joe•iuculano :mastodon:<p>Via <a href="https://masto.ai/tags/TheGuardian" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TheGuardian</span></a> @ 10:56 on Apr 01, 2024</p><p>The <a href="https://masto.ai/tags/Italian" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Italian</span></a> defence company <a href="https://masto.ai/tags/Leonardo" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Leonardo</span></a> has been given a £165m contract extension by the <a href="https://masto.ai/tags/British" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>British</span></a> government for its work maintaining the <a href="https://masto.ai/tags/RoyalNavy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>RoyalNavy</span></a>’s fleet of 54 <a href="https://masto.ai/tags/MerlinHelicopters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MerlinHelicopters</span></a>, in a sign of the impact of the <a href="https://masto.ai/tags/UK" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>UK</span></a>’s commitment to ramp up <a href="https://masto.ai/tags/defence" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>defence</span></a> spending.</p><p><a href="https://masto.ai/tags/KeirStarmer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>KeirStarmer</span></a>’s government, which is planning to increase <a href="https://masto.ai/tags/military" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>military</span></a> spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, said the deal with Leonardo would help to bolster <a href="https://masto.ai/tags/NationalSecurity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NationalSecurity</span></a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/apr/01/italy-leonardo-given-165m-uk-military-helicopter-contract" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">theguardian.com/business/2025/</span><span class="invisible">apr/01/italy-leonardo-given-165m-uk-military-helicopter-contract</span></a></p>