The United States will shoulder half of Croatia’s $500 million purchase of eight UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters that Washington approved in January. Zagreb made the announcement after it signed the procurement’s letter of acceptance on Wednesday. The remainder that Croatia will cover, which amounts to over $273.8 million, will be disbursed from 2025 to 2027,...
Category: North America
DOD Appoints Former NATO Official David Cattler as New DCSA Director
David Cattler has been named the next director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency. The Department of Defense announced his selection to lead the DCSA on Friday, noting that the appointment takes effect on March 24. The incoming director confirmed the new role in a LinkedIn post, saying he is “proud to join the...
US Sanctions Iran-Based Al-Ashtar Brigades Members
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, in coordination with Bahrain, has designated four Iran-based Al-Ashtar Brigades members. Sanctions were imposed on Hussein Ahmad ‘Abdallah Ahmad Hussein Al-Dammami, Ali Abdulnabi Ahmed Ebrahim M Alshofa, Hasan Ahmed Radhi Husain Sarhan and Isa Saleh Isa Mohamed Salman for supporting AAB, including by facilitating lethal,...
US Constantly Assesses Chip Export Restrictions to China
The United States constantly evaluates if it should expand export control of advanced semiconductors to China. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told reporters on Monday that officials consider the issue of chip export to China “every single day.” “Technology is changing faster than ever, which means we have to wake up every day and ask ourselves,...
General Atomics to Supply Taiwan With SkyGuardian Drones in $250M Deal
The U.S. Air Force has awarded a $250 million contract to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. Inc. for the delivery of four MQ-9B SkyGuardian unmanned air vehicles, two ground control stations, spare parts and related equipment to Taiwan. The San Francisco-based GA-ASI will work at its Poway, California facility, with completion expected in August 2027. The...
Japan Prepares Implementation Road Map for $6.7B Space Strategic Fund
Japan is working on the basic principles and implementation road map for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s $6.7 billion, 10-year Space Strategic Fund and is expected to release the document soon, SpaceNews reported Tuesday. Japan’s cabinet approved the bill in November that created the fund to support JAXA’s development, technology demonstration and commercialization of advanced...
Bell Textron to Supply 12 AH-1Z Viper Helicopters to Nigeria
The U.S. Navy has awarded Bell Textron a $455 million contract to deliver 12 AH-1Z Viper helicopters to Nigeria under the Foreign Military Sales program. Contract work also includes engineering, program management and logistics support and non-recurring engineering for obsolescence, Defense .gov reported. Work will be performed in Fort Worth and Amarillo, Texas, through July...
US Sanctions Money Laundering Network Supporting Somali Militant Group al-Shabab
The United States has sanctioned a network of individuals and entities that raise and launder money for Somalia-based al-Shabaab. According to the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the al-Qaida affiliate is a militant group responsible for attacks in East Africa that have killed thousands of innocent civilians. The sanction targeted eight...
Northrop Grumman to Work With Diehl Defence to Enhance Germany’s Missile Defense Systems; Rebecca Torzone Quoted
Northrop Grumman said it will collaborate with Diehl Defence to provide Germany with advanced air and missile defense systems. The collaboration, which was formalized with the signing of a memorandum of understanding that Northrop Grumman announced on Tuesday, will enable the two companies to combine their expertise in exploring innovative solutions that would perfectly integrate...
US Approves Sale of RTX, Lockheed Martin Missiles to Poland’s Military
The United States has approved Poland’s request to purchase American-made missiles. On Tuesday, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced that the Department of State has given the green light to sell 745 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-range Air-to-Air Missiles and 821 AGM-158B-2 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range all-up-rounds to the government of Poland. The potential acquisition costs about $1.69 billion...