The United States has reached an agreement with Qatari officials to maintain American military presence at Al Udeid Air Base, people familiar with negotiations confirmed. The agreement grants Al Udeid, which can house over 10,000 American troops, another 10 years of operations. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III visited the site in December and thanked...
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Category: Middle East
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Ukraine War Boosts German Arms Exports to $12.8B Record High
Germany’s 2023 arms exports hit a record $12.8 billion as of mid-December, with the bulk of sales going to Ukraine, according to preliminary figures for the Bundestag, the German federal parliament, as reported by Defense News. Total exports included weapons valued at $6.6 billion and $6.2 billion listed as “other defense articles.” The previous record...
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US Alliance Plan Sustained Red Sea Defense Operations Against Rebel Attacks
The United States, its allies and partners will continue to defend commercial vessels in the Red Sea from Houthi rebel attacks, Navy Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of Naval Forces Central Command, said in a Department of Defense statement. His remarks follow a Thursday incursion by Iran-backed Houthis, who flew and detonated a maritime drone...
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UAE To Deliver, Operate Airlock Module for NASA’s Gateway Space Station
NASA will work with the United Arab Emirates’ Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre to develop an airlock module for the Gateway Space Station. The aerospace company will build, deploy and operate the Crew and Science Airlock module for the space station that will be launched to orbit the moon, according to an agreement announced on...
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GE Vernova Helps Modernize Kuwait’s Main Power Station
GE Vernova has completed upgrades on four gas turbines at the Sabiya Power Plant, the biggest power station in Kuwait, under a service agreement with Alghanim International. According to GE, the Advanced Gas Path upgrades will increase block output by up to 6.3 percent and reduce heat rate by as much as 1.8 percent, increasing power generation...
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Canadian Navy Takes Command of Multinational Maritime Task Force in Persian Gulf
Canada has assumed command of Combined Task Force 150, a unit of Combined Maritime Forces that conducts maritime security operations in sea areas outside the Persian Gulf. The Royal Canadian Navy took over from its French counterpart on Wednesday, in which Capt. Yannick Bossu welcomed his successor, Capt. Colin Matthew, during a turnover ceremony. Under...
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Saab To Provide Logistics Support for UAE’s GlobalEye Aircraft Under $190M Deal
The United Arab Emirates has awarded Saab a $190 million contract to provide in-service support for the country’s GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning and Control solutions. Under the three-year agreement, the Swedish company will support the UAE Ministry of Defence’s maintenance, logistics and training requirements for its growing GlobalEye AEW&C fleet. Carl-Johan Bergholm, head of business...
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US Sanctions Iraqi Airline Over Alleged Ties to Militia Groups
The United States has sanctioned the Iraqi airline Fly Baghdad and its CEO Basheer Abdulkadhim Alwan al-Shabbani over its ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force. According to a press release from the Department of the Treasury, the airliner has supported the IRGC-QF and proxy groups across the Middle East for years. ...
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US Names Hezbollah, Qods Force Financiers in Lebanon, Turkey
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has blocked the assets and stateside transactions of three companies and an individual based in Lebanon and Turkey for their association with Iranian and Hezbollah-affiliated terror groups. The entities generate funds from selling Iranian commodities, including sales to the Syrian government. Their revenues provide key opportunities for “hundreds of...
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L3Harris, Edge Open Abu Dhabi Service Center for Wescam MX Sensor
L3Harris Technologies said it has opened a new Wescam Authorized Service Center in Abu Dhabi in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates technology company Edge Group. The center will support users of the company’s Wescam MX reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition sensor system, such as the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces and other military units...