BlackSky has secured $50 million worth of contracts to support Indonesia’s efforts to acquire sovereign space capabilities. According to the company, it will partner with Thales Alenia Space to provide the country with advanced Earth observation satellites bundled with ground station capabilities and flight operation support. Under the companies’ agreement with state-owned defense company PT...
Category: Asia
US, Indo-Pacific Allies Conclude Annual Sea Dragon Anti-Sub War Games
U.S. forces have concluded a major maritime military exercise alongside allied and partner nations from the Indo-Pacific. Sea Dragon is a two-week, annual, multinational exercise hosted by the United States to practice and enhance anti-submarine warfare tactics. The 2024 iteration of the exercise was held in Guam and included participants from the U.S. Navy, Royal Australian...
US Clears Proposed Delivery of MQ-9Bs to India
The United States has approved a request from the Indian government to purchase a fleet of MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft. Details of the proposed $3.99 billion Foreign Military Sale deal have been submitted to Congress for approval, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. India’s request includes the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B Sky Guardian aircraft,...
DOD Bares New List of Chinese Military-Linked Companies
The Pentagon has updated its list of Chinese military-linked businesses with either direct or indirect operations in the United States. The list is compiled in accordance with Section 1260H of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. The Department of Defense said Wednesday that the provision’s continuing implementation is important to counter China’s...
US, South Korea to Advance Joint R&D Efforts on Quantum Technology
The United States and South Korea have agreed to expand their existing cooperation to advance research and development efforts on quantum computing. Officials from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science were in Boulder, Colorado, on Monday to sign a revised memorandum of understanding to...
Intel Partners With Taiwan Chipmaker UMC on New Foundry
Intel and semiconductor foundry UMC of Taiwan have signed a collaboration agreement to develop a 12-nanometer semiconductor process platform for high-growth applications such as mobile communication devices. Intel said the partnership will deliver an expanded process portfolio, combining its at-scale U.S. production capacity with UMC’s mature nodes foundry experience. The company’s Ocotillo Fabrication site in...
Australia, Japan To Explore New Robotic, Autonomous Capabilities for Undersea Warfare
Australia said it will work with Japan on a research project to advance the two nations’ capabilities in robotic and autonomous systems for undersea warfare. Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group and Japan’s Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency will spearhead the inaugural research project to enhance undersea communication and interoperability under a signed collaboration agreement....
Washington Officials Cite Role of Alliances, Trade Controls in Protecting US Tech
U.S. officials at a House Subcommittee on Indo-Pacific hearing last week underscored the importance of creating international alliances in trade controls to protect emerging American technologies, Nextgov/FCW reported Thursday. Thea Rozman Kendler, assistant secretary in the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security Export Administration, told the subcommittee that U.S. export controls would be...
Pakistan Air Force Claims It Now Has Hypersonic-Capable Missiles
The Pakistan Air Force has announced hypersonic ballistic missile capabilities. In a press release, the PAF revealed that the weapon is part of a wider defense modernization effort aimed at countering evolving threats in the region. Hypersonic ballistic missiles can travel at speeds above Mach 5 or five times the speed of sound. While some existing ballistic...
Northrop Grumman, Mitsubishi Electric Partner to Improve Japan’s Defense Capabilities
Northrop Grumman is teaming with Mitsubishi Electric to strengthen Japan’s air and missile defense capabilities. The two companies entered an agreement to combine their proprietary technologies that can enhance networking efficiency to provide the East Asian nation with increased situational awareness and interoperability. “The Japan Ministry of Defense is accelerating integrated air and missile defense...










