Government

Berlin, 30 May 2016 – The ILA Berlin Air Show is now even more firmly established as a platform for presenting innovations covering all aspects of the world’s aerospace industry. From 1 to 4 June the ILA 2016 will feature the latest aircraft, innovative hi-tech products and technology, and a …

The Middle East is set to benefit from multiple global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) currently under development by China, India, Europe, Russia, and the United States. The United States especially is a global GNSS powerhouse, and US aerospace company Lockheed Martin is developing the next generation US GNSS capability, Global …

The departure of Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s subsequent reshuffle of the Turkish cabinet is not likely to further delay the establishment and creation of a Turkish space agency. Davutoglu has been replaced as Prime Minister by Binali Yildirim, a noted loyalist to President Erdogan. …

U.S. satellite and rocket manufacturer Orbital ATK has partnered with Riyadh-based Rakaa Holding to support its efforts to sell electro-optical reconnaissance satellites to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is believed that Saudi Arabia is in the market for two to eight high-resolution reconnaissance satellites over the coming years, and …

China and the League of Arab States (LAS) agreed to promote the use of China’s BeiDou global navigation satellite system (GNSS) at the 7th Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum held in Doha, Qatar, on 16 May 2016. The BeiDou system is a rival to the US Global …

Tragically, the Middle East has been the backdrop for changes in the character of war over the past few decades. With the rapid dissemination of high-resolution Earth observation satellites throughout the region, even more changes in the character of war are in store, argues ThorGroup’s Dr. John B. Sheldon. The unique, …

Saudi Arabian officials visited Minsk, the capital city of Belarus, on 16 May 2016 for discussions on various topics of mutual interest with their Belarusian counterparts. The discussions resulted in a number of agreements between the two countries, including one that commits Belarus providing Saudi Arabia with optics technologies for …

Avigdor ‘Avi’ Blasberger has been appointed as the new Director-General of the Israel Space Agency, replacing Menachem Kidron who resigned earlier in 2016. The appointment of Mr. Blasberger in early May 2016 came after a lengthy selection process, and was appointed by the Israeli cabinet. His predecessor, Mr. Kidron, had …

The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, announced on 17 May 2016 that it is hiring 35 engineers and administrative staff in what is a significant expansion of the space research and satellite manufacturing facility. The career opportunities available at MBRSC cover various fields …

It is difficult to overstate the critical importance of satellite navigation for the Middle East, yet the service is vulnerable to disruption. ThorGroup’s Dr. John B. Sheldon examines the threats to satellite navigation in the region, and ways to mitigate their worst effects. When Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized …