The Australian Ministry of Defence has published draft legislation that seeks to make it easier for Australia and its AUKUS allies the United States and the United Kingdom exchange information on advanced technologies. The bill’s summary reveals Australia’s agenda of establishing an export license-free system to support industry, higher education and research advancements among the...
Tag: GovCon
Cyber Policy Experts Call for Better Laws on Online Security
The online security bills U.S. lawmakers are trying to legislate are “misguided” and designed to break encryption protecting personal privacy, according to cyber policy experts Tarah Wheeler and Geoffrey Cain. Wheeler, a Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow for global cyber policy, and Cain, a senior fellow in the tech policy think tank Foundation for...
Israel Halts Defense Cooperation With Bogota Over Colombian President’s Pro-Palestinian Messages
Israel has suspended its defense dealings with Colombia following a tense exchange on social media between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Israeli Ambassador to Bogota Gali Dagan. Analysts based in Bogota told the Associated Press that the development could jeopardize several military contracts, including maintenance work on Colombia’s Israel Aircraft Industries Kfir combat aircraft. The...
Chinese Companies Pivot to R&D, Away From Copycat Strategy
Chinese companies are boosting product research and development spending to veer away from copying foreign products. According to a Nikkei Asia report, listed companies in China spent $228 billion on R&D in 2022, a figure that has more than doubled over the last five years. These firms employ a total of 3.08 million researchers and...
US Approves NSPA Stinger Missile Purchase; Weapon’s Ukraine Deployment Spurs European Demand
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has notified the U.S. Congress of the Department of State’s approval of a potential $780 million foreign military sale of 940 FIM-92K Stinger Block I missiles and related equipment to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. NSPA is making the acquisition on behalf of Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. The purchase...
NATO Awards Saab RBS 70 Bolide Missiles Contract
The NATO Support and Procurement Agency has placed an order for RBS 70 Bolide missiles from Saab. On Friday, the company announced that it received the $35 million order, which it expects to deliver starting in 2027. The missile system has an installed base in over 19 locations around the world, with 1,600 RBS 70...
New Zealand Wants Closer Cooperation With Five Eyes Intelligence Partners
New Zealand is seeking stronger ties with its Five Eyes partners under its new prime minister, Christopher Luxon. The Five Eyes was established by the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to share intelligence during World War II. According to Winston Peters, foreign minister of New Zealand, the government will reinvigorate...
11 Companies To Compete in ADF Drone Accelerator Development Challenge
Eleven Australian companies are expected to demonstrate uncrewed aerial system prototypes in the Australian Defence Force’s Sovereign UAS Challenge scheduled in April. According to the Australian Minister of Defence’s office, the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator is running the innovation contest to supply new capabilities to the ADF. ASCA was formed in May to transition game-changing...
South Korea Eyes End-November Launch of First Homegrown Spy Satellite
South Korea is preparing to launch its first locally made spy satellite for better monitoring of neighboring North Korea, which has an expanding nuclear arsenal. Jeon Ha Gyu, a South Korean Defense Ministry spokesperson told reporters on Monday that the satellite will lift off from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base on Nov. 30, ending Seoul’s...
Lockheed Martin Presents Belgium’s First F-35A Lightning II Jet Fighter
Lockheed Martin presented to Belgian government officials Belgium’s first F-35A Lightning II jet fighter during an official rollout ceremony on Sunday. Belgium is buying a total of 34 Lockheed F-35As, with the first aircraft dubbed AY-01 for delivery to the Belgian Air Force in 2024. The first fighter plane will be initially kept at Luke...