US Special Operations Command

Spotlight | United States
Corporate intel firms snap up national security talents ahead of election campaign

WestExec, Pallas and Beacon Global have all taken on former CIA and Pentagon officials affiliated with both parties. The 2024 presidential candidates are sure to view industry firms as oases to find political advisers and, for the winner, the staff for the new administration.

United States
The Pentagon's major image processing project Maven makes budget comeback

After seven years in the making, Project Maven - a military artificial intelligence project dedicated to image processing - is in better health after the NGA took over the helm.

Germany, United States
US command in Europe hires help to strengthen logistics in Miesau, Germany

Locally-based veteran US consultant Benjamin French is helping US Command in Europe to build up its presence in south-western Germany.

Iraq, Turkey
Baghdad called upon to mediate between the MIT and the PUK

Hugely concerned about the origin of the intelligence that allowed the MIT to attack the Sulaymanyah airport on 7 April, the PUK has called on Baghdad to lead the investigation. It is also hoping to calm down the increasingly tense relations between the Talabani clan and Ankara.

United States
Counter-influence expert looking for funding to develop cyber activities

EdgeTheory, a service provider to the US intelligence community, wants to extend its expertise to cyber and has approached lobbyist Alpine Group Partners to look for funding.

United States
Shift5 pulling out all the stops in Washington

The military platform cyber protection specialist Shift5 has armed itself with lobbyists just as the US armed forces' needs are growing.

Iraq, United States
US forces' fuel supplier Jamal al-Alam dropped for supposed links with Tehran

US forces in Iraq, which are stationed at Erbil International Airport, have ended their contract with their fuel supply company, Jamal al-Alam, because of its supposed links with Iran. The firm is to be replaced by US company Repeat Consultants International, whose boss is said to be close to the Barzani clan.

Ukraine, United States
Ukrainian parliamentary national security committee helped by Republican friends in Washington

Ukraine's national security defence and intelligence committee, central to the inner workings of the government, has solid links with Republican representatives in Congress, although contacts have dwindled in more recent times.

The Intelligence Gazette
New Iranian militia in Syria, Chinese retiree recall, Finnish border, Swedish NSA, ANSSI

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 hone in on Tehran and Zhengzhou, via Helsinki, Stockholm and Paris.

Iran/Syria IRGC mobilises new militia against US interests in Syria

China Retired military, state personnel hired to prevent iPhone production jam

Finland Border guards camp in the east

Sweden Bigger budget for interception agency FRA

France Senators move to make ANSSI more aggressive

United States
Private contractors flock to new Pentagon guerrilla warfare study centre

The future Irregular Warfare Center, set up to educate the special forces of the United States and its allies, will be assisted by Morgan 6 and Valens Global, two companies founded by USSOCOM veterans.

Israel, United States
Israeli firm's US cyber arm hires ex-intel officer to lobby in Washington

Security firm Elta North America is hiring lobbyists in Washington while its Israeli mother company seeks US approval to sell an anti-missile system to Germany.

Iraq, United States
USSOCOM still in Q-West base two years after official withdrawal

Although Washington had announced its complete withdrawal from the Q-West military base, US special forces are still there, with a mission to train the Golden Division, an elite unit of the Iraqi counter-terrorism service.

Ukraine, United States
Intelligence contractor CACI plays key role in US support for Ukraine

MASINT, SIGINT, information warfare... Defence group CACI is providing American special forces commanders with most of the expertise they are using to respond to the war in Ukraine.

Syria
Syrian army and Syrian Democratic Forces join forces to face Erdogan's intervention threats

As the Turkish president continues to threaten a new intervention in Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces have finally opted to form an ad hoc alliance with the regime in Damascus, offering it a long hoped for opportunity to return to north-eastern Syria.

Belgium, European Union, Israel, United States
Belgian army benchmarks anti-drone systems before launching procurement

The Belgian military, which is currently preparing to issue a call for tenders for anti-drone systems, has been meeting the main providers of the anti-drone market.