Defence`s Feeds

The series of framework contracts published by the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) on 28 June marks a new

In an unprecedented ruling issued in late May, the Paris administrative court of appeal legitimised the role played by French

Russian parliamentary candidate Maria Butina, a former gun activist who was convicted of being an unregistered foreign agent in the

The non-for-profit organisation Social Sciences Lab (SSL), which opened its offices in Moscow three years ago to provide scholarships and

Zhongyitong Technology, an encryption company that works for for China's Ministry of Public Security, or Gonganbu, is looking to shift

Americas

Northrop Grumman won a $12.9 million contract modification, which exercises an option to provide continued support for integrated test team operations in executing advanced development experimentation flights and development testing in support of future delta system software builds for the Navy E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) is the newest variant of the E-2 aircraft platform. It features a state-of-the-art radar with a two-generation leap in capability and upgraded aircraft systems that will improve supportability and increase readiness. Work will take place in Patuxent River, Maryland. Estimated completion will be in July 2022.

The US Marine Corps announced last week that its 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing’s Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 (VMFA-314) declared full operational capability (FOC) for the F-35C Lightning II. FOC is significant in its confirmation that VMFA-314 is fully prepared and equipped successfully deploy aboard United States Navy aircraft carriers, marking the first FOC declaration for Marine Corps. This inaugural event is met after VMFA-314 received their first F-35C on January 21, 2020 when their first jet arrived at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar from Naval Air Station Lemoore.

Middle East & Africa

The US State Department approved a contract to Kuwait for heavy tactical vehicles. The contract, estimated to be worth $445 million, will cover 517 total Heavy Tactical Vehicles consisting of Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT) and Heavy Equipment Transporters (HET). These items include: 31 HEMTT Wrecker Trucks (M984A4 ten-ton with crane and winch); 100 HEMTT Fuel Tanker Trucks (M978A4, ten-ton, 2,500?gallon); 188 Guided Missile Transporter Trucks (M985A4, ten-ton with winch); 50 Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) Trucks (M1070A1); 50 635NL Commercial Trailers for use with HET prime movers; 49 Palletized Load System (PLS) Trailers (M1076A0); PLS Flat Rack (M1077 with sides); and related equipment and support, Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a release today.

VSE Corp. won a $31.6 million delivery order for an in-country technical assistance team (ICTAT) to the Egyptian Navy for follow-on technical support. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the government of Egypt under FMS Case EG-P-GKB. The contractor shall provide ICTAT to include technical, logistics, training, and facilities and administration support to the Egyptian Navy for work on multiple ship platforms. Work will take place in Egypt and Virginia. Estimated completion will be by June 2023.

Europe

BAE Systems said it received the first contract from the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Space Production Corps to deliver M-Code Military Global Positioning System User Equipment to Germany. Under a Foreign Military Sales contract, BAE Systems will deliver advanced M-Code GPS technology to Germany, enabling precise, resilient, and secure geolocation and positioning capabilities that improve the effectiveness of allied operations.

Asia-Pacific

The US Army has deployed a PAC-3 air defense missile battery from Okinawa to Amami for the first time as part of Orient Shield 21-2. The unit carried out joint training with the 8th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

Today’s Video

Watch: The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)

Belarusian MZKT-7415 Tank Transpoter

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

The third and final event within the European Defence Agency’s (EDA) Technology Foresight Exercise 2021 closed last week. During these events, multiple possible futures have been discussed with a multidisciplinary group of experts. These will now be taken forward to identify new potentially disruptive technologies, weak signals and trends relevant for European defence.

These events have been part of a wider defence technology foresight exercise which was launched by the Agency in January and will run until the end of this year. The three events have been attended by experts from EDA Member States (and the countries associated with the Agency), as well as by several international organizations, in different technological and non-technological domains, civil and military, from different generations and backgrounds, from governmental and international organisations, research centres, academia, and industry. 

In closing the final virtual event, Jean-François Ripoche, EDA Director Research, Technology and Innovation, said: “The Technology Foresight Exercise will provide tangible results to support the EDA R&T Planning process, as the main outcomes will be in a form of foresight report and online products, containing the weak signals and the most interesting technologies towards 2040+ identified. The report will be complemented by the futures narratives, weak signals report, and back-casting conclusions”. 

The outcomes from the exercise will contribute to:  

• provide a high-level, long-term vision on multiple possible futures with defence relevance, with a special focus of the impact of emerging and emerged disruptive technologies;
• take advantage of the synergies between technology foresight and the Capability Development Plan (CDP) Strand B, in order to produce an input for any future updates of the EDA Prioritization tools such as the Overarching Strategic Research Agenda (OSRA), CDP or Key Strategic Activities (KSAs), as well as the creation of the Strategic Compass;
• contribute broadly to the European Union’s resilience building and strategic autonomy efforts, while also informing future technology foresight workshops, the OSRA process and, in general, all the R&T activities within EDA.

The exercise is innovative as it combines different methodologies and processes, along with best practices and lessons learned from the wider EDA community of foresight practitioners. The exercise looked into technologies, and also on sociology, ethics, economy, medicine, history, international relations, defence capabilities and operational needs, philosophy, biosciences, etc.

Next steps

The report will be complemented by the futures narratives, weak signals report, and back-casting conclusions. These outcomes will be ready in the second semester 2021.

The US Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC), exploiting fiscal year (FY) 2021 research, development, test, and evaluation funds, has awarded Raytheon Missiles &...

Bruno Roger-Petit, President Emmanuel Macron's adviser on memorials and historical events, received Vadim Rabinovich, the Ukrainian opposition MP and co-chairman of Ukraine's pro-Russian Opposition Platform - For Life (OPFL) party at the Elysee Palace on 22 June. Rabinovich, who is

French electronic warfare specialist Nuances Technologies has won a tender, launched two years ago by the interior ministry, to supply

Several Italian defence groups' export campaigns are reeling from Abu Dhabi's abrupt decision last week to order Rome to evacuate

While Intelligence Online has been able to gather from the field in Beirut the names of the first individuals to

According to our sources, a deal to exchange Iraq fuel for Lebanese medical services or food products, negotiated by Lebanese

Organiser of the Special Operations Forces Innovation Network Seminar (Sofins), held last week at the Souge military base near Bordeaux,

Bruno Roger-Petit, President Emmanuel Macron's adviser on memorials and historical events, received Vadim Rabinovich, the Ukrainian opposition MP and co-chairman of Ukraine's pro-Russian Opposition Platform - For Life (OPFL) party at the Elysee Palace on 22 June. Rabinovich, who is

French electronic warfare specialist Nuances Technologies has won a tender, launched two years ago by the interior ministry, to supply

Several Italian defence groups' export campaigns are reeling from Abu Dhabi's abrupt decision last week to order Rome to evacuate

While Intelligence Online has been able to gather from the field in Beirut the names of the first individuals to