Defense & Security

Connecticut Man Admits to Attempting to Travel to Fight for ISIS
Counterterrorism and Homeland Security, Defense & Security

Connecticut Man Admits to Attempting to Travel to Fight for ISIS

Kevin Iman McCormick, 29, of Hamden, pleaded guilty on January 12 in federal court to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. According to court documents and statements made in court, between August and October 2019, McCormick made several statements to others expressing a desire to travel to Syria and to fight for ISIS. In one conversation in October 2019, McCormick stated, “I gotta fight bro, because those people, Abu Masa and ISIL, they fought for me bro, I know it, I can feel it, in my heart. So it’s my time to fight . . . It just is what it is bro, it’s just my – it’s just my time to go bro.” When McCormick was asked to elaborate on where he would like to travel, McCormick responded, “I do...
Security policy is more than defence with weapons
Geopolitics and International Security

Security policy is more than defence with weapons

By Herbert Wulf If our societies are to become resilient and sustainable, our priorities must change towards de-escalation including in diplomacy and economy. utin's war against Ukraine has not only damaged the international cooperative security architecture, it has permanently destroyed it. The Helsinki Act of 1975, the Charter of Paris of 1990 and the NATO-Russia Founding Act of 1997 created a basis for security cooperation in Europe – even 'a new era of democracy, peace and unity', as the Charter of Paris was euphorically titled. At least, that is how the heads of state saw it in the decade after the end of the Cold War. Today, the war in Ukraine casts a long shadow over European and global security. Cooperation and collaboration have been replaced by military confrontation. Econ...
Poland, France sign contract for two military observation satellites
Space Defense

Poland, France sign contract for two military observation satellites

The two satellites will strengthen the Polish Army’s reconnaissance capabilities to detect potential threats. The Polish Ministry of National Defence (MND) has announced signing a contract with France to procure two military observation satellites for its armed forces.   The deal was finalised during French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s visit to Warsaw on 27 December, where he met Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister Mariusz Błaszczak. The two officials jointly approved the signing of a contract between the Polish Armament Agency and the European defence company Airbus and its French division. As part of the contract, Airbus will provide two reconnaissance satellites for the Polish Army, along with a receiving station in Poland. Lecornu said: “Our signing of this agreement ...
Turkish, Russian, Syrian defense chiefs talked counterterrorism efforts in Moscow: Akar
Counterterrorism and Homeland Security

Turkish, Russian, Syrian defense chiefs talked counterterrorism efforts in Moscow: Akar

The Turkish, Russian, and Syrian defense ministers met in Moscow on Wednesday and discussed counterterrorism efforts in the region, Türkiye's defense chief said on Thursday. "At the meeting, we discussed what could be done to improve the situation in Syria and the region as soon as possible, while ensuring peace, tranquility and stability," said Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar before returning to Ankara from Moscow. Noting that Türkiye has emphasized its counterterrorism efforts during the meeting, Akar said: "We emphasized that we respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty rights of all our neighbors, especially Syria and Iraq, and that our sole aim is the fight against terrorism, we have no other purpose." Türkiye also noted that it aims to "neutralize" PKK/YPG,...
The Swedish Air Force prepares for the next 20 years
Europe, Defense Strategy and Capabilities

The Swedish Air Force prepares for the next 20 years

As part of a military strategic analysis study up to 2045, the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) designed its roadmap for the next two decades, which will guide its expansion and modernization. The study, conducted for the entire Swedish Armed Forces, seeks to guide decisions on defense policy towards 2045. It echoes the war in Ukraine and Sweden’s future membership in the NATO structure, which marks a turning point for the country after decades of strategic neutrality. As a NATO ally, the study presupposes an increase in the threshold for armed Russian attacks against Sweden, while changing the threat landscape and increasing the risk of military activities on the country’s borders. The outcome of the war in Ukraine is unknown and the regional and global consequences are difficult to pr...
Processes and Trends of Global Jihad on the African Continent
Africa, Counterterrorism and Homeland Security

Processes and Trends of Global Jihad on the African Continent

On May 11th, 2022, the anti-IS international coalition addressed the jihadi organizations’ expanding footprint in Africa as a growing threat to world security. As a rule, the presence of jihad on the African continent has been on the rise since the early 2000s. It grew thanks to basic African characteristics such as lack of governability, problematic political culture, corruption, and weak socio-economic position. The strategy employed by global jihadi organizations in Africa includes Dawah activity alongside enforcement of Sharia law on the local population in regions that lack state security forces presence and therefore are at the mercy of the terrorist organizations. With this state of affairs, the territorial and ideologic spread of the terrorist organizations without a massive counte...
Nigeria Inaugurates Integrated Satellite, DELSAT-1
Space Defense

Nigeria Inaugurates Integrated Satellite, DELSAT-1

The Federal Government of Nigeria has inaugurated an integrated satellite called DELSAT-1 to enhance the operational capacity of the Nigerian armed forces against insecurity. This will assist in realising the nation’s sectoral strategies that respond to identified threats to Nigeria’s national interests, such as the National Defense Policy, National Counter Terrorism Strategy and the National Policy on Public Safety and Security. Additionally, the satellite project will facilitate job creation and the expansion of the nation’s digital economy. In the contemporary world, the issue of security is integral to any form of development; thus, countries attach great importance to the survival of their state and citizens. In addition, the state is positioned to respond to security threats as se...
Botswana Develops Security Strategy to Counter Terrorism Threat
Counterterrorism and Homeland Security

Botswana Develops Security Strategy to Counter Terrorism Threat

GABORONE, BOTSWANA — Botswana is developing a national security strategy amid fears of heightened terrorism threats. The country's minister of defense, Kagiso Mmusi, addressed parliament Thursday. "The emerging global security challenges, such as cybercrime, terrorism, poaching, human trafficking, distribution of drugs, money laundering and transnational organized crimes, continue to threaten Botswana's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Irregular migration also poses a threat to multilateralism," Mmusi said. To this end, he said, a strategy to counter possible acts of terrorism and other national security threats is being developed. "In an effort to address the above-mentioned global challenges, the country is developing the national security strategy. Botswana will ensure the per...
Azerbaijan may freeze assets of mass destruction weapon distributors
Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation

Azerbaijan may freeze assets of mass destruction weapon distributors

Assets of distributors of mass destruction weapons may be frozen in Azerbaijan, Trend reports. This issue was reflected in a bill ‘On targeted financial sanctions' put up for discussion at a joint meeting of the Azerbaijani Parliament’s committees on defense, security and combating corruption and the Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship, held on December 7. According to the bill, targeted financial sanctions have a preventive character and envisage a number of measures aimed at preventing the financing of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. These measures include the immediate freezing of assets, and the prohibition of the provision of individuals and institutions subject to sanctions, assets, economic resources, and financial and oth...
AI In Space And Its Future Use In Warfare
Space Defense

AI In Space And Its Future Use In Warfare

Artificial intelligence (AI) has graduated from the hype stage of the last decade and its use cases are now well documented, spanning a wide range from healthcare applications to autonomous vehicles – but its introduction to warfare will likely be the deciding factor in who will dominate the information age. Today, AI machine learning algorithms support a whole host of media and web-based consumer platforms. Much like the aviation and nuclear technologies adopted in decades past, AI techniques are relatively neutral; however, properly harnessed AI technology will afford an asymmetric advantage that advances and adapts far more quickly than previous technologies. Since AI is largely software running on commercial processors it doesn’t require the decade long development cycles of nuclear...