Sahara Thunder, a front company of Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, is facing sanctions in the United States for facilitating the design, development, manufacture and sale of drones in support of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, according to the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. OFAC said the Russian...
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Category: Geopolitical Issues
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UK to Boost Defense Budget With $109B Annual Spending Eyed by 2030
The United Kingdom plans to increase defense spending to 2.5 percent of its gross domestic product by 2030, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Tuesday. According to the prime minister, the allocation will result in an additional $94 billion in defense expenditures in the next six years and $109 billion in annual spending by the...
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Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan to Receive US Security, Humanitarian Assistance Under New Law
President Joe Biden has signed a bill into law providing seven federal agencies with additional funding to deliver assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The legislation also authorizes the president to transfer defense articles and services from the Department of Defense to foreign countries or international organizations and enables the implementation of sanctions against foreign...
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China Creates New Military Units for Information, Space, Cyber Operations
China has reorganized its principal military force to add three new units that will separately deal with information, space and cyber operations. The new units replaced the Strategic Support Force under the People’s Liberation Army to address the limitations associated with conducting such operations under a single support team. In an event on Friday, Chinese...
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European Commission Signs Agreement With European Space Agency to Cooperate on Actions Addressing Critical Global Challenges
The European Commission is joining forces with the European Space Agency to address global challenges with innovative technologies. Timo Pesonen, director-general for defense industry and space, for the EC and Josef Aschbacher, director general of the ESA, signed a collaboration agreement to combine resources and competence to enhance the European capacity to protect critical infrastructure,...
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US Cuts Back Licensing Requirements for Australia, UK to Promote Trade, Innovation
The United States has scaled down its export control rules for Australia and the United Kingdom to advance defense trade and innovation among the three countries. The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, which released the interim final rule Thursday to govern trade flow for the AUKUS partners, estimated that the change would...
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US Treasury Designates Entities, Individuals Involved in Iranian Drone, Missile Production
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has designated 16 individuals and several entities for enabling Iran’s production of unmanned aerial vehicles and ballistic missiles used in a weekend attack against Israel. Companies and individuals subject to assets and trade restrictions include Oje Parvaz Mado Nafar Co. and its CEO Mohammad Sadegh...
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NATO Meets With Industry Leaders to Discuss Ways to Enhance Maritime Surveillance
NATO met with company leaders in Belgium this week to explore potential collaboration in maritime surveillance. Over 200 representatives from government and industry convened at NATO Headquarters in Belgium to discuss how to better protect vital communications in sea lanes and other infrastructures. The event is part of the military alliance’s Digital Ocean initiative, launched...
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Rheinmetall Signs Agreement to Build Ammunition Factory in Lithuania
Rheinmetall intends to build a 155 mm ammunition factory in Lithuania to support the country’s security partnership with Germany. On Tuesday, Maximilian Froch, coordinator for strategic program management at Rheinmetall, signed a memorandum of understanding with Lithuanian Minister of Economy and Innovations Ausrine Armonaite and Minister of National Defense Laurynas Kasciunas to begin the processes...
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Microsoft Invests $1.5B in Emirati Tech Company G42 to Accelerate AI Innovation in the Middle East
Microsoft is partnering with an Emirati company to develop artificial intelligence for various applications. The Redmond, Washington-based company said it will invest $1.5 billion in g42, an AI company headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft, is joining G42’s board of directors as part of the deal....
