Großwald Curated | No. 23 — Merz in DC, Minsk–Kazan UAV Pact, Zapad-25, Lithuania’s Line Holds
2 – 8 June 2025 | NATO & European Defence — Weekly briefing curated for policy, intelligence & defence communities across NATO / EU
Latest Posts
USR | Drones
The Deep Rear Is Dead – Long Live the Deep Rear: Pavutyna FPV Swarms vs Russian Bombers
Proximity Doctrine & Ukraine’s AI-Guided FPV Swarms Against Russia’s Bomber Fleet — Operatsija “Pavutyna” (Spider’s Web)
MDF | Doctrine & Force
From Zeitenwende to Capability: Turning the 2025 Peace Report into a European Defense Execution Plan
Großwald translates the Friedensgutachten 2025 into a 36-month roadmap for missile defense, strike doctrine, cyber deterrence, and industrial integration.
The Deep Rear Is Dead – Long Live the Deep Rear: Pavutyna FPV Swarms vs Russian Bombers
Proximity Doctrine & Ukraine’s AI-Guided FPV Swarms Against Russia’s Bomber Fleet — Operatsija “Pavutyna” (Spider’s Web)
Griffin Lightning 2025: NATO’s Baltic Deterrence Drill Highlights Germany’s Rotary Spearhead
Griffin Lightning 2025 tests NATO’s forward air mobility and rapid reinforcement—with Germany’s Aviation Brigade leading rotary operations across key Baltic nodes.
CEE | Central & Eastern Europe
Griffin Lightning 2025: NATO’s Baltic Deterrence Drill Highlights Germany’s Rotary Spearhead
Griffin Lightning 2025 tests NATO’s forward air mobility and rapid reinforcement—with Germany’s Aviation Brigade leading rotary operations across key Baltic nodes.
DPL | Defense Policy
From Zeitenwende to Capability: Turning the 2025 Peace Report into a European Defense Execution Plan
Großwald translates the Friedensgutachten 2025 into a 36-month roadmap for missile defense, strike doctrine, cyber deterrence, and industrial integration.
Germany Adds Third Defense Secretary Amid Budget Push
BMVg creates new Staatssekretär role to handle defense budget oversight; Pistorius eyes structural reform as Germany scales NATO posture and long-range arms.
AIR | Air
Diehl Deploys JRV-01 Target Drones for Realistic IRIS-T Firings in Asian Airspace
New drone integration supports cost-effective missile testing and training realism across Korea, Thailand, and future IRIS-T operators.
Ukraine Air Defense Update – Gripen Transfer, Patriot Expansion, Drone Interceptions
Ukraine confirms Gripen fighter delivery, expands Patriot systems, and integrates Meteor missiles. Russian drone raids intensify but face 90%+ interception. Read the full May 2025 tactical update from Großwald.
Plug-and-Play Thrust-Vectoring: Diehl & MDSI Make IRIS-T Payload Platform-Agnostic
IRIS-T gets a deployment upgrade—MDSI’s decoupled system architecture puts thrust-vectoring missiles on NATO legacy era airframes like the Gripen/F-16 in weeks, not quarters.
GRD | Land
Ukraine Deploys Rheinmetall Caracal | First Operational Use of G-Class 464 by Special Forces
Ukraine’s special forces have fielded the Rheinmetall Caracal G-Class 464—becoming the first confirmed users of the NATO-standard airmobile vehicle. Delivered ahead of the Bundeswehr rollout, the modular platform supports Ukraine’s shift toward Western-style tactical mobility.
Italy Selects BvS10 to Replace BV206 Fleet in Strategic BAE Systems–IDV Partnership
Italy will replace 268 BV206s with the BvS10 under a new BAE Systems–IDV deal, localizing production and aligning with NATO’s CATV framework. Learn more about Italy’s strategic tracked mobility shift.
Netherlands Procures 46 Leopard 2A8 Main Battle Tanks: A Return to Armored Mass
The Netherlands reenters the heavy armor arena with a procurement of 46 Leopard 2A8 tanks from KNDS, marking a doctrinal move back toward mass, readiness, and integration within NATO’s northern flank.
SEA | Sea
NATO’s Edge-Led Deterrence: Estonia Intercepts Tanker Near Russia in Gulf of Finland
On May 14, 2025, Estonia attempted to divert a Gabonese-flagged tanker near Russia’s Primorsk port, prompting a Russian Su-35S response. The incident exemplifies how frontline NATO states are now enforcing deterrence directly—within legal grey zones and without centralized coordination.
Ukraine's Sea-Based SAM Nodes: MAGURA V7 Delivers First NATO AIM‑9 Kill, Second Su‑30 Downed
Ukraine Integrates NATO AAM into Autonomous Naval Systems; Maritime Air Defense Network Now Active in Black Sea Theater.
Ukraine Magura V5 Drone Downs Russian Su-30 in First Sea-to-Air Kill
Ukrainian forces reportedly shot down a Russian Su-30 multirole fighter jet using a missile launched from a remotely operated MAGURA V5 naval drone over the Black Sea—marking a historic first. An overview of the incident and all confirmed MAGURA V5 drone strikes from 2023 to 2025.