The Italian Navy has assumed command of Combined Task Force 153, taking over from the U.S. Navy. Italy’s Capt. Roberto Messina formally replaced his American counterpart, Capt. David Cole, during a change of command ceremony at the Combined Maritime Forces headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, on Wednesday. In his address at the event, Messina said he...
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Category: Middle East
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Elbit Systems Books New Order for C4I Platform Installation in European Artillery Unit
Israeli defense company Elbit Systems announced that a European country has ordered its Artillery Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence solution. Under the C4I purchase order, Elbit will provide digital fires capabilities to the unnamed buyer’s 155 mm howitzer battalions through the integration of the company’s artillery suite featuring the Torch-X Fires solution and E-Lynx...
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Defense Industry Seeks Clarification on Ottawa’s Arms Export Freeze to Israel
Canadian arms exporters to Israel with permits approved before Jan. 8 can proceed with the transaction, even as Canada’s House of Commons passed on March 18 a measure temporarily halting such sales over human rights concerns from Tel Aviv’s military actions in Gaza. The Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries, however, still wants specific...
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US Designates Procurement Networks Supporting Iranian Defense Sector; Brian Nelson Quoted
The United States has imposed sanctions on three procurement networks for supplying designated Iranian entities with materials for the production of military weapons under Iran’s ballistic missile, nuclear and defense programs. The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has designated Iranian-German national Maziar Karim, his companies Mazixon GmbH and Co KG and...
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US Clears $2.2B Bahrain Purchase of Abrams Main Battle Tanks
The U.S. Department of State has approved the government of Bahrain’s request to purchase Abrams main battle tanks for an estimated $2.2 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the procurement includes 50 M1A2 System Enhancement Program version 3 tanks, four M88A2 Hercules combat recovery vehicles and eight M1150 assault breacher vehicles. Other related items...
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US Approves Proposed $260M Sale of Javelin Missiles to Morocco
The United States has approved Morocco’s request to purchase Javelin missiles and associated equipment for $260 million. The proposed government-to-government deal will provide Rabat with 612 Javelin FGM-148F missiles and 200 Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The agreement will also cover the delivery of missile simulation rounds, support...
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US Sanctions Iran-Based Al-Ashtar Brigades Members
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, in coordination with Bahrain, has designated four Iran-based Al-Ashtar Brigades members. Sanctions were imposed on Hussein Ahmad ‘Abdallah Ahmad Hussein Al-Dammami, Ali Abdulnabi Ahmed Ebrahim M Alshofa, Hasan Ahmed Radhi Husain Sarhan and Isa Saleh Isa Mohamed Salman for supporting AAB, including by facilitating lethal,...
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US Sanctions Money Laundering Network Supporting Somali Militant Group al-Shabab
The United States has sanctioned a network of individuals and entities that raise and launder money for Somalia-based al-Shabaab. According to the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the al-Qaida affiliate is a militant group responsible for attacks in East Africa that have killed thousands of innocent civilians. The sanction targeted eight...
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US, UAE Officials Agree to Expand Collaboration on Space Research
The United States and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to expand cooperation on space research and human exploration. Officials from NASA and the National Space Council met with leaders of the UAE Space Agency and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in Washinton to discuss future collaboration. “The UAE is proud to work with partners...
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Treasury Designates Companies, Vessels Shipping Commodities to Finance Houthis
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has sanctioned several foreign companies and vessels for transporting commodities to finance the terror activities of the Houthi militant group. According to the agency, Marshall Islands-based Reneez Shipping and the Hongkong Unitop Group operated Palau-flagged Reneez and Panama-flagged Eternal Fortune, respectively, to ship cargos on...