A proposed 6.6 percent cut in New Zealand’s defense budget could stall the Oceanian nation’s bid to join the AUKUS military alliance, according to a Reuters report on Wednesday. Wellington is planning to reduce its proposed defense spending for the year ending June 2025 to $3.03 billion from the current year’s $3.25 billion, based on...
Category: Defense Security Cooperation
UK to Open California Office to Advance AI Collaboration With US Experts; Michelle Donelan Quoted
The United Kingdom will soon open an office for safe artificial intelligence development in California to promote further collaboration with the United States. The center will conduct joint evaluations of models to inform international AI safety policy. In a statement released on Monday, U.K. Secretary of State for Science and Technology Michelle Donelan said the...
ThayerMahan, Ocius to Develop Autonomous Undersea Warfare Capability for AUKUS Countries
ThayerMahan and Ocius Technology are combining their expertise to develop an autonomous undersea warfare capability for AUKUS countries, consisting of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The two companies signed an agreement to install ThayerMahan’s Outpost passive acoustic maritime surveillance system on Ocius’ Bluebottle unmanned surface vessel. The collaborative effort will create uncrewed...
Sweden Orders CV90 New Builds to Replace Units Shipped to Ukraine
Sweden has ordered new Combat Vehicle 90 builds from BAE Systems to replace the units that the country shipped to Ukraine. The new builds will also expand Ukraine’s arsenal and allow other nations to participate in the procurement process for the military vehicle, BAE said. “These new CV9035 MkIIICs will extend the capabilities of both...
HII to Support South Australia’s Preparation for AUKUS Shipbuilding Projects; Michael Lempke Quoted
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas toured HII’s Virginia operations on Friday to support the AUKUS trilateral partnership of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Malinauskas visited the U.S. company’s Newport News Shipbuilding site to advance his government’s deal with HII to prepare South Australia for big shipbuilding projects under AUKUS. A memorandum of...
UK Sends Typhoon Combat Aircraft to Poland for Eucom-Hosted Astral Knight Exercise
The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force sent three Typhoon multi-role combat aircraft to Poland for Exercise Astral Knight 24. Over 50 personnel from the 140 Expeditionary Air Wing traveled for the military event from Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase in southeastern Romania to the 31st Air Base in Krzesiny, Poland. Astral Knight is part of the Large-Scale...
Report: Six US Tech Companies Part of NATO’s Initial Accelerator Program
The first cohort of NATO’s Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic includes six U.S. tech companies, a senior official of the security alliance confirmed. Citing unpublished NATO documents it obtained, DefenseScoop reported that the six are among the 44 companies selected for the effort. Four of the U.S. companies were selected for DIANA’s undersea...
MBDA Secures Deal to Support Europe’s $152M Hypersonic Interceptor Program
MBDA has signed an agreement with the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation to provide research and development support for the $152 million Hypersonic Defense Interceptor System program. The deal launches a three-year concept phase to explore and create an effective counter-hypersonic and anti-ballistic concept to address emerging and complex threats. Under the agreement, MBDA will...
US-Japan Hypersonic Missile Collaboration Seeks to Advance Regional Defense Capability
The U.S. Department of Defense said it has signed the Glide Phase Interceptor Cooperative Development Project Arrangement with the Japanese Ministry of Defense to provide defense capability against hypersonic missiles while at their glide flight. Under the agreement, Japan will spearhead the GPI project’s rocket motors and propulsion parts development for the interceptor. DOD said...
Romania Wins US Approval to Purchase Tactical Missiles for F-16 Jets
Romania has secured approval from the United States to acquire air-to-air missiles for its F-16 fighters under a proposed foreign military sale worth $340.8 million. On Tuesday, the Department of State endorsed the eastern European country’s request to purchase 300 AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II tactical missiles, 40 missile guidance units, 40 captive air training missiles...










