The Australian government has appointed Abigail Bradshaw as the new director-general of the Australian Signals Directorate. According to Defence Australia, Bradshaw brings experience in cybersecurity, intelligence and national security to her new role. She has been serving as deputy director-general of the ASD and head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre since March 2020, helping...
Category: National Security
Taiwan Defense Budget Soars, With $4.66B Allotted for Military Equipment Acquisition
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s Cabinet has approved a record-high $20.29 billion for its 2025 defense budget, with an allocation of $4.66 billion for arms procurement, including payments for U.S. military equipment purchases. According to a Defense News report, the budget ratification comes as Chinese intrusions into Taiwanese air space hit an annual record of 1,739...
Hanwha Aerospace Unit Inaugurates Australian Armored Vehicle Manufacturing Facility
Hanwha Defence Australia, a subsidiary of South Korean company Hanwha Aerospace, has inaugurated an armored vehicle manufacturing facility in Geelong, Victoria. The Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence, or H-ACE, supports the production and sustainment of tracked armored vehicles through various facilities, including several assembly lines, a test track and obstacle course, a deep-water test...
State Department Approves Norway’s $405M Request to Procure RTX’s AMRAAM-ER Missiles
The U.S. Department of State has cleared a Norwegian government request to purchase Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles–Extended Range and related equipment for $405 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Thursday. RTX will be the principal contractor for the potential foreign military sale of 100 AMRAAM-ER units, four AMRAAM AIM-120C-8 guidance sections, weapons software,...
UK Appoints Adviser to Harness AUKUS Partnership Benefits
The United Kingdom has appointed Stephen Lovegrove as an adviser to the government, focusing on the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the U.K., and the United States. As AUKUS adviser, Lovegrove will work with partners from the three countries and help the British government harness the partnership’s defense and economic benefits. By the end of...
JAXA Taps Astroscale Japan for Phase 2 of Debris Removal Technology Demonstration
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has awarded orbital debris removal solutions provider Astroscale Japan a contract for Phase II of the Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration program. The two organizations began their collaboration with Phase I, where Astroscale’s ADRAS-J conducted a controlled fly-around observation of the debris. Under the new deal, the company will showcase...
Voyager Space Joins Spaceport Nova Scotia’s Launch Infrastructure Development
Denver, Colorado-based Voyager Space will support the establishment of Spaceport Nova Scotia‘s launch support infrastructure as an owner-authorized representative. According to Maritime Launch Services, the developer of the spaceport in the east coast of Canada, it will tap the engineering, design and fabrication capabilities of Voyager’s Exploration Segment to establish the infrastructure. Jeffrey Manber, Voyager...
BAE Subsidiary Bohemia Interactive Simulations Upgrades New Zealand’s Virtual Training System
The New Zealand Defence Force has awarded software company Bohemia Interactive Simulations a contract to upgrade its training simulation technology. Under the deal, BISim will deploy its VBS4 solution, a whole Earth virtual desktop training and simulation host that enables military services to create and run a wide range of military training scenarios. The VBS4...
US Approves Netherlands’ $305M Helicopter Training FMS
The Dutch government has secured the U.S. Department of State’s approval of its $305 million foreign military sale request for CH-47 and AH-64 helicopter training and related equipment. According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the proposed sale will enable the Netherlands to maintain CH-47 and AH-64 training activities at Fort Cavazos in Texas. The...
UK Taps QinetiQ to Build Anti-Jamming Facility
The British government has awarded QinetiQ a contract to build a radio frequency anti-jamming test facility. The facility would be used to develop solutions that would help the armed forces operate in GPS-denied environments. “[The] cutting-edge test facility will help us eliminate vulnerabilities from our platforms, protect our national security and keep our armed forces...