The British government has awarded QinetiQ a contract to build a radio frequency anti-jamming test facility. The facility would be used to develop solutions that would help the armed forces operate in GPS-denied environments. “[The] cutting-edge test facility will help us eliminate vulnerabilities from our platforms, protect our national security and keep our armed forces...
Category: National Security
NATO Agency Taps Planet Labs for Space-Based Surveillance Support
The NATO Communications and Information Agency has awarded Planet Labs a contract to access its SkySat satellite data. The San Francisco, California-based company will supply the data to the Alliance Persistent Surveillance from Space program supporting NATO missions. According to a Planet statement issued on Monday, the imagery that the company will provide will enable...
Thales Orders More Naval Radars From Hensoldt for German Navy Frigates
Thales has ordered additional naval radars from Hensoldt for two more German Navy F126 frigates under a contract awarded in 2022. The initial contract requires TRS-4D radars for four Niedersachsen-class frigates and a radar segment for a test center. Markus Rothmaier, head of naval and ground radars at Hensoldt, said the company is already working...
SKorea’s $3.5B Plan to Buy Apache Helicopters Gets All-Clear From US State Department
The South Korean government has received U.S. approval over its plans to acquire 36 AH-64E Apache helicopters and related support services from Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The AH-64E, Boeing’s latest iteration of the Apache, incorporates a network-centric, fully integrated weapon system and improved sensors, software and weapon performance. According to a notification from the Defense...
BAE Systems Opens Shipbuilding Academy to Boost Glasgow Shipyards’ Capabilities
BAE Systems is upgrading the capabilities of its two shipyards in Glasgow, Scotland, with the recent opening of a training academy in Scotstoun and the construction of a new shipbuilding facility in Govan. The Scotstoun shipyard’s 5,500-square-meter Applied Shipbuilding Academy was built for $15.6 million. BAE Systems has allocated $390 million for upgrades on its...
US, Ukraine Discuss Potential Cyber Collaboration in 2024 Dialogue
United States and Ukrainian officials met in Kyiv last week for the sixth round of the U.S.-Ukraine Cyber Dialogue to discuss threats affecting both nations and potential collaboration opportunities. The topics covered during the Aug. 14 dialogue included ways to improve policy on sanctions, cybercrime and cyber diplomacy, elevate cybersecurity and communication technology, and create...
US Approves Canada’s $264M Request to Purchase RTX-Built AIM-9X Sidewinder Missiles
The Department of State has approved a potential $264.6 million foreign military sale of over 200 AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II+ and Block II missiles and guidance units, along with other products and support services, to Canada. RTX manufactures the AIM-9X Sidewinder short-range missiles, which are designed to be compatible with modern aircraft, including the F-15C...
Vessel Maintenance Training Underway at HMAS Stirling to Support Australia’s Nuclear Submarine Program
USS Emory S. Land, a U.S. Navy submarine tender with a mixed crew of American and Australian sailors, docked at the HMAS Stirling naval base south of Perth on Friday for a training exercise to support the host country’s nuclear submarine development program. The joint activity, called a Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period, is one of...
UK Launches First Satellite Under MoD’s Space-Based ISR Program
The United Kingdom Space Command launched Tyche, its first-ever dedicated Earth-imaging satellite, on Friday to gather intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data. The satellite, which will provide daytime images and videos of the Earth’s surface, forms part of the Ministry of Defence’s 10-year multibillion-dollar ISTARI program to improve the country’s space-based ISR capabilities. Tyche, manufactured by Surrey...
Germany’s PAC-3 MSE Acquisition Receives US State Department Approval
The U.S. Department of State has approved Germany’s planned acquisition of 600 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missiles from Lockheed Martin. Lockheed’s PAC-3 missile portfolio addresses a wide range of threats using direct body-to-body contact, which delivers exponentially more kinetic energy to achieve greater fragmentation. PAC-3 MSE builds on the PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative...