The United States will deliver Virginia-class submarines to Australia starting in 2032 under the trilateral AUKUS security agreement, according to Vice Adm. Bill Houston, commander of Naval Submarine Forces. Speaking to reporters at the Naval Submarine League on Tuesday, Houston revealed that Australia will receive at least three submarines throughout the 2030s. Following the initial...
Category: National Security
US-South Korea Agreement Outlines Cybersecurity Collaboration Areas
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea’s National Intelligence Service to define the cybersecurity collaboration areas broadly set under a bilateral cyber framework agreed upon in April. CISA Director Jen Easterly and NIS Deputy Director Baek Jong-wook signed the MOU, which identified sharing cyberthreat information and...
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...
Rheinmetall Sets First Delivery of Multi Ammunition Softkill System to Australian Navy by Year-End
Rheinmetall Defence Australia has set a year-end delivery date for the Multi Ammunition Softkill System ordered by the Royal Australian Navy in May. The company said Monday that it is looking for Australia-based partners that specialize in electronics, electrics and artillery to manufacture components for MASS. According to Nathan Poyner, Rheinmetall Defence Australia managing director,...
MBDA UK, PGZ Ink $4.9B Deal to Bolster Poland’s Air Defense System
MBDA UK has signed a $4.9 billion agreement with Polish defense firm PGZ to build up Narew, Poland’s next-generation air defense program. The deal will support Poland’s plans to establish a powerful ground-based air defense system that can neutralize threats from cruise missiles and fighter jets, according to the UK Ministry of Defence. The defense...
South Korea Eyes End-November Launch of First Homegrown Spy Satellite
South Korea is preparing to launch its first locally made spy satellite for better monitoring of neighboring North Korea, which has an expanding nuclear arsenal. Jeon Ha Gyu, a South Korean Defense Ministry spokesperson told reporters on Monday that the satellite will lift off from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base on Nov. 30, ending Seoul’s...
UK, Germany Sign New Agreement to Strengthen Cooperation on Clean Energy Initiatives
The governments of Germany and the United Kingdom have committed to ensure access to secure, safe, affordable and clean energy for citizens of both nations. On Friday, Claire Coutinho, U.K. secretary of state for energy and net zero, signed an agreement with German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck to enhance cooperation on shifting to renewable energy sources and...
Report: Financially Motivated Cyberattacks in New Zealand Reach Historic Peak
The number of financially motivated cyber incidents across New Zealand has reached a new historic peak. The National Cyber Security Centre recently published its annual Cyber Threat Report, which found that cyber activities conducted with the intent to steal or extort payment accounted for 28 percent of incidents. For the first time, financially motivated attacks surpassed...
New Cooperative Agreement Grooms Norwegian Missile System for Further Upgrade
The Norwegian Ministry of Defence said it will upgrade the Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System or NASAMS under a new cooperative agreement with Raytheon and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. Raytheon and Kongsberg jointly develop and manufacture NASAMS as a versatile medium-range air defense solution. According to Kongsberg’s website, NASAMS has continued to evolve since its...
Switzerland Selects PAC-3 MSE Guided Missile
The United States and Switzerland have finalized an agreement for the Swiss Air Force’s acquisition of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missiles and support equipment from Lockheed Martin. According to the defense contractor, the deal makes Switzerland the 15th partner country for its PAC-3 MSE missiles, designed to defend against short-range warheads. The acquisition,...