The U.S. Navy is currently testing a new shipborne directed laser energy weapon, Vice Adm. George Wikoff, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, Fifth Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces, disclosed at the recent Manama Air Power Symposium in Bahrain. Wikoff refrained from providing specifics about the ship and the laser system but mentioned that...
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Category: Middle East
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GM Defense to Supply Armored Vehicles to Qatar Military
GM Defense is set to supply the Qatar Armed Forces and Special Forces Command with its next-generation Suburban Shield armored vehicles. Built on the foundation of General Motors’ commercial trucks and sport utility vehicles, the Suburban Shield serves as an armored protected mobility solution tailored for diplomatic security and VIP transport. The manufacturer said the vehicle incorporates...
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Liberty Defense to Showcase AI-Powered Threat Detector in the Middle East
Liberty Defense, a company specializing in artificial intelligence-powered security detection technologies, is preparing to showcase its HEXWAVE scanner to a U.S. allied nation in the Middle East. The trial, co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Irregular Warfare Support Technical Directorate, aims to evaluate the system’s effectiveness in detecting explosive threats. Bill Frain, the CEO...
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Elbit Systems Secures German Order for PULS Rocket Artillery Launchers
Germany’s federal parliament, the Bundestag, has approved approximately $68 million to purchase five rocket artillery launchers from Israel’s Elbit Systems. The military selected the equipment, known as PULS, short for Precise and Universal Launching System, over a competing proposal from Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall, Defense News reported. A Federal Ministry of Defence spokesperson said that...
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Israel Opens New AI, Autonomous Systems Office to Streamline R&D Efforts
Israel has inaugurated a new office focused on artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. The Israeli Ministry of Defense launched the AI and Autonomy Administration during a ceremony on Tuesday, led by its director general, Eyal Zamir, and attended by several other government and military officials. Zamir, a retired major general, has advocated for a collaboration integrating...
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US OKs Potential Sale of MK 54 Torpedoes to Saudi Arabia
The United States has approved a potential sale of MK 54 MOD 0 lightweight torpedoes to Saudi Arabia. The deal, worth an estimated $78.5 million, includes 20 torpedoes, spare parts, and engineering, training and logistical support. According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the sale aims to upgrade Saudi Arabia’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities and enhance...
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Report: Kremlin Pursuing AI Collaboration With China, Other BRICS Members
Russian President Vladimir Putin has directed his government and Sberbank, the largest bank in Russia, to work with China on developing artificial intelligence. The directive, published on the Kremlin’s website on Wednesday, follows Putin’s announcement in December regarding Russia’s intention to collaborate with other BRICS member countries to advance AI technology, according to a Reuters...
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Airbus to Deliver New Helicopters to Bahrain
Bahrain has tapped European aerospace manufacturer Airbus to deliver nine H145 helicopters for the Police Aviation Command fleet. Representatives from the government led by visiting Minister of Interior Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa formalized the deal in Marignane, France. The new helicopters will be used for law enforcement operations and emergency medical services. The...
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New Insitu Drone Maintenance Center Opens in Abu Dhabi
Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing, has inaugurated a new facility in the United Arab Emirates to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services of uncrewed aircraft systems for the UAE military. Located at Abu Dhabi’s Tawazun Industrial Park, the company’s UAS Center of Excellence will also support local employment and Emirati content integration, Insitu said Thursday....
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Space42, ICEYE Partner to Produce Satellite Imagery Spacecraft in UAE
United Arab Emirates-based space technology company Space42 has formed a joint venture with Finnish microsatellite manufacturer ICEYE to produce synthetic aperture radar satellites in its assembly, integration and testing and low Earth orbit mission operations facilities in Abu Dhabi. According to ICEYE, the joint venture will support the Middle Eastern nation’s Earth Observation Program, which...