Australia-based global shipbuilder Austal has announced the completion of seaworthiness tests of a remotely and autonomously operated vessel in collaboration with the Royal Australian Navy’s Warfare Innovation Navy branch. Other partners in the project, funded by the Australian government, include Greenroom Robotics and Trusted Autonomous Systems. The project, dubbed the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial, utilized...
Category: National Security
Treasury Designates Companies, Individuals Supporting Iranian Cyberattacks on US Entities; Brian Nelson Quoted
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has imposed sanctions on two companies and four individuals linked to Iran-backed cyber operations that targeted a dozen U.S. companies and government entities. The designated companies and individuals are Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Cyber Electronic Command front company Mehrsam Andisheh Saz Nik; IRGC-CEC-affiliated cyber...
Rocket Lab’s Electron Deploys NASA, South Korean Payloads to Different Orbits
Rocket Lab has deployed NASA and South Korean payloads to two separate orbits. On Wednesday morning, the Electron rocket blasted off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, carrying a nanosatellite developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. NeonSat-1, an Earth observation nanosatellite, was deployed to a 520-kilometer circular...
China Creates New Military Units for Information, Space, Cyber Operations
China has reorganized its principal military force to add three new units that will separately deal with information, space and cyber operations. The new units replaced the Strategic Support Force under the People’s Liberation Army to address the limitations associated with conducting such operations under a single support team. In an event on Friday, Chinese...
US Collaborates With Italy in Fight Against Foreign State Disinformation
The United States has bared plans to boost its cooperation with Italy to neutralize foreign state disinformation and propaganda. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Italian Vice President of the Council of Ministers Antonio Tajani formalized the agreement by signing a memorandum of understanding on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Capri,...
Rheinmetall Signs Agreement to Build Ammunition Factory in Lithuania
Rheinmetall intends to build a 155 mm ammunition factory in Lithuania to support the country’s security partnership with Germany. On Tuesday, Maximilian Froch, coordinator for strategic program management at Rheinmetall, signed a memorandum of understanding with Lithuanian Minister of Economy and Innovations Ausrine Armonaite and Minister of National Defense Laurynas Kasciunas to begin the processes...
Northrop Grumman Taps L3Harris Support on Triton Uncrewed Aircraft for Australian Air Force
Northrop Grumman Australia said L3Harris will collaborate in its project to supply the MQ-4C Triton multi-intelligence uncrewed aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force. Northrop Grumman will provide four Tritons to the RAAF, with the Australian government awarding the company a contract for another unit in September. Under an interim sustainment support contract, L3Harris will...
US, Allies Publish Joint Guidance on AI System Cybersecurity
Agencies in the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom have issued joint cybersecurity guidance to protect artificial intelligence systems from cyberthreats. The document describes how cyber actors often combine AI and traditional IT infiltration techniques to enable complex cyberattacks that surpass layers of defenses and provides best practices based on the...
US Grants Samsung $6.4B to Manufacture Semiconductors in Central Texas
The United States government is awarding up to $6.4 billion in direct funding to Samsung. On Monday, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo visited the company’s new semiconductor manufacturing facility in Taylor, Texas, where she announced the investment. “We’re saying for the first time ever, Samsung can conduct in the United States of America core...
Iraq Secures US Approval for Proposed $140M Aircraft Contractor Logistics Support
The United States has approved the Iraqi government’s request for aircraft contractor logistics support worth $140 million. Under the proposed foreign military sale, Baghdad will receive aircraft sustainment services for its C-172 and AC/RC-208 fleet. The requirements include technical and proficiency training for Iraqi maintainers and aircrews, spare and repair components, engineering and technical services,...










