National Reconnaissance Office

Quad's China maritime surveillance projects get off to shaky start 

Japan and Australia have been the most responsive in implementing a common Indo-Pacific satellite maritime surveillance system for the Quad Indo-Pacific intelligence partnership, but national differences in capacity are hampering integration.

Freshly indicted Gal Luft put a stable of former spymasters in positions at his Washington-area, Chinese-linked think tanks 

Former CIA director James Woolsey had plenty of former senior intelligence and national security officials for company at two organisations operated by Israeli consultant Gal Luft, who is charged with secretly working to advance Beijing's interests.

Finland takes lead in European strategic space industry 

Having abandoned its neutrality in the face of Russia's war on Ukraine, Finland is making its mark in intelligence and space technology. After the rise to prominence of ICEYE, a second Finnish geospatial intelligence company, Kuva Space, is entering orbit.

Earth observation SPACs seek best political and financial strategy 

Planet, Blacksky and Satellogic, which launched on the stock market through a SPAC, have situations and strategies that are very different, particularly in export markets.

• PRAGUE - Italian technical intelligence providers out in force at ISS

• PARIS - Romain Waller appointed Ercom MD

• SINGAPORE - XM Cyber poaches from Anomali to open Singapore office

• TOKYO - ShadowDragon turns to Cyber Defense to enter Japanese market

• WASHINGTON - Google back in the Pentagon via New Delhi

Imagery wars: Pentagon impervious to SAR constellation firms' demonstrations  Free

Capella's struggle to obtain a big radar imagery contract from the Pentagon illustrates the obstacles facing new Earth observation companies.

Radio silence from operators on solar storm damage to observation satellites 

Solar storms this year have resulted in the loss of numerous images from intelligence satellites. But so far, the satellites' operators are keeping mum about that massive reduction in capacity.

• UNITED KINGDOM/UNITED STATES - Britain buddies up with US Space Force

• UZBEKISTAN - Senior officials investigated by State Security Service

• PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES - Abbas's presumed successor falls from grace

• BRUSSELS - Kremlin opponents and separatist leaders gather at European Parliament

• CHINA - Xi changes reservist conscription system

• NEW YORK - Kroll waiting for Smerling fraud money

• LONDON - Carla McRoberts returns

• MIAMI - 5 Stones Intelligence expands into technical intelligence
  

• MARSEILLE - Muselier brings in Amarante
  

Space SIGINT specialist Kleos experiences turbulence 

The Luxembourg based SIGINT satellite constellation firm Kleos Space recently announced that its first cluster was out of service due to technical difficulties. This news comes at a time when a number of big contracts are up for grabs.

David Gauthier drives US geospatial intelligence's economic shift 

The new US intelligence budget under discussion in the Senate supports Gauthier's goals to better orientate the NGA towards the private sector in the name of making it more competitive on the global market.

• HERZLIYA - XM Cyber hires ex-Mossad/wanted man Zev Barkan.

• NEW YORK/ESPOO - ICEYE strengthens US govt ties with Sowa.

• COPENHAGEN - Denmark forced to upgrade satnav system.

• LONDON - former Met officer Johnston waves goodbye to Creativity Software.

GEOINT startup Theia's disgruntled supplier starts legal action 

Keen to launch a large constellation of observation satellites for the intelligence community and other clients, the startup Theia has run into difficulties with a key supplier who is still waiting to be paid.

NGA moves into economic intelligence gathering 

After two years of planning at the Fort Belvoir Springfield headquarters of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), GEOINT-based economic analysis is now becoming part of the agency's armoury and its spending programme.

Following the sale of Novetta, Carlyle starts building up Two Six Technologies into a new market leader  Free

American investment group Carlyle recently sold cyber intelligence company Novetta to Accenture Federal. It has begun rebuilding its position in the intelligence technology sector, however. By strengthening Two Six Technologies through the acquisition of Trusted Concepts, it is rebuilding its position in intelligence technologies.

NGA fights in Congress to retain GEOINT acquisition influence 

Although not everyone is pleased with its methods of managing contracts with the private sector, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency may regain its position in procurement of geospatial intelligence data and services with the creation of a joint office, in which it would have a determining weight.

Congress looks to streamline intelligence agencies' satellite imagery procurements 

Commercially-available spatial imaging solutions are becoming vital to the government's geospatial intelligence operations, but there is widespread confusion in the way these tools are being acquired. Congress wants clarity on the situation.