Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., has welcomed Turkey’s decision to ratify Sweden’s bid to join NATO. Cardin, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, praised the Turkish Parliament for voting in favor of Sweden’s accession protocol and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who signed the legislation on Thursday. “My approval of Turkey’s request to purchase F-16 aircraft...
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Category: National Security
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US Approves Sale of F-16 Fighting Falcons to Turkey for $23B
The administration of President Joe Biden has approved the sale of F-16 aircraft and related equipment to Turkey. In a Friday press release, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said it notified Congress about the potential foreign military sale of 40 new F-16 aircraft and the modernization of Turkey’s 79 existing fighters for $23 billion. Lockheed Martin...
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US OKs Potential $500M Deal to Provide Croatia With 8 Black Hawk Helicopters
The Department of State has approved a proposed sale of eight UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to Croatia. According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the potential Foreign Military Sale has an estimated cost of $500 million. The FMS deal will boost Croatia’s ability to deter current and future threats, support coalition operations, and promote interoperability...
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CRDF Wins Global Affairs Canada Contract to Implement Programs That Address North Korean Threat
CRDF Global has received a contract from Global Affairs Canada to strengthen the nation’s defenses against North Korea. The Arlington, Virginia-based company will work on four projects that address the regime’s cyber, sanctions evasion and missile proliferation activities. The contract is valued at $1 million. “International collaboration is vital to enhance cybersecurity awareness and sanctions...
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US, Partner Nations Unveil New Programs to Boost Ukraine’s Armor, Drone Capabilities
The U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group has launched new projects to further build up Ukraine’s armor and drone capabilities. At a news briefing on Tuesday, Celeste Wallander, assistant secretary for international security affairs at the Pentagon, said the capability coalition will advance efforts by the UDCG to build a Ukrainian force that can repel Russia’s...
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Pakistan Air Force Claims It Now Has Hypersonic-Capable Missiles
The Pakistan Air Force has announced hypersonic ballistic missile capabilities. In a press release, the PAF revealed that the weapon is part of a wider defense modernization effort aimed at countering evolving threats in the region. Hypersonic ballistic missiles can travel at speeds above Mach 5 or five times the speed of sound. While some existing ballistic...
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German Armed Forces Awards Rheinmetall $380M Puma IFV Ammunition Supply Contract
The German armed forces has ordered $381.1 million worth of 30 mm DM21 ammunition from Rheinmetall for its Puma infantry fighting vehicle’s main armament, an MK30-2/ABM cannon designed to fire airburst rounds. The ammo deliveries are scheduled to start from 2024 up to 2027, with follow-up orders expected. The Puma IFV’s combination of high rapid-fire...
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4 New Vessels Beef Up Turkish Navy Fleet
The Turkish navy has acquired four new ships including the frigate TCG Istanbul, which, according to manufacturer STM, was 80 percent locally made. The other new vessels are the cargo ship TCG Derya, the logistics support ship TCG Lt. Arif Ekmekçi and the armed unmanned surface vessel Marlin. The navy commissioned the ships in a...
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UK Advances DragonFire Laser-Directed Weapon Development
The development of the United Kingdom’s DragonFire laser-directed energy weapon advanced another step with the prototype’s first high-power firing against aerial targets completed at the Ministry of Defence’s Hebrides Range in Scotland. The U.K. Defence Science and Technology Laboratory with the DragonFire partners, composed of MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ, conducted the trial following earlier tests...
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Canadian Navy Takes Command of Multinational Maritime Task Force in Persian Gulf
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...