehr, is being transferred from Nordholz to Portugal. With this new acquisition, Portugal intends to further expand its fleet of five P-3C ORION aircraft to reach a total of 11 P-3C ORION aircraft. The first five P-3C ORION aircraft that were already purchased by Portugal from the Royal Netherlands Navy in 2006 were upgraded by Lockheed Martin and OGMA Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal to the P-3C CUP+ standard that includes new sensors, an AAR-47 Missile approach warning system, and a Laser Warning System. Portugal’s new acquisition from the Federal Defence Forces of Germany, the Bundeswehr, will increase the country’s defence capabilities in line with NATO requirements. Portugal’s Air Force 601 Squadron "Lobos", meaning Wolves, is a maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare squadron that operates the Lockheed P-3C Orion aircraft and is based in the Beja Air Base in southern Portugal’s Alentejo region. With the sale of its fleet of 6 P-3C ORION Turbo-Prop aircraft to Portugal Defence, Germany is making room for its new P-8A POSEIDON seafarer. The P-8A Poseidon is a maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft developed by Boeing that includes an integral bomb bay, as well as Raytheon Mark 54 torpedoes and air-to-surface missiles. #portugalnews #newsportugal #portugaldefencenews #defensenewsportugal #PortugalDefenceinvestsEU45milliontopurchasesixP3CORIONaircraftfromGermany #whatistheP3CORIONaircraftPortugalDefencejustboughtfromGermany #P3CORIONTurboPropaircraftportugal #LockheedP3CORIONaircraftportugal #PortugalAirForce601SquadronLobos #LockheedMartin #OGMAIndústriaAeronáuticadePortugal #Bundeswehr #militaryaircraftportugal

Danish company SGL invests in Portugal’s Defence sector - Portugal Business News Portugal investment news - Danish company SGL invests in Portugal’s Defence sector and has just signed an agreement to purchase Portuguese Defence logistics company FLS. Scan Global Logistics, SGL, that is a global logistics provider, intends to strengthen its position within Portugal’s Government and Defence sectors. SGL has chosen to invest in Portugal due to the fact that the country is an important gateway to South America and to Africa. By acquiring Portuguese company FLS, that operates in the Defence and military logistics sectors, SGL will be extending its Defence logistics capabilities. FLS holds national and NATO accreditations that are imperative for operating in the Defence sector and has already worked closely with SGL teams. SGL is an important player in the Defence industry and the company won a noteworthy 7-year contract with the Danish Ministry of Defence in 2021. The agreement with Denmark encompasses civil transport for Danish Defense exercises and international missions, including transport for the Arctic Command. Notably, several transport operations for the US military and NATO have been successfully conducted under this agreement. #portugalnews #newsportugal #portugaldefencenews #defencenewsportugal #investmentnewsportugal #d anishcompanySGLinvestsinportugaldefencesector # ScanGlobalLogistics

Portugal’s EUR 2.5 M Maritime Control Centre starts operations - Portugal Business News Portugal Maritime Defence news – Portugal’s EUR 2.5 million Maritime Control Centre starts operations on October 17th. Portugal’s Maritime Control Centre (CMAR) is starting operations under the National Authority for Maritime Traffic Control (DGRM). The new centre integrates Portugal’s Maritime Traffic Control Centre (CCTM) and Fisheries Control and Surveillance Centre (CCVP/FM). Portugal invested around EUR 2.5 million Euros for its brand-new Maritime Control Centre that was funded under the Mar 2020 program. “The aim is, through a better response capacity, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to improve the level of service to ships, safety, security and maritime surveillance, including monitoring and control of Marine Protected Areas” , according to Portugal’s Ministry of Economy and Maritime Affairs. While more than 80,000 large ships pass through Portugal’s maritime area each year, many of them carrying dangerous goods, at least 15,000 large ships call at Portugal’s ports each year. #portugalnews #newsportugal #portugaldefencenews #m aritimecontrolcentreportugal #portugalmaritimearea #DGRM

What is the new aircraft in the Portuguese Air Force? - Portugal Business News Portugal Defence news – The Portuguese Air Force has just launched its new Embraer KC-390 aircraft under the command of Squadron 506 – Rhinos, to be operated from Air Base No. 11 in Beja, that is located in the Alentejo region in southern Portugal. Portugal’s new NATO standard aircraft that integrates the Air Force weapons system is comprised of a fleet of five KC-390 that was supplied by Embraer, together with a flight simulator and a 12-year maintenance contract. Portugal invested EUR 827 million for this new aircraft fleet that can carry out intercontinental operations for a variety of missions such as dropping paratroopers and cargo, for search and rescue missions, for aerial refueling or for fighting forest fires. Portugal is now producing NATO-standard aircraft for Brazilian company Embraer and for Portuguese company OGMA. The military aircraft include the KC-390 as well as the A-29N Super Tucano that need to be built in Europe in order to meet NATO’s requirements for selling them to European countries. Portugal’s Centre of Engineering and Product Development (CEiiA) is involved in designing, developing and operating military aircraft components. Portugal is consolidating its aeronautical cluster for training its Armed Forces including its Air Force. Portugal’s Air Force squadron Esquadra 506 – “Rinocerontes”, was created on May 20th, 2023, especially for operating the newly developed aircraft with the motto: "Only what seemed impossible can be done." #portugalnews #newsportugal #defencenewsportugal #defensenewsportugal #whatisthenewaircraftintheportugueseairforce # EmbraerKC390 # A29NSuperTucano #portugueseairforcenews #OGMA #Embraer #CEiiA #esquadra506rinocerontes #ForçaAérea

The Portuguese Air Force participates in NATO exercises with modernized fighter jets - Portugal Business News Portugal Defence news – The Portuguese Air Force participates in NATO exercise Ocean Sky 2023 with its modernized fighter jets F-16 Fighting Falcon operated by 2 Squadrons and the brand-new KC-390, operated by Squadron 506 Rhinos. The Spanish fighter exercise Ocean Sky 23 is being carried-out for NATO member countries at the Gando Air Base in Gran Canaria, Spain, while the European Air Transport Command is carrying-out air-refueling training from the 16th to the 27th of October 2023 at the Lanzarote Air Base. The Ocean Sky 23 exercise is focused on aerial combat missions that brings together Portuguese F-16M, Spanish EF-18 and Typhoon, as well as Greek and Turkish F-16C. The Portuguese Air Force just bought brand-new Mid Life Update (MLU) upgrades for its Lockheed Martin F-16AM Fighting Falcon aircraft that became operational on June 26th, 2003. The MLU configuration comprises new equipment, upgraded radar and operating software, and an internal missile warning system, in line with NATO standards that increase the aircraft’s operational capabilities. The new configuration provides the F-16AM Fighting Falcon aircraft with additional capabilities for the detection of aerial and ground targets at long distances, for operations in any weather conditions both day and night, for the electronic identification of other aircraft, and for the integration into battlefield management networks. Portuguese company OGMA carried out extensive work for the F16 upgrades in collaboration with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. for air combat fleet interoperability with other European participating Air Forces Portugal’s F16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets with MLU upgrades have increased capabilities for both defensive and offensive aerial combat in combination with operations against surface targets, and are operated by two squadrons, namely the Squadron 201 Falcons and Squadron 301 Jaguars. The European air to air refueling 2023 exercise, that is happening at the same time, is run in collaboration with France, Italy and Spain, and comprises tankers, crews and mentors for multi-tanker formation and tanker-to-tanker exercises with an emphasis on threat reactions and retrograde procedure. Portugal Defence operates a range of Lockheed Martin military aircraft that include F-16 fighter jets and C-130H Hercules transports, while the Portuguese navy has antisubmarine warfare capabilities with a fleet of six P-3P Orion aircraft. #portugalnews #newsportugal #defencenewsportugal #defensenewsportugal #whatfighterjetsdoestheportugueseairforcehave # OceanSky2023 #F16FightingFalconportugal #p ortugueseairforcenews #ForçaAérea # OGMA #LockheedMartin #f uerzasarmadas

Portugal will host the EU military helicopter training centre - Portugal Business News Portugal Defence news - Portugal will host the EU military helicopter training centre. EUR 6 million will be invested in permanent infrastructure to house the air-force pilots and the flight simulators. The European Defence Agency has selected Portugal to host its Multinational Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC). The largest EU training centre will be based at Air Force Base No. 1, in Sintra, that is located in the Lisbon metropolitan area. Portugal’s multinational helicopter training centre will train 250 air force pilots on a yearly basis and will empower European Defense by strengthening the interoperability between armed forces from EU nations. Portugal’s multidisciplinary centre will develop the military capabilities of rotary-wing aircraft and the training will include the use of flight simulators. As the hub for Defence cooperation in Europe, The European Defence Agency has close working relationships not just with its 27 Member States, but also with a number of EU institutions, international organizations and even non-EU Member States. #portugalnews #newsportugal #portugaldefencenews #defensenewsportugal #portugalwillhosttheEUmilitaryhelicoptertrainingcentre #MultinationalHelicopterTrainingCentre #EuropeanDefenceAgency #ForçaAéreaPortuguesa

The UK joins Portugal in the Atlantic Constellation - Portugal Business News Portugal Space news - The UK joins Portugal and Spain in the Atlantic Constellation. UK Space has announced that the data access and provision policies for members of the Atlantic Constellation will shortly be established jointly with Portugal and Spain.   The UK has just announced that they will join Portugal in the Atlantic Constellation and will contribute with a new pathfinder satellite that will be launched from Portugal.  The UK Space Agency will invest £ 3 million to build a new pathfinder satellite that will be part of the Atlantic Constellation, with co-funding from Open Cosmos. Open Cosmos, that has recently added to its Open Constellation two satellite missions which were successfully launched on November 11, 2023, has recently raised $ 50 million in Series B funding.   The UK Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Andrew Griffith stated that “by working with Open Cosmos on a new satellite and supporting our Atlantic partners, Spain and Portugal, we can harness space tech for our shared goals, while creating new skills, opportunities and jobs for the future to grow the UK economy.”   The UK will be joining the Atlantic Constellation with Portugal and Spain in order to further strengthen national capabilities in Earth observation technology and to contribute both to the EU Copernicus program and to the European Space Agency. The new satellite that will be built in the UK will provide innovative Earth and coastal monitoring as well as data sharing for the Atlantic Constellation network.     What is the Atlantic Constellation?   The Atlantic Constellation of satellites is a flagship project developed by the Atlantic International Research Centre (AIR Centre) in collaboration with Mexico, the UK, Spain, Nigeria, South Africa, Norway, Egypt, Brazil, and Canada.   In Europe, the Atlantic Constellation initially included an MoU between Portugal and Spain, but the UK has announced in November 2023 that they will join the two countries. The new collaboration will include a satellite built in the UK that will be of the same design and launched in the same orbital plane as 3 others from Portugal, thus constituting the first batch of satellites in the Atlantic constellation. The UK’s pathfinder satellite contribution to the Atlantic Constellation aims at increasing the frequency of the revisit time in the first orbital plane by 33%, meaning more observations can be made of the same point on Earth.   The Atlantic Constellation will launch into space a constellation of satellites for the observation of the Earth and oceans for Ocean, Earth, and Climate monitoring. Portugal’s 2030 Space Strategy includes the Azores International Satellite Launch Programme and private companies including GEOSAT that is the first Portuguese operator of observation satellites.   According to Morgan Stanley, the global Space Economy could generate revenue of more than $ 1 trillion by 2040. In the short term, the Space sector will have an impact on IT and telecommunications, since Morgan Stanley has projected that satellite broadband will represent between 50% - 70% of growth in the global Space Economy by 2040, and that this will contribute to driving down costs. #portugalnews #newsportugal #newsatlanticconstellation #atlanticconstellationportugal #theUKjoinsPortugalintheAtlanticConstellation #w hatistheAtlanticConstellation #UK pathfindersatellite # UKSpace # OpenCosmos #Copernicus #EuropeanSpaceAgency #GEOSAT

Portuguese Navy invests EUR 300 M in patrol vessels - Portugal Business News Portugal Defence news – The Portuguese Navy is investing 300 million euros in new patrol vessels. The contract was awarded to Portuguese company Martifer Group through the West Sea shipyards, and the patrol vessels will be delivered between 2027 – 2030.   The Portuguese company West Sea - Viana Shipyard will build six ocean patrol vessels for the Portuguese Navy. Portugal is investing in the development of its navy capabilities and the six new vessels will provide Portugal with a total of 10 patrol vessels. They will replace the existing corvettes and contribute to the modernization and provide capacity building for interventions in Portugal’s maritime area. It is to be noted that Portugal also plans two buy two new submarines. Portugal’s new patrol vessels are modular and are capable of effectively performing anti-submarine functions, transporting personnel, to be an operating base for all types of drones, and will also be auxiliary vessels to combat maritime pollution.   Portugal’s patrol vessels are the Viana do Castelo-class OPV that have a length of 83.10 meters, a displacement of 1,600 tons and can accommodate 67 people. Unofficial sources state that the 6 ocean patrol vessels of the NPO3S program will be armed with a 30mm artillery piece, two 12.7mm automatic stations, 12.7mm machine guns, a mine-launching and countermeasure device, and an MK32 torpedo launcher.   Portugal’s patrol vessels “play a vital role in fulfilling the country's international commitments, particularly in the areas of maritime search and rescue and cooperative security within the NATO alliance," according idD Portugal Defence that is a public body that manages the shares held by the Portuguese State in companies operating in the Defence sector. #portugalnews #newsportugal #defencenewsportugal #defensenewsportugal #newsportuguesenavy #portuguesepatrolvessels #MartiferGroup #WestSeaVianaShipyard #idDPortugalDefence

Portuguese weapons manufacturer aims to become world leader - Portugal Business News Made in Portugal products news - Portuguese sports weapons manufacturer Browning Viana aims to become the No 1 world leader in the market segment.   Portuguese sports weapons manufacturer Browning Viana, that has an annual production of around 174,000 weapons intends to increase its production capacity to 200,000 weapons with the aim to become a global market leader. Browning Viana, that is located in Viana do Castelo in northern Portugal, produces hunting rifles and shotguns, under the Browning and Winchester brands, and exports weapons mainly to the US for 70% of its production, and to Belgium and Germany.   Browning Viana, that has a turnover of around 80 million euros in 2023, will invest a total amount of 31 million euros in cutting-edge technology with new robots that will be able to carry out woodwork, polishing and assembly functions.   The investment in high-tech will make it possible for the company to attract talent and to pay wages that are well above the national average. Over the last two years, the overall salary increase for the factory’s 620 workers was around 11%.   Portuguese sports weapons manufacturer Browning Viana is part of the Herstal Group that has operations divided into two distinct divisions, namely Defense and Security as well as Hunting and Sports Shooting. The Herstal Group has a worldwide presence, with a number of sales and production facilities in Europe, North America and Asia.   #portugalnews #newsportugal #madeinportugalproducts #sportsweaponsmanufacturerportugal #BrowningViana #HerstalGroup

Portugal’s Space Port is readying for its first take-off - Portugal Business News Portugal space news – While Portugal’s Space Port of Santa Maria in the Azores is readying for its first take-off in 2025, the countdown to the return to the Moon is already being felt somewhere between Washington and Beijing, and the militarization of space is the elephant in the room.   Portugal’s Space Port, that is located on Santa Maria Island in the Azores, is a prime location for launching towards the south to Low Earth Orbits (LEO) that are ideal for Earth Observation activities, while there is a growing demand for LEO satellites in the field of telecommunication constellations. If everything goes as planned, the Portuguese island of Santa Maria could be chosen for the launch of the Space Rider space vehicle , that is one of the European Space Agency's most emblematic projects.   Portugal’s Santa Maria Space Port will be operated by a private business entity since there will be no public-private partnership (PPP) according to Ricardo Conde, the President of Portugal Space. In an interview with Expresso, he stated:   “The countdown to the return to the Moon is already being felt somewhere between Washington and Beijing - and as it progresses there is a question that arises: after all, who owns the Earth's natural satellite? So, do we have to make a Tordesillas treaty for the Moon? Will it come through? Shall we divide the moon into slices: this is mine, that is yours? It is complicated.”   The militarization of space is the elephant in the room, while the US and China plan to return to the Moon with manned missions before 2030, and these projects not only involve an increase in traffic, but also raise questions about the need for policing.   Earth Observation, that is a sector representing a turnover of 3.3 billion euros and that employs around 16,200 people, is experiencing exponential growth. In view of the high economic potential of the Santa Maria Space Port, Portugal Space launched the Azores International Satellite Launch Programme (AISLP) for establishing of an open spaceport.     Does Portugal have a Space Law?   Portugal revised its Space Law under Decree-Law no. 20/2024 on February 2, 2024, with conditions for licensing space launch centers in Portuguese territory. The revised law provides the conditions for selecting a commercial operator that has the capacity to compete with operators on the international market from Portugal. At a time when the EU is discussing the creation of a Space Law, Portugal is among the restricted group of countries that already has a legal framework to govern space operations.   According to the president of the Portuguese Space Agency, Ricardo Conde, “this is an essential instrument for positioning Portugal in a sector of strategic interest for Europe, and for creating attractive conditions for new operators of space access services from the national territory to achieve the objective of turning Portugal into a space nation”. #portugalnews #newsportugal #portugalspacenews #portugalsspaceport #SantaMariaSpacePort #AzoresInternationalSatelliteLaunchProgramme # doesportugalhaveaspacelaw # PortugalSpace