Mideast Africa

Lebanese general: Special forces must overcome significant challenges

Building for the future is a challenging task among constraints, crises and ubiquitous pressures, but it has become necessary.

Edge CEO: Security is no longer defined by only what you can see

Making innovation second nature is likely to become a key determinant between nation-states that progress and thrive into the future and those that face significant challenges in their efforts to self-actualize.

Egyptian defense expo highlights homemade tech to counter small drones

The Arab Organization for Industrialization and Benha Electronics each showed off their locally made systems.

France signs $18B weapons deal with UAE

The deal aims to boost military cooperation in the Persian Gulf amid shared concerns about Iran.

Egypt unveils locally made drones at EDEX 2021

The show was scheduled to take place in 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Morocco buys Israeli counter-drone system Skylock Dome

The Moroccan Royal Armed Forces says it has intensified its counter-drone acquisitions toward improving recognition and neutralization of UAV threats.

Pakistan resumes armor modernization as terror threat recedes

With India having ordered advanced T-90MS tanks, built a fleet of T-90As and upgraded most of its T-72M1 fleet, Pakistan is countering with its own acquisition and upgrade programs.

Israel’s Elbit, Roboteam unveil ‘Rook’ ground robot

The companies say Rook is a multi-payload military vehicle that features “unique design and built-in autonomy suite offering a combination of greater capacity, improved maneuverability and must-have on-field agility that are key for greater mission effectiveness.”

Niger becomes first foreign customer of Turkey’s Hurkus aircraft

Officials have not disclosed the quantity and exact variant associated with the order, but a recent interview hints at 12 Hurkus-C aircraft.

Israeli, Emirati companies partner up on unmanned surface vessels

IAI and Edge Group also revealed the establishment of a maintenance center in the United Arab Emirates for the former’s electro-optics systems.

UAE Air Force awards $3 billon maintenance contact to local firm GAL

To fulfil this agreement, GAL signed another contract with a separate Edge subsidiary, AMMROC, to perform the maintenance at the latter’s Al Ain facility, which was first unveiled at the 2019 Dubai Airshow.

Saudi Arabia has no interest in the S-400, says Russian industry official

But Rostec is still moving forward with an agreement with India for the S-400, and that the program is on schedule.

Al Tariq boosts Mk 83 bomb’s range and precision

Al Tariq has integrated a long-range precision-guided munitions kit onto a 1,000-pound high-speed, low-drag Mk 83 bomb, giving it the lonest range of its kind worldwide at 120 kilometers, the Emirate company told Defense News.

Emirati conglomerate unveils two drones and a weapons system

Emirati conglomerate Edge Group has unveiled a series of vertical-takeoff-and-landing drones as well as a precision-guided munition system.

Commentary

Expand Israel-Arab-US military drills to counter Iran and its proxies

The primary catalyst for this growing Israeli-Arab security cooperation is Iran’s continued efforts to sow instability and export terrorism throughout the Middle East.

UAE pursues better border security collaboration, more domestic capabilities

The United Arab Emirates has created a new border security organization to improve coordination between its seven emirates and their array of capabilities, which the country hopes to bolster with locally made systems.

Israel’s Elbit to make land surveillance system for Cyprus

Reports have surmised the system will be for the Green Line in Cyprus, which divides the island between the Turkish-administered northern part and the government of Cyprus.

Abu Dhabi’s dilemma: Will the UAE ever operate the F-35?

Talks over tech agreements. Debates about system integration. Concerns over cooperation with China and Russia. These are some of the pressure points involved in negotiations between the UAE and the U.S. over an F-35 deal.

Lebanon’s four border regiments prepare for new phase in filling security gaps

Lebanon is to begin the second phase of a two-step process to fill security gaps along its border with Syria, the head of Lebanon’s Joint Border Security Committee has told Defense News.

With Afghanistan off-limits, US hunts for safe airspace as Mideast mission continues

“The question is, over the horizon capability to do what?” former Air Combat Command head Hawk Carlisle said. “There’s a lot of stuff that still has to be worked out.”

Israel tests massive inflatable missile detection system

The High Availability Aerostat System resembles a giant blimp or zeppelin.

Special ops task force in Middle East restructured for ‘broad, regional’ ISIS fight

The new task force, called Special Operations Joint Task Force-Levant, was stood up quietly on July 1.

Bell rolls out first AH-1Z helicopter for Bahrain

Textron subsidiary Bell has completed the first of 12 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters for Bahrain, delivering it to U.S. Naval Air Systems Command as part of a 2019 Foreign Military Sales contract.

Turkish producer to supply aerostat systems to Iraq

Otonom Teknoloji, a privately owned Turkish defense technology company, has said it signed a deal with the Iraqi government for supplying aerostat and airship systems.

Turkish-Qatari venture BMC facing liquidity challenges

A trade union representative said that the company recently laid off nearly 30 white-collar workers. Blue-collar workers fear mass redundancies or unpaid leaves may follow.