Latest news with #USDefenceSecurityCooperationAgency
Gulf Today
04-05-2025
- Business
- Gulf Today
US gives initial approval for $3.5b missile sale to Saudi Arabia
The United States has given initial approval to sell $3.5 billion worth of air-to-air missiles for Saudi Arabia's fighter jets, the latest proposed arms deal for the region ahead of President Donald Trump 's planned trip to the region later this month. The sale, announced early on Saturday, likely will be one of several heralded by Trump on his visit to the kingdom. Saudi Arabia has already said it wants to invest $600 billion in the United States over the next four years, likely as a way to woo Trump to again pick the kingdom for his first formal trip as president. Trump travelled to Italy briefly for Pope Francis' funeral. Trump's 2017 trip to Saudi Arabia upended a tradition of modern US presidents typically first heading to Canada, Mexico or the United Kingdom for their first trip abroad. It also underscored his administration's close ties to the Rulers of the Gulf states as his eponymous real estate company has pursued deals across the region. The arms sale involves 1,000 AIM-120C-8 advanced medium range air-to-air missiles, guidance sections and other technical support. The missiles will be built by RTX Corp of Tucson, Ariz. The Royal Saudi Air Force has the world's second-largest fleet of F-15 fighter jets after the US. "This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that contributes to political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region,' the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement. The proposed sale now goes to the US Congress. Lawmakers typically weigh in on such sales and, in some cases, can block them. Trump maintained close ties to the Gulf states after leaving office. His second administration has already given initial approval for the energy-rich Qatar to buy eight armed MQ-9B Reaper drones for its military, a purchase estimated to be worth nearly $2 billion. Associated Press
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
US approves HawkEye 360 sale to boost India's surveillance
NEW DELHI: In a move to boost New Delhi's surveillance power amid heightened military tension, the US state department has approved the sale of HawkEye 360 technology to India, which will help the country gain maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific, aided by a growing constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit. The proposed sale, the state department statement said, "will improve India's capabilities to meet current and future threats by bolstering its maritime domain awareness, analytical abilities and strategic posture". A US Defence Security Cooperation Agency statement said New Delhi requested purchase of the SeaVision software, including its preferred software enhancements, training as a technical assistance field team, remote software, analytic support, documents, and other logistics and programme support elements. The estimated total cost is $131 million. "The principal contractor will be Hawkeye360, located in Herndon, Virginia," the statement said. HawkEye 360, an American geospatial analytics private company, collects and analyses radio frequency (RF) signal location with a constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit. These satellites detect and geolocate radio frequency (RF) emissions. They track communication signals from ships, aircraft, vehicles, and coastal systems. Some vessels, which 'go dark' to roam undetected in disputed areas and evade tracking after turning off their Automatic Identification System (AIS), can also be detected with this advanced technology. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 17+ Actors You Didn't Know Were Gay - No. 8 Will Shock Women Journalistate Undo Indian forces can now identify illegal fishing, smuggling and perform effective surveillance in the Indian Ocean Region with the help of this technology. With this technology, India gains deeper visibility across its Exclusive Economic Zone. Currently, the Indian Navy uses i reconnaissance aircraft and Sea Guardian drones to monitor strategic locations and detect vessels keeping their AIS switched off. The Hawkeye 360 system uses Electro-Optical, Infrared (IR), and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) as additional layers. Each layer improves detection, verification and classification of threats.
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Business Standard
03-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
US approves $3.5 bn missile sale to Saudi ahead of Trump's planned visit
The United States has given initial approval to sell $3.5 billion worth of air-to-air missiles for Saudi Arabia's fighter jets, the latest proposed arms deal for the region ahead of President Donald Trump 's planned trip to the region later this month. The sale, announced early Saturday, likely will be one of several heralded by Trump on his visit to the kingdom. Saudi Arabia has already said it wants to invest $600 billion in the United States over the next four years, likely as a way to woo Trump to again pick the kingdom for his first formal trip as president. Trump travelled to Italy briefly for Pope Francis' funeral. Trump's 2017 trip to Saudi Arabia upended a tradition of modern US presidents typically first heading to Canada, Mexico or the United Kingdom for their first trip abroad. It also underscored his administration's close ties to the rulers of the oil-rich Gulf states as his eponymous real estate company has pursued deals across the region. The arms sale involves 1,000 AIM-120C-8 advanced medium range air-to-air missiles, guidance sections and other technical support. The missiles will be built by RTX Corp of Tucson, Ariz. The Royal Saudi Air Force has the world's second-largest fleet of F-15 fighter jets after the US. This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that contributes to political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement. The proposed sale now goes to the US Congress. Lawmakers typically weigh in on such sales and, in some cases, can block them. Saudi Arabia has faced intense Congressional scrutiny for years, first for launching a war on Yemen's Houthi rebels back in 2015 that saw the kingdom's airstrikes kill civilians. Then a Saudi assassination team killed Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018. The US intelligence community concluded the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who likely will meet Trump on his visit this month and met with President Joe Biden in his term, ordered the operation against Khashoggi. The kingdom insists the prince was not involved in the killing. Trump maintained close ties to the Gulf states after leaving office. His second administration has already given initial approval for the energy-rich Mideast nation of Qatar to buy eight armed MQ-9B Reaper drones for its military, a purchase estimated to be worth nearly $2 billion.
The Print
02-05-2025
- Business
- The Print
India to get HawkEye 360 tech from the US. Here's how it spots ‘dark vessels'
The proposed sale, the statement said, would improve Indian capabilities to meet current and future threats by bolstering its maritime domain awareness, analytical abilities, and strategic posture. The deal costs an estimated USD 131 million. A US Defence Security Cooperation Agency statement said India requested to buy the SeaVision software, including its preferred software enhancements, training as a technical assistance field team, remote software, analytic support, documents, and other logistics and programme support elements. New Delhi: As part of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or QUAD, the US State Department has approved the sale of the HawkEye 360 technology to India, with the Indian Navy set to gain Indo-Pacific maritime domain awareness, aided by a growing constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit. Equipped with the technology, the Indian Navy can improve its checks on illegal fishing, smuggling, trafficking, and piracy. The US defence agency also said the sale would help strengthen US-India ties and ensure the security of a major defence partner that continued to be a key force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asian regions, in a reference to India. What is HawkEye 360 HawkEye 360, an American geospatial analytics private company headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, collects and analyses radio frequency (RF) signal location with a constellation of satellites. It is the first commercial company to detect, geolocate, and characterise a wide range of RF signals from low-earth orbit satellites, working in clusters of three to provide space-based rapid frequency (RF) sensing and delivering early indicators of human activities and greater awareness through the mapping of RF energy. Now, most navies, including India's, use the automatic identification system (AIS) to monitor shipping activity. However, some vessels are known to 'go dark' and turn off AIS to roam undetected in disputed areas. This could create a 'dead zone', giving the monitoring parties a false sense of ongoing activities where none exist. The Indian Navy now uses P8i aircraft and Sea Guardian drones to monitor strategic locations and detect vessels keeping their AIS switched off. Among the services offered by HawkEye 360 are maritime domain awareness and analytics that combine AIS with unique RF data to improve monitoring and detection of 'dark vessel' activity, supporting organisations in suppressing and interdicting illegal fishing, smuggling, trafficking, piracy, and more. It means HawkEye 360 can track vessels, which have switched off their AIS, on the high seas. The new technology will improve monitoring of critical areas by the Indian Navy. The navy will get automatic analytics for vessels that show gaps in AIS over an extended time multiple times a day, and the ability to correlate unknown signal activity and potential suspicious behaviour. In July 2024, after the four-nation Quad foreign ministers meeting in Tokyo, the Grouping announced expanding its ambitious Indo-Pacific maritime domain awareness to the Indian Ocean region to monitor the strategic waters amid concerns over China's growing forays. The Indo-Pacific maritime domain awareness, whose launch was first announced in May 2022, allows partner countries to fully monitor waters on their shores and ensure peace and stability. The initiative will supply data to counter illicit naval activities and respond to climate-related and humanitarian events. The Indian Navy earlier established the Information Fusion Centre in the Indian Ocean Region in 2018 to track shipping traffic and other critical developments, effectively. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: In touch with both India & Pakistan, US calls for 'responsible' solution after Pahalgam attack
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Business Standard
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
US approves $131 mn arms deal with India to boost Indo-Pacific vigilance
The United States has approved a potential $131 million foreign military sale to India aimed at significantly enhancing its maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific, a move seen as deepening defence ties amid rising strategic challenges in the region. Announced by the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on Wednesday, the deal includes the delivery of advanced SeaVision software, designed to enhance real-time maritime surveillance, along with technical training, analytic support, and other logistics services. 'The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to India of Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness and related equipment,' the DSCA said in a statement, confirming that it had also notified Congress of the proposed sale. India's request includes SeaVision software enhancements, access to system documentation, remote analytic assistance, and the deployment of a Technical Assistance Field Team (TAFT) for training purposes. The principal contractor is expected to be Hawkeye 360, a space-based radio frequency data analytics company headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. The US Department of State posted on social media platform X, saying, 'State Dept authorises a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case for India to purchase Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness software and related equipment for an estimated cost of $131 million.' In its official release, the DSCA stated that the proposed sale would support US foreign policy and national security objectives by reinforcing its strategic relationship with India, designated a major defence partner. 'The proposed sale will improve India's capability to meet current and future threats by bolstering its maritime domain awareness, analytical capabilities, and strategic posture,' the agency said, adding that the sale would not alter the basic military balance in the region. The move comes at a time when India has been investing heavily in strengthening its coastal defences and naval reach amid growing Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean and broader Indo-Pacific corridor. The SeaVision system is expected to help India improve tracking of maritime assets, detect illicit activity, and enhance joint maritime operations with partner countries. India and the US are also engaged in bilateral trade agreement talks. India is expected to be the first nation to secure new trade terms with the Trump administration following the announcement of reciprocal tariffs by the US president on April 2.
