Defence`s Feeds

An Indonesian delegation visited New Delhi's Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) during the Smart Cities India Expo on 27-28

Dong Jingwei waited until this 2 October to make his first public appearance and detail his security plans for Hong

The benevolent gaze of English actor Roger Moore in the role of James Bond next to a Kalashnikov lamp in

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan gave his lecture on "Palestinian resistance since 2021" at a conference at the Asia Middle

As Intelligence Online revealed yesterday, Glencore for years ran a massive intelligence operation against the Swiss giant's critics in Colombia

Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies are gaining further prominence in the European defence landscape, with the European Defence Agency (EDA) placing a strong emphasis on their development and integration into the armed forces of its Member States. Supported by EDA, the second edition of the European Military Additive Manufacturing Symposium, heard how growing recognition of the importance of AM technologies needs to be matched by greater collaborative efforts to harness its full potential, especially regarding legal aspects and standardisation.  

Organised by the German Association for Defence Technology (DWT), the two-day symposium gathered over 250 experts from the armed forces, industry, SMEs and academia in an expanded format. The wide-ranging event covered on site in military operations, quality assurance, use cases, training, and AMs integration into the military logistics system. The event also gave focus to overcoming some of the persistent barriers to AM’s wide adaption within European armed forces.

In his opening address to the event, EDA Deputy Chief Executive, Andre Denk said: “Additive Manufacturing is a key enabling technology that has significant potential to improve Europe’s industrial competitiveness due to its ability for rapid, decentralised and flexible manufacturing. As European actors, we must ensure timely technological research as well as the development of high-end military capabilities in the Additive Manufacturing domain.”

“At EDA we have transformed our work on Additive Manufacturing from research and technology to capability development. In support of our Member States, we have launched a set of initiatives and activities that will take our work on Additive Manufacturing even further”, he added.

The event also heard how the war in Ukraine has highlighted the importance of agile logistics and the rapid repair of equipment, where Ukraine's Armed Forces use 3D printers to manufacture critical repair parts close to the point of need. This adaptability and integration of equipment is a model that EU member states could explore to enhance the resilience of their supply chains. One of the key messages from the event called for Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to consider AM technology in the designing phase of military assets, to take full advantage of AM potential in future.

AM as a Key EU Capability

EDA has long recognised the importance of AM technologies in enhancing the sustainability and agility of defence logistics. Sustainable and agile logistics are essential for the projection, sustainment, and effectiveness of forces, requiring the development of future-generation logistic systems and the implementation of new technical solutions. AM capabilities are expected to reduce the EU's military logistic footprint, ultimately supporting combat maintenance.

To this end EDA representatives led several expert focused sessions on integration of AM into the logistic system of armed forces, evolving opportunities in R&T development and quailty assurance and qualification.

Background: EDA's work on AM: From research to capability

EDA has been actively working on AM technologies for several years. Initiating with a feasibility study in 2018, EDA explored the potential of AM to enhance logistic capabilities. Over the years, EDA has made significant strides in transferring research and technology work on AM to capability development.

One of the initiatives that EDA is undertaking is the Additive Manufacturing for Logistic Support (AMLS) project. AMLS focuses on determining common standards for the use of AM solutions within armed forces and facilitating mutual logistic support.

Additionally, EDA manages the Incubation Forum for Circular Economy in European Defence (IF CEED), which seeks to bring circular economy principles into European defence. The “Circular Additive Manufacturing” Project Circle has incubated three project ideas to further reduce the environmental impact of armed forces, by enhancing circularity in the use of AM.

EDA conducts various studies on legal aspects, IT-based frameworks, and common training and education related to AM. These studies aim to enhance the harmonization and effectiveness of AM deployment in military contexts. EDA also organizes events and workshops related to AM, such as the Additive Manufacturing Village – a five-day capability workshop - which brought together AM experts from military, industry, and academia.

On 23 October 2023, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Subcommittee on Security and Defence will hold a hearing on "The situation in Syria 12 years after the revolution: Standstill, Dynamics, EU response, and Future Prospects?". It will provide a reflection on the political, social and economic consequences of the ongoing conflict, which has shaped the country's development in the twelve years since the Revolution.
Members will discuss with experts the geopolitics of the region under the changed circumstances, in which international and regional actors including Iran, Russia, Türkiye and the United States, but also local groups, are operating. The hearing will contribute to the upcoming Recommendation on the situation in Syria that the Foreign Affairs Committee is preparing and which will provide recommendations for concrete political and diplomatic fine-tuning of the EU's Syria policy.
This hearing will take place during the European Parliament Gender Equality week and will be an opportunity to highlight the impact of conflict on women and the importance of women's contribution to conflict resolution and sustainable peace, in line with the UN resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
Location : Antall 2Q2
Poster
Programme of the hearing
Briefing -Impact of sanctions on the humanitarian situation in Syria
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

In the framework of a public Hearing on “Third state collusion with Russia: through arms export policy and the circumvention of EU policy and sanctions to prevent supplies to Russia’s military industry”, taking place on 25 October, Members will discuss how to prevent the circumvention, by Russia and its allies, of sanctions imposed in the aftermath of its war of aggression against Ukraine.
The debate focus on the scope and effectiveness of the EU anti-circumvention tool that was adopted with the EU's 11th package of sanctions designed to prevent Russia from acquiring goods for its defence industry. Members will also discuss additional measures to prevent Russia from accessing western military technologies, components and dual-use goods, via third countries, such as China.
Location : SPINELLI 5E2
Draft programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

In the framework of a public Hearing on “Third state collusion with Russia: through arms export policy and the circumvention of EU policy and sanctions to prevent supplies to Russia’s military industry”, taking place on 25 October, Members will discuss how to prevent the circumvention, by Russia and its allies, of sanctions imposed in the aftermath of its war of aggression against Ukraine.
The debate focus on the scope and effectiveness of the EU anti-circumvention tool that was adopted with the EU's 11th package of sanctions designed to prevent Russia from acquiring goods for its defence industry. Members will also discuss additional measures to prevent Russia from accessing western military technologies, components and dual-use goods, via third countries, such as China.
Draft programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Yesterday the Department of Defense and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence delivered to Congress the Annual Report on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) as required by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022, as amended by the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2023.

Service members are better prepared for their transition to civilian life today than at any other time in history, reflecting the Defense Department's commitment to taking care of its people, Ashish S. Vazirani said.

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The Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement has roundly dismissed the Israeli military's allegations that the Gaza-based group was responsible for a strike on a packed hospital compound in central Gaza, rejecting the claims as "downright lies."

Hezbollah fighters have hit an Israeli Merkava tank near the border area in southern Lebanon, according to a statement posted on the resistance movement's Telegram channel.

As the death toll and suffering mounts for Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, the U.N. Security Council remained blocked Wednesday on trying to bring any relief to them, while the Israeli and Palestinian envoys traded accusations.

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The United States has blocked a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution that would have established humanitarian pauses in the ongoing Israeli war on the blockaded Palestinian Gaza Strip.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has asked his regional counterparts to take more action to end the escalating situation in the small Palestinian territory of Gaza.