Weekly News Update: July 7, 2023
1 - 7 Jul 2023
Good morning and happy belated Independence Day!
It’s a great week to remember that America is a great country and that while our “great experiment” is fragile, we will prevail!
Highlights from this week include Barbie wading into geopolitics, the U.S. giving cluster bombs to Ukraine, China continuing to try and expand its clout both in Asia and abroad, and the final launch of Europe’s Ariane-5 rocket.
Read more below.
Weekly News Round Up
Military
Europe, Russia, the Arctic, NATO, and the war in Ukraine
After a two week lull, Russia restarts drone strikes against Ukraine (MT)
U.S. to provide cluster bombs to Ukraine (MT)
NATO extends Stoltenberg’s mandate as Secretary General, again (AP)
Turkey continues to Turk-up Sweden’s accession to NATO (AP)
Belarus claims that Wagner Group head, Prigozhin, still in Russia (NBC)
Neutral Austria and Switzerland will join European air defense project (DN)
Germany unveils increased defense budget (DN)
China, Korea, and Asia
U.S. flies nuclear bombers in show-of-force to N. Korea (MT)
North Korean spy satellite not advanced enough to spy from space, says South Korea (C4)
China accuses U.S. of turning Taiwan into powder keg with arms sales (DN)
Taiwan military holds live fire exercise on strategic south coast (RT)
Japan will host U.S. Army’s watercraft company in Pacific (S&S)
Vietnam bans Barbie movie over China-friendly map (BBC)
Middle East and Africa
Israel launches major operation in West Bank city, Jenin (BBC)
Israeli Air Force attacks Syria (AP)
Iran attempts to seize U.S. ship in Straits of Hormuz (NI)
Russian jets continue to harass U.S. drones over Syria (MT)
Pakistan gets $3 billion bailout from IMF (DN)
Chinese navy makes a rare foray into Western Africa with Nigeria call (RT)
U.S. Defense modernization and innovation
CJCS: Military must speed up modernization (S&S)
Lawmaker summons Pentagon official over canceled travel software (DN)
Under-resourced air defense units are under strain of too many missions (CNN)
GAO: Defense Department needs widespread AI acquisition guidance (FOX)
DoD looks to curb Chinese, Russian influence on academia (MT)
Pentagon won’t work with movie studios bowing to Chinese censorship (Pol)
Pentagon calls for better weapons to counter AI (MCT)
Congress saves the Navy’s Snakehead UUV program (BD)
Air Force tests new drone airspace management software (ASF)
C-17 airmen try out new chemical protective gear (ASF)
U.S. Defense Industry News
Aerospace and defense company L3Harris Technologies is exploring a sale of its avionics business, which could fetch ~$1B (BBG)
Israel to buy more F-35s from the U.S. (AP)
BAE showcases recon amphibious vehicle, plans recovery variant (MT)
RTX wins Army $117 million infrared sensor deal (C4)
Navy set to lose out on jets due to row with Boeing (Pol)
New Germany fuselage factory will allow Lockheed to boost F-35 production (DO)
Orbital Sidekick takes hyperspectral imaging from garage to the Pentagon (BD)
Foreign Defense Industry News
Estonia continues to explore ground robots, despite slow progress (C4)
Germany’s Rheinmettall selects site to build at least 400 F-35 fuselages (BD)
U.K. seals Typhoon radar upgrade with $1.1B award (DN)
Nordic firms ride wave of cyber M&A activity (C4)
Space
U.S. concerns rise over threats from China’s commercial space activities (DO)
U.S. DoD wants to explore cargo delivery from space (ASF)
Ariane-5 rocket flies for the last time (BBC)
Planetary scientists discover huge granite deposit on far side of the moon (SCI)
Starlink radiation could interfere with radio astronomy (Sp)
Hawkeye 360 to monitor illegal fishing in Pacific Islands (SN)
NASA’s X-59 supersonic test jet nears first flight (DT)
Nuclear Power & Weapons
Ukraine, Russia continue to blame each other for planning to blow up nuclear plant at Zaporizhzhia (AP)
IAEA ok’s Japan plan to release Fukushima waste water (NPR)
Lukashenko claims veto authority over Russian use of nukes staged in Belarus (RT)
Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Energy, and other cool tech
Laser fusion startup EX-Fusion raised a ~$13M seed round led by ANRI, Nissay Capital, Delight Ventures, and more (FN)
Lighter Side
Fireworks vs Supermoon (Image Credit & Copyright: Michael Seeley)
Keep building!
Andrew