Elbit Systems has named Ziv Avni as vice president and head of tactical unmanned aerial systems and loitering munitions. Avni, who announced the appointment in a LinkedIn post, has served the company for over a decade in various lead positions. He most recently held the role of vice president for business development and marketing at...
Airbus will build two new telecommunications geostationary satellites for Al Yah Satellite Communications, the United Arab Emirates’ flagship satellite service provider. The companies have signed a contract for Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5, which will be based on Airbus’ Eurostar Neo. The upcoming satellites will each carry flexible multiband payloads that can be reconfigured to...
Israel has ordered 25 F-35s from the United States to expand its fleet of 75 fifth-generation stealth fighters. The Israeli Ministry of Defense signed a letter of offer and acceptance with the U.S. government to facilitate the acquisition, which will be the third batch of F-35 squadrons for the Israeli Air Force. Under the $3...
The U.S. Marine Corps has completed a training exercise with an elite military unit from the United Arab Emirates at Camp Pendleton, California. The four-week event saw USMC’s 1st Marine Division work with the UAE Presidential Guard soldiers to build rapport between the participating forces. The troops performed land navigation and infiltration maneuvers, activities that...
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has sanctioned four Iranian entities and an executive for enabling the production of components for Iran‘s unmanned aerial vehicle program. Brian Nelson, undersecretary of the treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, said the restrictive measures, including blocking of assets, aim to “disrupt Iran’s production and...
The United Kingdom has deployed HMS Duncan, a Type 45 air defense destroyer, to patrol the Red Sea. The Royal Navy warship and its 200-person crew departed from Portsmouth on Monday and sailed toward the Middle East to protect vital trade routes from Houthi attacks. It will replace HMS Diamond, which has been stationed in the Red...
Teledyne FLIR Defense has upgraded its Turkey-based partner service center, which performs maintenance and repair services for the company’s surveillance and imaging systems. Periter Arastirma ve Teknoloji, the U.S. company’s Turkish partner, runs the facility and supports Teledyne FLIR’s government and semi-government customers. Stan Crawford, senior director for Teledyne FLIR’s Middle East, Central Asia and...
Abu Dhabi-based defense and technology company Edge Group and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri have signed an agreement to form a shipbuilding joint venture called Maestral, which has already booked a contract from the United Arab Emirates Coast Guard. The order, worth $435 million, calls for the delivery of 10 offshore patrol vessels. Edge, which holds a...
An unmanned aerial vehicle developed and produced in Israel and designed with Germany’s military requirements in mind took its maiden flight in German air space on Wednesday, with senior officials of the German Armed Forces present. Airbus, one of the contractors for the German Heron TP drone, said the remotely powered aircraft system was developed...
The U.S. Department of State has cleared the possible sale of high-speed anti-radiation missile control section modification upgrade and related equipment to the United Arab Emirates for $144 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which announced the State Department’s approval, said RTX of Tucson, Arizona, will be the principal contractor of the requested purchase of...
