Canada has assumed command of Combined Task Force 150, a unit of Combined Maritime Forces that conducts maritime security operations in sea areas outside the Persian Gulf. The Royal Canadian Navy took over from its French counterpart on Wednesday, in which Capt. Yannick Bossu welcomed his successor, Capt. Colin Matthew, during a turnover ceremony. Under...
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Category: Middle East
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GE Vernova Helps Modernize Kuwait’s Main Power Station
GE Vernova has completed upgrades on four gas turbines at the Sabiya Power Plant, the biggest power station in Kuwait, under a service agreement with Alghanim International. According to GE, the Advanced Gas Path upgrades will increase block output by up to 6.3 percent and reduce heat rate by as much as 1.8 percent, increasing power generation...
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UAE To Deliver, Operate Airlock Module for NASA’s Gateway Space Station
NASA will work with the United Arab Emirates’ Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre to develop an airlock module for the Gateway Space Station. The aerospace company will build, deploy and operate the Crew and Science Airlock module for the space station that will be launched to orbit the moon, according to an agreement announced on...
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US Alliance Plan Sustained Red Sea Defense Operations Against Rebel Attacks
The United States, its allies and partners will continue to defend commercial vessels in the Red Sea from Houthi rebel attacks, Navy Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of Naval Forces Central Command, said in a Department of Defense statement. His remarks follow a Thursday incursion by Iran-backed Houthis, who flew and detonated a maritime drone...
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Ukraine War Boosts German Arms Exports to $12.8B Record High
Germany’s 2023 arms exports hit a record $12.8 billion as of mid-December, with the bulk of sales going to Ukraine, according to preliminary figures for the Bundestag, the German federal parliament, as reported by Defense News. Total exports included weapons valued at $6.6 billion and $6.2 billion listed as “other defense articles.” The previous record...
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US, Qatar Extend Al Udeid Air Base Operation for 10 Years
The United States has reached an agreement with Qatari officials to maintain American military presence at Al Udeid Air Base, people familiar with negotiations confirmed. The agreement grants Al Udeid, which can house over 10,000 American troops, another 10 years of operations. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III visited the site in December and thanked...
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US, Allies Condemn Increased Production of Enriched Uranium in Iran
The United States has condemned the increased production of enriched uranium in Iran. Together with international allies France, Germany and the United Kingdom, the U.S. addressed in a statement a recent report from the International Atomic Energy Agency, which warned that the Middle Eastern nation has been generating 9 kilograms of 60 percent enriched uranium a...
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US OKs Israeli Purchase of More M107 Ammunition
U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken has approved an amended ammunition sale to Israel, calling for additional M107 155 mm ammunition ancillaries, which increases the estimated cost to $147.5 million from the initial $96.51 million order. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the Department of State skipped congressional review for the added procurement after Blinken determined...
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Treasury Issues New Round of Sanctions Over Houthi Attacks in Red Sea
The Department of the Treasury has imposed new sanctions against entities aiding Iran in providing financial assistance to Houthi forces in Yemen. In a press release posted on Thursday, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Nabil Ali Ahmed Al-Hadha pursuant to Executive Order 13224, which prohibits transactions with terrorists. According to OFAC, Al-Hadha serves...
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Intel Wins $3.2B Incentives for $25B Israeli Chip Factory
The Israeli government is providing a $3.2 billion incentive for Intel’s new $25 billion chip factory in Kiryat Gat, southern Israel, where the company already has a chip-making facility. According to a statement, Intel’s Israeli plant expansion is an important element in its effort to promote “a more resilient global supply chain,” which also includes manufacturing investments...