National

France
Counter-drone flyweight Drone XTR takes on sector giants

The Havre-based counter-drone specialist looks set to win a €7m contract with the French air traffic control agency to equip airports with counter-drone capacities, but questions remain about where the technology comes from and how efficient it will be.

France
Senate hits gender parity problem over nominations to intelligence oversight commission

Following the French senatorial elections in September, the French Senate has had to renew its representatives on two intelligence service oversight bodies. Yet the Socialist group has hit a gender parity problem over its nominations to one of them.

Spotlight | China, France
Panic over Chinese consultant in French space defence sector

Starburst Aerospace, the incubator for technical innovation in the space sector, recently called in the former boss of the French branch of Chinese geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) group Head. Blacklisted in the US, Head has sold spy satellites to Russia's Wagner group.

United Kingdom
UAE's spymaster, the British short seller and anonymous X account holders in smear campaign

In the short selling world, it has become the latest thing to mount a false smear campaign and accuse the real target of being behind it. The UAE's spymaster Tahnoon bin Zayel Al Nahyan appears to have become caught in the crosshairs of such an operation.

The Agencies' Gazette
No new AUKUS members, DGSE renovations, Beijing watching IDF, GIGN and RAID on France-Canada flights

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community.

United KingdomOpposition to AUKUS expansion over intelligence technologies

FranceFurther refurbishment for DGSE before relocation

China/IsraelBeijing eyes on Baladia City training centre

FranceArmed GIGN and RAID officers board France-Canada flights after 15 years of talks

Spotlight | China, Ukraine
Kyiv's appetite for Chinese surveillance tech shows no sign of waning

China is eager to reposition its companies in Ukraine. It is relying on local service providers and reseller networks to make inroads, even into the most sensitive fields.

United States
General Atomics lobbyist Liz Williams has close contacts in congress

The drone maker is a major donor to Jeff Duncan, whose wife recently filed for divorce over his affair with company lobbyist Liz Williams. The company also financed a former member of congress convicted for corruption - who Williams was also romantically involved with, sources tell Intelligence Online.

France
Comcyber puts out feelers ahead of online influence consultation

France's Cyber Command is under orders to step up its online influence capabilities and has started talking to potential suppliers.

India
India races to catch up with China in space defence

India is getting into the starting blocks to close the gap with China in New Space intelligence, launching a flurry of calls for projects in strategic segments and boosting its nascent champion Pixxel.

United States
Congress spoils intelligence personnel as it tries to battle growing polarisation

To mitigate the harmful effects of increased political polarisation in the US on the intelligence services, lawmakers are increasingly bestowing favours on existing and past employees. The aim is to ensure that the agencies remain efficient and attractive.

Egypt, United States
Senator Bob Menendez is in the news for promoting Egypt, but Josh Holly advances Cairo and Baghdad's military equipment goals via more formal channels

Recent lobbying disclosure filings by the former congressional staffer reveal outreach by Holly to key national security figures on the Hill, at the Pentagon, and elsewhere in Washington. His work focuses on enhancing military ties between the US and Egypt, and also Iraq.

France, Russia
France's Legrand makes tough choice between sanctions and local mafia in sale of Russian assets

Western companies leaving Russia find themselves between a rock and a hard place. To avoid breaching sanctions, the French electrical parts company Legrand recently sold its assets in Russia to a former mafia boss.

The Agencies' Gazette
CIA acquisitions, Foreign Affairs Committee, Huawei in France, navy training centre, Moldova fights fake news, lustration in Ukraine

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community. This week, we bring news from Washington, Kyiv, London, Brest, Paris and Chisinau.

United StatesLeadership change afoot in CIA acquisitions office

United KingdomForeign Affairs Committee learns from US intelligence consultants

FranceWhen the intelligence services reportedly tried to ban Huawei

FranceBrest navy intelligence training centre welcomes first pupils

MoldovaSandu protégé to run anti-disinformation centre

UkraineKyiv goes back on its lustration laws