Americas
The US Department of Defense has signed an agreement with Australia and the UK to collaborate on “offensive and defensive” hypersonic technologies. The partnership aims to accelerate the development, testing, and evaluation of cutting-edge hypersonic vehicles and technologies, including long-range missiles capable of traveling considerably faster than the speed of sound.
Northrop Grumman has delivered its Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW) test missile to the US Air Force, which is designed to target rapidly relocatable threats. The test missile will be used to verify the safe carriage and separation of the weapon from its launch aircraft. In 2023, the US Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $705-million contract to supply the new SiAW for its F-35 combat jet fleet.
Middle East & Africa
Last month, representatives of the member states of the International Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI) gathered in Washington for the fourth time to strengthen their commitment to collective resilience against attacks, promote operational and strategic cooperation, and develop capabilities. Led by the White House, the initiative has significantly expanded over the past two years, growing from 35 member states and organizations in 2022 to 68 today. During the Washington summit, the heads of the UAE and Israeli cyber agencies called on CRI member states to actively participate in sharing information through the Crystal Ball platform that they mutually launched earlier this year. This platform facilitates sharing intelligence, knowledge, and research on cyberattack-related threats.
Europe
The German Parliament’s budget committee has approved a trio of defense projects, including an additional procurement of Meteor air-to-air missiles for the German Airforce’s Eurofighter Typhoons. Also approved is the purchase of Striker II helmet-mounted displays for the Eurofighter and training for the “Digitalisation of Land-Based Operations” (D-LBO) program. A total of $550 million has been approved for the purchase of a third batch of Meteor following lots of 150 and 100 missiles, purchased in 2014 and 2018, respectively.
Asia-Pacific
Taiwan has sent a delegation to Lithuania to explore potential partnerships in drone technology, a move likely to provoke tensions with China. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, along with representatives from 20 Taiwanese drone companies, is currently in Vilnius to meet with Lithuanian government officials and participate in a forum on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
