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January 30, 2024 | International, Land

ANALYSIS | As Europe's armies brace for war, allies call on Canada and others to catch up | CBC News

Across Europe, military leaders are warning that the security climate on the continent has changed radically — and a wider land war is now a possibility. Are European leaders listening? What about Canada?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/nato-russia-ukraine-baltics-1.7098660

On the same subject

  • Britain’s defense ties to the EU are still up in the air post-Brexit

    December 2, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Britain’s defense ties to the EU are still up in the air post-Brexit

    By: Martin Banks BRUSSELS – The Dutch chief of defense says it would be “stupid” if the UK did not continue to be closely involved in EU-funded defense projects even when it is no longer a member of the bloc. But British future involvement in EU-led initiatives such as the European Defence Fund and PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation) remains unclear, with EU member states yet to decide on a legal framework for third-party participation. With Brexit, the UK will technically become an outsider to the European Union's push for greater defense autonomy. That means London will no longer take part in EU decision-making or operational entities, and any British contribution to an EU operation will be subject to the rules that apply to third countries. Adm. Rob Bauer, chief of defense in The Netherlands, told Defense News he believes it is “imperative” that the UK remains “very closely” involved in such projects. Speaking at the sidelines of the annual European Defence Agency conference in Brussels on Thursday, Bauer said, “Remember, from a military point of view, the UK, even after Brexit, will still be a member of NATO and part of Europe. It is leaving the EU, not Europe. If the focus in Europe is on security then the UK should be part of that. To do otherwise would be stupid.” The PESCO initiative aims to develop and deploy forces at the EU level. Nearly 50 projects have been unveiled to date with the aim of pushing member states to work more closely together in the area of security and defense. So far, €13 billion has been allocated to the EDF which seeks to promote cross-border collaboration on defense research and technology projects, plus another €6.5 billion in the pipeline to upgrade roads, bridges, rail lines, ports and airports for military mobility, and €16 billion on space programs. Formal rules on third-party access to PESCO projects and the EDF are still being decided. Discussions are continuing at EU member state level, and no final decision is expected until the UK formally exits the EU, officials here said. London's departure has been delayed for the third time until Jan. 31, 2020. Bauer said, “I have spoken to the Brits about this and they have told me how difficult these discussions have been and continue to be. It is clear that agreement on access is certainly not a done deal.” “But we need to be pragmatic about this and continue to work together in the future.” His comments were broadly echoed by Lieutenant General Franz Leitgeb, Austria's Military Representative to the EU and NATO, another attendee at the EDA summit who told Defense News, “After Brexit, the UK will have third-party status, so third-party partnership rules will apply regarding its contribution to and participation in EU-funded projects like PESCO. “We still need to decide what precisely this means in the UK case but, whatever transpires, the UK has to realise this is a two-way street. That means that if the UK and its defense industry is to have access to EU-funded schemes and projects it has to contribute to these.” “Whatever happens we're going to need the current close relations on defense between the two sides to continue.” Further comment came from Benedikt Zimmer, state secretary at the German defense ministry, who took part in a session on PESCO and the EDF and said, “The more open cooperation is after Brexit, the better.” In a keynote address, Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, warned that UK involvement in EU defense and security would only become clearer once discussions start, probably at the start of 2020, on a political agreement between the two sides. Barnier told the packed audience, comprising senior military officials and personnel, that reaching agreement will be an “enormous challenge,” adding, “I do not want to interfere in the current UK election campaign but I am sure the Brits will still have an appetite for continued cooperation in the defense field. But, even so, they have to realize it will no longer be business as normal. I hope that UK defense companies, providing the rules are met, will still participate in European defense. We have the tools to make it happen but we still need to find a new framework for future cooperation.” More than 50 non-EU states have participated in Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) operations since its first mission in 2003, including four regional powers – namely Turkey, Russia, Brazil and South Africa. The official British position on security and defense is ambitious about the possible scope of the UK-EU relationship post-Brexit, talking about a “deep and special partnership” that would go “beyond existing third country arrangements.” However, little in the recent past suggests the UK would seek much CSDP involvement once no longer a member: the UK has not been the most enthusiastic supporter of the EU's defense agenda thus far, and it's questionable if this would change after Brexit. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/11/29/britains-defense-ties-to-the-eu-are-still-up-in-the-air-post-brexit/

  • Raytheon Intelligence and Space selected to participate in development of the Advanced Battle Management System

    June 17, 2020 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR

    Raytheon Intelligence and Space selected to participate in development of the Advanced Battle Management System

    Arlington, Va., June 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Intelligence and Space, a Raytheon Technologies business (NYSE: RTX), was awarded a multiple award IDIQ to participate in the Air Force's development of the Advanced Battle Management System, a future command and control network that will connect military platforms across the globe, giving military commanders the ability to make decisions faster. Under a multiple award, IDIQ contract valued up to $950 million over the next five years with options beyond, RI&S will participate in the support of the maturation, demonstration and proliferation of capability across platforms and domains to enable Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2). "ABMS will transform the future battlespace for the U.S. Air Force by delivering the right data at the right time to the right people so they can make the right decisions fast," said Barbara Borgonovi, vice president of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems, at Raytheon Intelligence & Space. "This is the first step to delivering the Air Force's vision of JADC2, which will link capabilities across all domains – air, land, sea, cyber and space." To support this effort, RI&S has the opportunity to contribute open systems design, modern software and algorithm development for the future system. Under the terms of the multiple award contract, the Air Force will run competitions under each category that will be issued as task and delivery orders. RI&S will be supported by Raytheon Missiles & Defense. About Raytheon Intelligence & Space Raytheon Intelligence & Space delivers the disruptive technologies our customers need to succeed in any domain, against any challenge. A developer of advanced sensors, training, and cyber and software solutions, Raytheon Intelligence & Space provides a decisive advantage to civil, military and commercial customers in more than 40 countries around the world. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the business generated $15 billion in pro forma annual revenue in 2019 and has 39,000 employees worldwide. Raytheon Intelligence & Space is one of four businesses that form Raytheon Technologies Corporation. About Raytheon Technologies Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. It comprises four industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense. Its 195,000 employees enable the company to operate at the edge of known science as they imagine and deliver solutions that push the boundaries in quantum physics, electric propulsion, directed energy, hypersonics, avionics and cybersecurity. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Media Contact Tamar Brill +1 520. 269.5697 Tamar.Brill@rtx.com SOURCE Raytheon Technologies View source version on Raytheon Company,: https://raytheon.mediaroom.com/2020-06-15-Raytheon-Intelligence-Space-selected-to-participate-in-development-of-the-Advanced-Battle-Management-System

  • Difficultés de financement de la BITD : résultats du rapport de l’Assemblée nationale

    February 18, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Difficultés de financement de la BITD : résultats du rapport de l’Assemblée nationale

    DÉFENSE Difficultés de financement de la BITD : résultats du rapport de l'Assemblée nationale À l'issue de quatre mois de travaux, les députés Françoise Ballet-Blu (LaREM, Vienne) et Jean-Louis Thiériot (LR, Seine-et-Marne), rapporteurs de la mission sur le financement de la base industrielle et technologique de défense (BITD), ont confirmé lors de la présentation du rapport qu'il existe bien une réticence des banques à financer les industries de la défense. Jean-Louis Thiériot accorde un entretien à La Tribune. « Le GICAT a raison à 80%. Il existe une vraie frilosité concernant le financement de l'exportation vers certains pays. Le GICAT a parfaitement raison de tirer la sonnette d'alarme », souligne-t-il.« Les auditions que nous avons menées ont confirmé deux tendances profondes qui rythment désormais la vie des entreprises de défense : les règles de « compliance », notamment la loi Sapin 2, renforcent considérablement les exigences imposées aux entreprises, et le risque réputationnel est devenu absolument majeur pour les banques », explique M. Thiériot, qui conclut : « pour sauver notre industrie d'armement, qui est indispensable à notre modèle de défense, basé à la fois sur une production nationale et à l'exportation, il faudra, d'une manière ou d'une autre, trouver une structure publique de financement de l'industrie de défense et de ses exportations ». Les députés proposent, par exemple, de créer un label industrie de souveraineté pour les PME/PMI, afin de leur permettre de mieux négocier leurs demandes de crédits. Ils proposent aussi qu'une mission d'accompagnement des PME à la conformité soit confiée à l'Agence française anticorruption et à Bpifrance. Ils plaident, de plus, pour déplafonner les seuils d'intervention de Bpifrance s'agissant des crédits export, en passant de 25 à 50 millions d'euros pour les financements en solitaire et de 75 à 100 millions pour les opérations en cofinancement. Enfin, ils demandent que la Banque européenne d'investissement (BEI) devienne un acteur du financement de la défense. Les Echos et La Tribune du 18 février

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