The South Korean Ministry of National Defense has developed a master plan for defense science and technology innovation with 10 focus areas, National Defense reported. According to Seong Tae Jeong, chief technology officer at the Agency for Defense Development’s Advanced Defense Science and Technology Research Institute, the plan’s priority technologies include artificial intelligence and manned-unmanned...
Category: Defense Security Cooperation
US Approves Potential $2B Sale of MQ-9B Drones to Qatar
The U.S. State Department has approved a potential foreign military sale of MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft and related equipment to Qatar for an estimated $1.96 billion. Qatar requested eight MQ-9B drones, along with a comprehensive package of munitions, including Joint Direct Attack Munition tail kits, general-purpose bombs, Paveway II guidance kits, Hellfire missiles and training...
GA-ASI Completes First Flight of Belgium’s MQ-9B SkyGuardian
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. has completed the first flight of an MQ-9B SkyGuardian remotely piloted aircraft destined for Belgium‘s Ministry of Defence. The flight, conducted on Feb. 20 at GA-ASI’s facility in El Mirage, California, validated the aircraft’s controllability and safe landing capabilities. According to the company, the initial flight is part of a...
KBR’s Byron Bright on Australia’s Need to Prioritize Tech Innovation for Defense
Byron Bright, president of KBR’s Mission Technology Solutions unit, says Australia needs to invest more in technological innovation for its defense and security, especially amid rising global tensions. In an opinion piece in The Australian published Tuesday, Bright, a 2025 Wash100 awardee, stressed the need for the country to quickly adopt new technologies and build...
New Zealand Taps CAE for C-130J Aircrew Training
CAE, a Montreal-based simulation technology company, has received a contract from the New Zealand Defence Force to provide management, engineering, and maintenance services to the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s C-130J weapon systems trainer. The training activities under the Simulator Through Life Support contract will occur at the RNZAF No. 40 Squadron facilities in Auckland,...
Australia Upgrades Long-Range Strike Capability With HIMARS Acquisition
The Australian Defence Force has received its first two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems from the United States, marking a significant upgrade to its long-range strike capabilities. The delivery comes less than two years after the Albanese government announced a $1.6 billion investment to accelerate and expand the HIMARS acquisition, in response to the Defence...
US-UK Air Force Reserves Seek Closer Partnerships
The U.S. Air Force Reserve hosted the U.K.’s Royal Auxiliary Air Force in a three-day bilateral engagement last week to boost their collaboration and explore new partnerships in global security. Lt. Gen. John Healy, Air Force Reserve Command chief, presided over the activities under the Air Force Reserve’s Reserve Allies and Partners Program, which was held...
Australia to Spend $126M for Heavyweight Torpedoes to Boost Collins-Class Submarine Fleet
Australia has signed a $126 million agreement with the United States for an additional purchase of MK-48 heavyweight torpedoes for the Royal Australian Navy’s Collins-class submarines. The government said the torpedo, the product of a joint program between RAN and the U.S. Navy, will be among the armaments of Australia’s future nuclear submarines. U.S.-Australia Alliance...
EISNET Consortium to Synchronize Europe’s Missile Defense
Global defense company Thales has announced that it will lead EISNET, short for European Interactive Sensor-Based Dynamic Defence Network, a new consortium that will support sustained development of Europe’s integrated air missile defense, or IAMD, systems. EISNET’s goal is to form a collaborative European network for harmonizing and integrating current and future IAMD systems onward...
RTX’s Raytheon Awarded $141M Navy Contract Modification for Missile Spares
The U.S. Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded RTX’s Raytheon a $141 million contract modification to provide Standard Missile-2 production spares. The firm-fixed-price award supports purchases for the governments of Japan, Australia, Netherlands, Spain and Germany under the Foreign Military Sales program. According to a Department of Defense notice, work under the contract action...










