Americas
The US military is looking for a new sniper rifle that can strike targets at extremely long range. According to a notice, the weapon must be capable of delivering precise fire at a range of up to 2,500 meters or 1.6 miles. It should also have a modular design, with overall length and weight not exceeding 56 inches or 4.7 feet and 22 pounds or 10 kilograms. The sniper rifles will be operated by the country’s special operations forces, replacing the legacy M107, which has an effective range of 2,000 meters (1.2 miles), and the MK15, which can strike targets up to 1,800 meters (1.1 miles) away.
BAE Systems has won a contract to deliver major structures for the M777 lightweight howitzer to the US Army. The agreement will cover titanium capabilities that serve as the artillery base. Work for associated production will be facilitated at BAE suppliers in the US and the UK. The initial tranche will be handed over next year.
Middle East & Africa
Ghana is preparing to launch its first National Defense University (NDU) in 2024, a move that will enhance the professional military education and research capabilities of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and other security agencies. The NDU, which was announced by President Nana Akufo-Addo in November 2023, will be a multidisciplinary higher education institution that will offer masters- and doctoral-level programs in military science, defense and strategic studies, international relations, and related subjects.
Europe
Germany has dropped its opposition to a follow-on sale of Eurofighter combat aircraft to Saudi Arabia. German Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock announced the shift in policy in comments made to journalists during a visit to Israel, Agence France-Presse (AFP), Reuters, and other news agencies reported. “We do not see the German government opposing British considerations for more Eurofighters for Saudi Arabia”, said Baerbock.
Asia-Pacific
The People’s Republic of China has sanctioned five US defense contractors in response to their arms sales to Taiwan. Firms mentioned in the decision released by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs include BAE Systems Land and Armaments, AeroVironment, Viasat, Alliant Techsystems Operation, and Data Link Solutions. The penalty will freeze the companies’ moveable and immovable properties based in China and prohibit organizations and individuals from engaging with the businesses.
The Philippine government is employing hackers to counter an increase in state-sponsored cyberattacks, according to an official Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy said in a Bloomberg report that Manila is occasionally working with anonymous “black hat” personnel to support Malacañang’s cyber response team.
Today’s Video
