Leonardo SpA

StandardAero has been selected by GE Aerospace to build, maintain and overhaul the CT7-2E1 engines that will power the United Kingdom's New Medium Helicopter fleet. The agreement covers 46 engines plus spares, replacement parts and long-term support for 23 Leonardo AW149 helicopters ordered under the UK Ministry of Defence's New Medium Helicopter program, with deliveries scheduled between 2030 and 2033. Work will be performed at StandardAero's Gosport facility in southern England, which will also handle engines for future export aircraft. The contract expands StandardAero's military engine maintenance business and its long-standing relationship with GE Aerospace, while strengthening its position in the UK defense market. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Accenture and Leonardo have signed a multi-million euro contract with the NATO Communications and Information Agency to build a secure cloud platform for the Protected Business Network program. The contract is estimated to be worth about 200 million euros, or 235 million dollars, over the next seven years. Signed at the NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum in Turkey, the agreement marks the first implementation phase of one of NATO's largest digital transformation programs. The platform will support the deployment of secure cloud services to about 29,000 users across the NATO Alliance, replacing legacy systems with a standardized, secure cloud operating model. Leonardo will implement a Zero Trust Architecture secured by its proprietary Global Cybersec Platform, an AI-based cyber defense platform.

Italian defence group Leonardo is preparing to increase its stake in the National Strategic Hub, which manages cloud services for Italy's public administration, by acquiring an additional 10% from state-owned IT company Sogei, sources told Reuters. The deal, which could be announced by the end of this month, would lift Leonardo's holding to 35% from 25%. The transaction is part of a broader shareholder overhaul aimed at placing the cloud company under the control of two shareholders with a clear industrial rationale, with Poste Italiane set to acquire a 20% stake from state lender CDP and eventually targeting 65% through its takeover bid for TIM, currently the largest shareholder with 45%. Under the reshuffle, Poste would appoint the chief executive while Leonardo would nominate the chairperson. PSN is central to Italy's cloud migration programme backed by about €2 billion from the European Union's post-pandemic Recovery Fund.

The UK government announced on the 3rd that it has signed a £4.6 billion contract with Edgewing, the joint venture responsible for design and development, to manufacture the next-generation fighter jet being co-developed with Japan and Italy. This moves the Global Combat Air Programme into the next phase of development, and Minister for Defence Procurement Pollard described signing the contract alongside Italy and Japan as a major step forward towards delivery. On the 30th of last month, the UK decided to contribute £8.6 billion over four years as its share of GCAP funding. Under GCAP, the UK's BAE Systems, Italy's Leonardo, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are developing a sixth-generation stealth fighter with the aim of operational deployment by 2035, and Edgewing is jointly funded by BAE, Leonardo, and the Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Organization.

Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales have jointly requested EU approval for a three-way merger of their space operations, aiming to create a single European space group to compete more directly with global players such as SpaceX. EU competition authorities are expected to review potential impacts on market concentration, pricing power, and industrial supply chains. If regulators clear the transaction, the resulting structure could influence how capital, talent, and R&D budgets are allocated across European aerospace. Investors in Airbus will likely watch for updates on the review process, any required remedies, and how governance and ownership of the merged unit are ultimately defined.

The global military helicopters market is projected to grow from $35.70 billion in 2025 to $46.36 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate of 2.70%, according to a new report by SNS Insider. The transport and utility helicopters segment held the largest revenue share in 2025 at 42.58%, while the attack helicopters segment is expected to grow fastest at a CAGR of 3.54%. North America accounted for 36.67% of the market in 2025, with the U.S. market alone estimated to reach $14.73 billion by 2035. Asia-Pacific is forecast to register the highest regional CAGR of 4.26%, driven by rising defense spending and indigenous development programs in China, India, South Korea, and Japan. Key players include Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky, Boeing, Airbus Helicopters, and Leonardo.