The G7 leading industrialized nations have issued a joint guidance for businesses on preventing Russian evasion of export controls and sanctions, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security announced on Tuesday. BIS Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew Axelrod stressed that preventing Russian acquisition of components for missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles is a G7 "top priority” that cannot be achieved without industry partnership. For this reason, the guidance was issued to provide the information that companies need "to identify and respond to Russia's changing evasion tactics," he said.
Category: General News
Eight Companies Commit to Invest in AI-Related Initiatives Under AI Global Inclusivity Partnership
Eight technology companies have joined the Partnership for Global Inclusivity on AI that the U.S. Department of State launched on the margins of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. The companies, namely Amazon Web Services, Anthropic, Google, IBM, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and OpenAI, have committed to investing in initiatives and technologies that would advance artificial intelligence, which is seen as a tool essential to achieving the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals. According to State Secretary Antony Blinken, his department intends to provide $10 million in foreign assistance to help achieve partnership objectives.
Maxar Appoints Former NATO Military Committee Chair as Senior Adviser
Maxar Intelligence has announced the appointment of Royal Air Force Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach as a senior adviser, coinciding with the inauguration of its new international government business headquarters in the United Kingdom. Peach, who formerly served as the chairman of the NATO Military Committee, U.K. chief of defense, joint operations head and defense intelligence chief, brings years of experience in the tasking and application of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Commenting about the new U.K.-based office, Peach said the new infrastructure will enable the Maxar business to boost strategic partnerships with allied nations and help the British government accelerate its space innovation efforts.
US Approves Egypt’s Proposed Stinger Missiles FMS Deal
Egypt has received approval from the U.S. Department of State on its proposed acquisition of 720 Stinger missiles and other related equipment and services from RTX. Made under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, the potential deal, valued at $740 million, includes non-major defense equipment items such as engineering, technical and logistics support services. The Stingers will be mounted on the Egyptian government's Avenger air defense systems.
Anduril to Deploy Autonomous Solutions to Protect Australian Base From Threats
Anduril has secured a contract from the Royal Australian Air Force to implement its autonomous air and ground defense systems at RAAF Base Darwin to safeguard the facility from drones and other threats. During the three-year trial period, the U.S. defense contractor will adopt a family of systems strategy to introduce base protection solutions. These include active and passive sensors and kinetic and non-kinetic effectors, each customized for the facility's specific security requirements. David Goodrich, executive chairman and CEO of Anduril Australia, said the deal takes advantage of the company's capability-as-a-service model, enabling organizations to rapidly integrate new technologies.
UK Seeks Proposals to Supply FPV Drones for Ukraine
The British government is inviting eligible companies to propose large first-person view drones that can meet Ukraine’s unmanned aerial vehicle needs in support of the Drone Capability Coalition. According to an invitation to tender, the government plans to procure 300 FPV drones worth $2.67 million, split into 15 UAV batches of 20 drones each....
Poland to Invest $15.8B in Westinghouse-Bechtel Nuclear Power Plant Project
The Polish government plans to invest $15.67 billion in the country’s first nuclear power plant. Westinghouse Electric and Bechtel will design and build the plant under a contract signed in September 2023 with Polish utility Polskie Elektrownie Jadrowe. According to Bechtel, the funding was announced after the companies met with key stakeholders in Warsaw and...
Intelsat Expands Vodafone Collaboration, Makes Satellite Connectivity More Accessible in Remote Locations
Satellite communications provider Intelsat has expanded its collaboration with Vodafone to make satellite connectivity services more accessible to private and public organizations that operate in remote locations. Under the new deal, Vodafone’s terrestrial networks gain new capabilities with the addition of Intelsat’s Flex portfolio. The enterprise-grade, end-to-end managed service — composed of 22 satellites, 228...
India’s HFCL to Develop UAS Radar Subsystems for General Atomics
Indian telecommunications and defense solutions provider HFCL has partnered with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. to develop and deliver subsystems for advanced unmanned aircraft systems. According to HFCL, the contract win reflects the research and development capabilities it has built over the years, contributing to the design, development and delivery timelines envisioned by GA-ASI for...
US Proposes Ban on Connected Vehicle Tech Linked to China, Russia
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking prohibiting American companies from importing and selling connected vehicle components with origins from China or Russia. The draft rule targets hardware and software used in vehicles’ connectivity and automated driving systems, preventing or lowering the chance of possible...