Main headlines from this issue

Greece “must learn from Netherlands and use IP to develop local industry”

Greece is “activating” its defence industry. The country has a unique opportunity to strengthen its defence industrial base and “all the relevant actors, political leadership, industry, universities and research centres must seize the moment.” The country should use industrial participation to help local companies join the global supply chains of defence primes...

Saudi Arabia gives defence companies “investment permits in 15 days, allows 100 percent ownership”

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) now issues operating permits to investors in little more than two weeks. It also says that it no longer requires international defence companies to look for local partners. Mohamed Al-Athel, GAMI’s Deputy Governor for Military Acquisition, conceded that the organisation had met with some scepticism from investors.

Indonesia: Placement politics drives clean sweep at KKIP

The Indonesian Defence Minister, Prabowo Subianto, has appointed Lieutenant General TNI (Ret.) Johannes Suryo Prabowo as Secretary of the Defence Industry Policy Committee (KKIP) Executive Team at the MoD. Suryo joins a number of retired generals and other MoD officials. The appointment has raised eyebrows in Jakarta...

Australia releases more SICP implementation plans

The Australian Department of Defence has released three more Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority (SICP) Implementation Plans. The plans focus on testing and certification; surveillance and intelligence, and signal processing.

EVENT DIARY 2021 – see CTO 1