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An expert advisory panel to oversee the competitive evaluation process that will assess the merits of the French, German, and Japanese contenders for Australia's Future Submarine programme was announced on 5 June by Defence Minister Kevin Andrews. Andrews said in a statement that the panel would

Officials from the Indian Navy have arrived in Perth, Australia, to hold discussions in preparation for the countries' first bilateral maritime exercise, the Australian Department of Defence has confirmed. The Indian Navy delegation includes the service's eastern naval commander, Vice Admiral

Bangladesh announced a fiscal year 2015-16 defence budget of BTD183.8 billion (USD2.3 billion) on 4 June. The figure represents a 3.5% rise over the revised military expenditure in 2014-15. The increase represents the slowest rate of growth since 2008-09 and will see military spending contract by

Chinese vehicle equipment manufacturer Qingdao Sunsong announced on 5 June that it had acquired US-based vehicle component manufacturer Harco Manufacturing. Details of the deal were not disclosed. Harco Manufacturing produces a range of components, such as fittings and brake hose assemblies, for

EVENT On 3 June, Al-Jazeera aired the second part of an interview with the leader of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra, Al-Fateh Abu Muhammad al-Golani, (the first part was broadcast on 27 May). In the interview, al-Golani confirmed once again his group's affiliation to Al-Qaeda,

Egypt is planning to acquire new mobile surveillance systems to monitor its border with Libya under a US Foreign Military Sales programme worth an estimated USD100 million, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) revealed on 4 June. The DSCA said the proposed sale would include mobile

Key Points Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held an All Parties Conference on 1 June to form a consensus on security related issues in Balochistan province. Security in Balochistan has become of paramount importance since the announcement of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which runs

EVENT At least 20 soldiers were killed and 12 others wounded in an ambush involving small-arms, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) targeting a military convoy travelling from Motul towards Imphal in Chandel district in India's Manipur state on 4 June. The

Reliance Defence Systems (RDS), a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure, has appointed HS Malhi - a retired Indian Navy vice admiral and former chairman of state-owned naval shipbuilder Mazagon Dock - president and CEO, it was announced on 4 June. RDS is currently in the process of acquiring naval

Key Points Amid a growing fracturing of the international consensus on countering illicit drugs, the UN will hold a special session in April 2016 that could herald a new chapter in drug-control policy. Two countries - the United States and Uruguay - are now in technical breach of international

Key Points The killing came a day after Hamas had executed a former member of its al-Qassam Brigade they accused of having joined the Islamic State in Gaza. These incidents took place in a context of increasing hostility between Hamas and Islamic State supporters in Gaza, who are attempting to set

Japan and the Philippines signed a strategic partnership pact on 4 June and agreed to start talks to transfer defence equipment and technology from Tokyo to Manila. Following meetings in Tokyo between Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, and Philippine president Benigno Aquino, a joint declaration

Key Points The first KC-46A test aircraft has completed its first airworthiness flight equipped with a boom and wing pods Boeing is now continuing preparations for the official KC-46A first flight The US Air Force's (USAF's) first Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker engineering and manufacturing

LIG Nex1, a South Korean military systems developer, has applied to the Korean stock exchange (KRX) for approval to launch an initial public offering (IPO), the KRX said in a statement on 4 June. The KRX did not elaborate, but reports in South Korea said the IPO could take place before the end of

The Malaysian government has approved special funding of MYR23 million (USD6.2 million) to expedite the purchase of assets for the Eastern Sabah Security Zone, state news agency Bernama reported on 4 June citing Ali Hamsa, the chief secretary to the government. The funding is being provided in

Russian air defence system manufacturer Almaz-Antey claims to have evidence Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, a Boeing 777 downed over eastern Ukraine on 17 July 2014 with the loss of all 298 on board, was destroyed by a Ukrainian 9M38M1 surface-to-air missile (SAM) fired from a Buk-M1 (SA-11) system

AN ALLEGED would-be suicide bomber was detained by National Directorate of Security (NDS) intelligence personnel during a counter-terrorism operation in the Kara Taz area of Mahmud-i-Raqi in Afghanistan's Kapisa province on 11 May, Khaama Press reported. A suicide vest, two AK-series assault rifles,

Key Points The first of five Global Hawk UAVs being bought by NATO was rolled out on 4 June The ISR UAVs should begin operating out of Sicily on behalf of the alliance in 2017 Northrop Grumman rolled out NATO's first RQ-4B Block 40 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the Allied Ground

At least 20 soldiers were killed and 12 others wounded in an ambush involving small-arms, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) targeting a military convoy travelling from Motul towards Imphal in Chandel district in India's Manipur state on 4 June. The attack was

TWO unidentified suspects - accused of distributing Islamic State propaganda - were detained by police during a counter-terrorism operation in the city of Barcelona in Spain's Catalonia region on 12 May, Reuters reported. The suspects were alleged to have distributed official and homemade Islamic