The Department of State will host two batches of NATO officials under an exchange program, opening up an opportunity to exchange knowledge with their American counterparts. Under the International Visitor Leadership Program, the State Department expects more than 40 current and future leaders to visit the United States to attend the 2024 NATO Washington Summit...
Category: Defense Security Cooperation
European USV Minesweeping Project Enters Third Phase, Targets 2026 Demo in Norway
Work has started on the European Defence Agency’s Modular Lightweight Minesweeping Next Generation project’s third phase to further advance the technology readiness level of systems under development and demonstrate their use in an operational environment. The project seeks to develop and deploy smaller unmanned surface vehicles as lightweight minesweepers operating in a formation or as a...
Rheinmetall Secures Potential $3.8B German Military Truck Procurement; Armin Papperger Quoted.
Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support has signed a framework contract with Rheinmetall to supply the German armed forces with up to 6,500 military trucks valued at a potential $3.8 billion. The German Parliament’s budget committee approved the procurement’s funding on June 26. The contract, which Rheinmetall described as a “record...
Under-Construction Canadian Warships Designated as River-Class Destroyers; Bill Blair Quoted
Irving Shipbuilding has started construction on the production test module for the new fleet of Canadian Surface Combatants, which according to a Canadian government announcement will be known as River-class destroyers. The PTM will enable testing and streamlining of the shipbuilding processes to gear up the project for full-rate production starting in 2025, according to...
Spain, Luxembourg Join NATO Project to Provide Alliance With Satcom Support
Spain and Luxembourg will join the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Italy in a collaborative effort to provide NATO with satellite communications services. Starting in 2025, Madrid and Luxembourg will start working on the NATO Satcom Services 6th Generation project, a $1.07 billion program designed to meet the alliance’s military satcom requirements through...
Outgoing Dutch PM to Replace Jens Stoltenberg as Next NATO Chief
Mark Rutte, the Netherlands’ outgoing prime minister, will be NATO’s 14th secretary general after the alliance’s ambassadors approved his appointment during a recent meeting in Brussels, Belgium. His journey to become NATO chief has met numerous obstacles, but an Associated Press report cites observers who say the Dutch statesman’s diplomatic skills helped secure his bid....
Lockheed’s PZL Mielec to Supply Romania With Additional Black Hawk Aircraft
Romania has awarded PZL Mielec, a Lockheed Martin company, a contract to acquire an additional S-70M Black Hawk utility helicopter. The Poland-based company’s latest agreement with the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs will increase the European country’s existing fleet of Black Hawk aircraft following the delivery of seven units in the last quarter of 2023....
US, UK Ships Start Mine Countermeasure Training With Ukrainian Navy
The U.S. Navy said it has started Exercise Sea Breeze 2024, a joint mine countermeasure naval training with the British Royal Navy and the Ukrainian Navy. Sea Breeze aims to address the challenges that mines pose to maritime safety and security, global food security and commerce, the military service said. The latest edition, which runs...
DOD Forum Tackles Innovation, Collaboration Role in Developing Battle Technologies; Liz Young McNally Quoted
Defense leaders agree that collaboration and innovation are key factors that will influence the future of the battlefield. Speaking at a multi-stakeholder forum organized by the Defense Innovation Unit in collaboration with NATO, Poland and Ukraine, Liz Young McNally, deputy director of commercial operations at DIU, said the agency fosters innovation through collaborations with businesses...
Thales Works With Clavister, Blackthorn to Develop New Cyber, Defense Solutions
Thales has signed an agreement to bolster cyber collaboration and explore new business opportunities in Sweden with Clavister and Blackthorn. The three parties finalized a memorandum of understanding to develop new cybersecurity and defense solutions for their existing customers. Thales said the partnership will advance joint efforts to meet Swedish customers’ requirements for enhanced networking,...