Defence`s Feeds

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

How Are Modern Battled Fought: The Use of Chemical Weapons

Italian Trieste Amphibious Assault Ship

SEDE organises a public hearing on 'Opportunities and challenges of the use of Artificial Intelligence - enabled
systems in security and defence' on Tuesday 3 December 2019, from 10.30 to 12.30hrs in room SPINELLI 3E2, with external experts.
Further information
Programme
Poster
Presentations by speakers
Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

SEDE organised a public hearing on 'Opportunities and challenges of the use of Artificial Intelligence - enabled systems in security and defence' on 3 December 2019 with external experts.
Location : SPINELLI 3E2
Further information
Programme
Poster
Presentation by Jean-François RIPOCHE, Director of Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI), European Defence Agency (EDA)
Presentation by Maaike VERBRUGGEN, Doctoral Researcher at the International Security Cluster, Institute for European Studies (IES) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Presentation by Dr Mariarosaria TADDEO, Researcher Fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) and Deputy Director of the Digital Ethics Lab.
Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

China's PHL-16 Multiple Launch Rocket System

OCCAR Director Matteo Bisceglia today visited EDA to discuss with Chief Executive Jorge Domecq bilateral cooperation and programmes of relevance to both organisations.  

EDA-OCCAR cooperation has deepened significantly since the signature of an Administrative Arrangement in 2012. As privileged partners in the field of defence capabilities development, EDA and OCCAR share information on projects and programmes of common interest throughout their lifecycle, helping to guarantee a seamless handover in each case, with both parties remaining involved and informed at every stage.  

Today was the second meeting between Mr Bisceglia and Mr Domecq, their discussions mainly focused on the state of play of bilateral cooperation to support key programmes and activities, including the Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF), MALE RPAS and ESSOR. Mr Domecq outlined EDA’s latest developments in these projects, notably the recent high-level coordination mechanism for RPAS ATI held at EDA and updates from the European Secure Software Defined Radio (ESSOR) workshops.  

“I believe that EDA and OCCAR cooperation avoids duplication in the European armament field. We have to take stock and make use of the available resources, and OCCAR has 20 years of proven record in the successful delivery of complex armament programmes. 

I am also convinced that together EDA and OCCAR, in line with our own complementary responsibilities, represent a real strong tool to launch and execute all sorts of programmes for the benefit of the European Nations”, Mr Bisceglia said.   

Mr Bisceglia and Mr Domecq also discussed EDA-OCCAR interaction in areas such as REACH and the Military Airworthiness Authorities Forum.     

“EDA and OCCAR are two important actors in European defence cooperation, our close relationship has been extremely positive for our organisations, programmes and defence cooperation in general, which have all benefited from each other’s expertise”, Mr Domecq commented.

 

An important step towards incentivising and facilitating the launch of collaborative defence capability and research programmes in Europe was made today when Alexander Stubb, the Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), signed the programme arrangement setting up a Cooperative Financial Mechanism (CFM). The signing took place during a meeting with EDA Chief Jorge Domecq at the Agency’s premises. Initiated by EDA, the CFM was negotiated over the past three years. It is designed to overcome the recurrent problem of unsynchronised defence budgets in participating Member States which can hinder or impede the launch of collaborative defence projects. 

So far, 10 participating Member States (Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain) have already signed the Programme Arrangement or declared their intention to join the programme. More countries signalled their willingness to join the programme in the coming weeks. Developed as a so-called ‘Category A’ programme of the Agency, the CFM is entirely voluntary. Member States can freely decide if they wish to participate, contribute and support projects. 

Today, the launch of collaborative defence capability and research projects is sometimes delayed or hampered by the fact that defence budgetary availabilities might differ among partners, for instance for an unexpected budgetary restriction or a shift in national priorities. As a result, it happens that countries interested in a collaborative project cannot join or have to postpone their participation because the required funding is not approved or available at a particular moment. The CFM, acting as trusted platform offering mutual inter-state help, or alternatively outside support from the EIB, was established to mitigate this problem. It will enter into force at the date of the signature of the last country having declared its intention to join.

EDA Chief Jorge Domecq stated: “The Agency’s role is to promote and incentivise collaborative defence projects in Europe and to help create the right conditions for that. The CFM adds a very powerful instrument to our toolbox in the context of an enhanced momentum for defence cooperation fostered by the EU defence initiatives. In future, mismatching budgetary cycles or provisional gaps in funding should no longer exclude member states from participating in multinational programmes”. 

EIB Vice-President Alexander Stubb commented: “Europe has to be at the forefront of the development of key strategic defence technologies, including AI and digitalisation. With cooperation we can improve EU efficiency and innovation ability and strengthen EU capacity to prevent and respond to hybrid threats. A lack of access to suitable financing solutions allowing to better synchronize joint resources is seen as one of the major impediments to the launch or implementation of defence related cooperative projects. This is where the EU bank comes into play. Via the CFM, the EIB can strengthen its lending in support of public sector projects, with, inter alia, potential investments in the fields of dual-use RDI of defence or cybersecurity technologies, including projects envisaged under the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation PESCO.”
 

Two pillar structure

The CFM will be structured in two pillars:

• the first pillar foresees the European Investment Bank (EIB) as the sole lender through the conclusion of bilateral framework loan agreements between EIB and the interested Member State having joined the CFM arrangement (CFM Member). To obtain the EIB’s financial support, projects submitted must respect the eligibility requirements set by the Bank’s lending policy, while the volume of the lending facility and the interest rate applied are negotiated on a case-by-case basis by the EIB and the interested CFM Member. The EIB involvement is supported and facilitated by the EDA which will act as the ‘Facility Agent’ on behalf of EIB under its instructions and responsibility, serving as a primary point of contact between the EIB and the beneficiary CFM Member in the technical assessment of the feasibility of each project;

• the second pillar provides for a State-to-State support facility, through a system of reimbursable advances and deferred payments. It can be used to support any defence related project. The facility is structured as a set of individual bank accounts which are opened and managed by the EDA under the control of the CFM Members. Within that pillar, any CFM Member can submit a request for financial support to other CFM Members being part of a same collaborative project. While the Programme Arrangement provides the overarching legal framework setting the general requirements and conditions for State-to-State support, the specific conditions of each advance will be set out in separate agreements to be concluded between the supporting CFM Member, the beneficiary CFM Member and the EDA, as facilitator.
  The administrative and operational costs of the CFM will be covered by existing EDA resources meaning CFM Members will not have to bear additional costs for the management of the mechanism. Notwithstanding any financial support granted under the CFM, projects or programmes subject to such financial support will remain at all times governed and managed according to their own rules.
   

More information:

• European Defence Agency and European Investment Bank sign cooperation agreement (Feb 2018)

 

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Sudan's new Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, says he believes there is no military solution to the ongoing conflict in Yemen, which has been under Saudi-led aggression since March 2015.

In line with retaliatory attacks on positions of Saudi forces in the kingdom, Yemeni army soldiers and fighters from allied Popular Committees have killed two Saudi soldiers in the southern border region of Jizan.

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has said he plans to shift the US military's focus away from the Middle East and toward countering what he characterized as "revisionist powers" of Russia and China.

Lebanon's new government must have a plan to immediately carry out reforms in the cash-strapped country, says a lawmaker from the Hezbollah resistance movement, stressing that "chances of a solution to the crisis have not been eliminated."

The Palestinian Hamas resistance movement has warned of an "upcoming outburst of rage" against the Israeli occupying regime over its persistent violations against the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of Jerusalem, al-Quds, and Muslim worshipers in the complex.

The United States and Taliban officials have announced a resumption of official negotiations for the first time since U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly halted talks three months ago to end the 18-year war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered preparations for a possible military operation against Islamist militants in the Gaza Strip after rockets had been fired at Israel on 7 December.

The leader of the House of Representatives committee weighing articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump contended Sunday that there is a "rock solid case" against the U.S. leader.

Lebanese businessman Samir al-Khatib, one of the leading candidates for the position of prime minister, has withdrawn his candidacy to lead the next government, paving the way for caretaker Prime Minister Sa'ad al-Hariri to re-emerge for the job.

Thousands of Ukrainians gathered in downtown Kyiv on December 8 under the banner "Red Lines For Ze" and calling for a tough stance from President Volodymyr Zelenskiy when he joins the leaders of France, Germany, and Russia for peace talks in Paris on December 9.