Airbus Defense and Space has awarded Elbit Systems a five-year contract for the installation of Direct Infrared Counter Measures and Infrared Missile Warning Systems on Canada’s Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport refueling aircraft. Elbit did not disclose the value of the contract it announced Monday but noted that the missile protection systems have been...
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Category: Middle East
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Jordan To Start Cadet Chopper Pilot Training as First Bell 505s Arrive
The Royal Jordanian Air Force has received five of the 10 Bell 505 training helicopters it ordered in July 2022 for the King Hussein Air College in Mafraq, Jordan. The aircraft order includes flight training equipment and a full, computer-based training module on basic and advanced rotorcraft flight training, Bell said. The five-seat aircraft flies...
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UAE, MBDA to Begin Smart Weapons Production in 2030
The United Arab Emirates, together with European missile manufacturer MBDA, will begin production of a new set of smart weapons in 2030. It is the first collaboration between the Middle Eastern nation and MBDA since the company’s new missile engineering center opened its doors in Abu Dhabi in June. According to Patrice Hajjar, vice president...
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Edge Launches Multi-Domain Military Testing Facility in the Gulf Region
Edge, an Abu Dhabi-based advanced technology and defense company, has launched X Range, an international training facility for defense and aerospace capabilities and testing space for commercial products. The facility, which was unveiled at the Dubai Airshow 2023 on Monday, is located on a 350-square-kilometer island called Abu Al Abyad, about an hour’s drive from...
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AFCENT Official: Progress Slow on Allied Intel Data Pool in the Middle East
A collaboration among the U.S. and its allies in the Middle East and neighboring areas to establish a common data pool on regional threats is making a “slow but steady progress,” a ranking U.S. Air Forces Central official, said. AFCENT Deputy Commander Brig. Gen David Mineau told the Dubai International Air Chiefs Conference on Sunday...
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UAE’s Edge Group Acquires Majority Stake in Swiss VTOL Maker Anavia
Abu Dhabi-based Edge Group has acquired 52 percent majority shares of Swiss vertical takeoff and landing system manufacturer Anavia. The move makes Edge a leader in VTOL. “The acquisition of a majority share in Anavia is an important step in Edge’s strategy of bolstering its advanced autonomous aerial vehicle capabilities as it rapidly expands its...
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General Atomics To Integrate Edge Smart Weapons Into MQ-9B SkyGuardian Platform
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. has agreed to work with the United Arab Emirates’ Edge Group to equip its remotely piloted aircraft with precision-guided munition and guided-glide weapon solutions. According to GA-ASI, the agreement will lead to the deployment of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian featuring Edge smart weapons. The effort expands the existing defense cooperation between...
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PNNL Official: Cyprus Security Center’s Benefits Extend Beyond Cypriot Borders
The Cyprus Center for Land Open Seas and Port Security, CYCLOPS for short, contributes not only to securing the host country but also its neighbors and beyond, a Pacific Northwest National Laboratory official said. In a feature article on PNNL’s footprint on world security posted on the lab’s website, James Spracklen, principal advisor at PNNL’s...
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Germany Denies Leaving Future Combat Air System Project
A German Ministry of Defense spokesperson has denied a report in The Times that Berlin may exit from the Future Combat Air System/SCAF next-generation fighter project it is partnered with France and Spain. The unnamed spokesperson told Breaking Defense that “Germany is sticking to the joint project” and the partnership is building the first FCAS...
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White House Facilitates Policy Discussions in Global Meeting to Combat Ransomware Attacks
The White House hosted the third meeting of the International Counter Ransomware Initiative in Washington, D.C., where delegates discussed new projects and policies to combat evolving cyberthreats. The 2023 edition of the CRI gathered 50 members, comprising 48 countries and two representatives from the European Union and the International Criminal Police Organization. During the two-day...