DEFENSE – INTELLIGENCE – MILITARY – SECURITY
- L’Australia deve pensare alla sicurezza dei dati oltre la Cina (AIIA, Yun Jiang). The discussion on TikTok and Hikvision infiltration in Australian government departments has centred inarticulately and dogmatically on the country of origin. But there are other more realistic and probable security threats lurking in plain sight. Australia Needs to Think Beyond China About Data Security
- L’India progetta l’acquisto in massa di elicotteri da combattimento per modernizzare la flotta (The Defense Post, Joe Saballa). The Indian Army plans to procure a large number of combat and utility helicopters to modernize its fleet. India Plans Bulk Procurement of Combat Choppers to Modernize Fleet
- La NATO discute l’aumento dell’obiettivo di spesa per la difesa (The Defense Post). NATO members relaunched debate Wednesday on the thorny issue of ramping up national defense spending targets as Russia’s war on Ukraine has upended security. NATO Debates Raising Defense Spending Target
- Il ruolo del Quad nella diplomazia tecnologica (The Strategist, Guy Boekenstein). In 1943, Thomas Watson, the chair of IBM, famously said, ‘I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.’ Senior engineers at the corporation dismissed the future use of microchips. Scepticism of emerging technologies is not uncommon and reflects a fear or misunderstanding of the new and unknown. But we are now on the cusp of a range of next-generation technologies that will shape our daily lives and add another dimension to shaping geostrategic settings. The Quad’s role in tech diplomacy
- Sviluppi nelle esportazioni di energia nucleare russa (RUSI, Darya Dolzikova). Russia’s nuclear energy exports continue to expand, even as its overall economy bears the brunt of Western sanctions. Atoms for Sale: Developments in Russian Nuclear Energy Exports
- L’attuale competizione tra Stati Uniti e Cina e la situazione nell’Indo-Pacifico (JIIA). In Northeast Asia, where the Cold War structure has remained intact, North Korea has further heightened its threat to the region and the international community by launching numerous missiles including ICBMs. Amid this tension, the conservative administration came to power in South Korea after five years, and has drastically changed its predecessor’s policies toward North Korea and Japan as well as in the security area. China continued to increase its military power and expand its political and economic influence, especially in the Indo-Pacific region, while struggling with its approaches towards COVID-19 at home and its economic slowdown. The US has continued to focus on the Indo-Pacific region even after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and views China as its most important strategic competitor, while trying to manage its relationship with China. However, the US-China relationship, which continues to be competitive and confrontational on all political, economic, and military aspects, has increased its level of tension in 2022, especially over Taiwan, and there is no prospect for a fundamental easing of tensions. The Japan Institute of International Affairs
- Come innovare la strategia nucleare americana (Defense News, Leonor Tomero). The United States should adopt a new nuclear strategy of innovation for deterrence resilience. The newly released 2022 Nuclear Posture Review continues a Cold War strategy that prioritizes modernizing legacy nuclear weapons systems and arms control.. Reducing the risk of nuclear war requires us to update our policy and strategy to respond to changed geopolitical and technological realities. How to bring innovation to America’s nuclear strategy+
- USA. BAE Systems si è aggiudicata un contratto da 466 milioni di dollari per un obice semovente dell’esercito statunitense (The Defense Post, Joe Saballa). BAE Systems has been awarded a $466-million contract to supply its M109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzers to the US Army. BAE Systems Awarded $466M US Army Self-Propelled Howitzer Contract
- USA. nTSI si aggiudica un contratto di ingegneria da 637 milioni di dollari per l’Agenzia per la difesa missilistica (The Defense Post, Rojoef Manuel). nou Systems and Modern Technology Solutions Inc. (MTSI) joint venture nTSI has received a contract to support the development and launch of layered missiles for the US. nTSI Bags $637 Million Engineering Contract for Missile Defense Agency
- USA. La strategia della forza lavoro cibernetica del Dipartimento della Difesa crea nuove funzioni incentrate sull’IA e sui dati (Breaking Defense, Jaspreet Gill). “This strategy utilizes four human capital pillars – Identification, Recruitment, Development and Retention – to identify and group cyber workforce challenges,” according to slides. DoD’s new cyber workforce strategy creates new AI, data-focused work roles
- Gli Stati Uniti assegnano contratti da 522 milioni di dollari per proiettili d’artiglieria all’Ucraina (The Defense Post). The US Army announced Tuesday that it had awarded $522 million in orders to two companies to manufacture 155 mm artillery ammunition for Ukraine. US Awards $522M Contracts for Artillery Shells for Ukraine
- L’aggressione della Russia all’Ucraina e la risposta internazionale (JIIA). In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which began in February, the Ukrainian forces, with military support from Western countries, launched a large-scale counteroffensive in the summer. Russia unilaterally declared the annexation of four provinces in eastern and southern Ukraine in September, and since October it has been escalating the war, including carrying out missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, without a clear exit strategy. The Japan Institute of International Affairs
- 11 Paesi doneranno carri armati all’Ucraina, mentre Kiev “medita” un’offensiva di primavera (Breaking Defense, Tim Martin). “Ukraine will integrate recent commitments of armored vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles and tanks with fires that achieve the effect of synchronized ground maneuver,” Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley said. 11 countries to give tanks to Ukraine, as Kyiv is ‘contemplating’ spring offensive: US
- La Lettonia aumenterà la spesa per la difesa con accordi per missili navali e HIMARS (Defense News, Jaroslaw Adamowski). Latvian Defence Minister Ināra Mūrniece has announced the country’s military expenditure could reach the level of 3% of its gross domestic product earlier than planned, as she aims to sign contracts for the purchase of Naval Strike Missile anti-ship systems and six M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, this spring. Latvia to boost defense spending with naval missile, HIMARS deals
- Leonardo equipaggerà la cannoniera marittima K50 KRAKEN con mini-torpedo (The Defense Post, Joe Saballa). British defense firm Kraken Technology Group has signed an agreement with Leonardo to enhance the sub-surface capability of its K50 maritime gunships. Leonardo to Equip K50 KRAKEN Maritime Gunship With Mini-Torpedoes
- La Marina britannica riceverà i simulatori di navigazione avanzati di Kongsberg (The Defense Post, Joe Saballa). The UK has tapped Norwegian technology firm Kongsberg Digital to supply advanced navigation simulators to the Royal Navy. UK Navy to Receive Kongsberg Advanced Navigation Simulators
- Cresce lo slancio per la cooperazione nel settore della difesa tra Regno Unito e Francia (Chatham House, Alice Billon-Galland, Elie Tenenbaum). A convening of French and British leaders for the first time in five years on 10 March is a chance to capitalize on a long-overdue improvement in bilateral relations to build stronger security and defence ties. A new momentum grows for UK-France defence cooperation
- La maggior parte delle armi da fuoco oggetto di traffico nel Sahel proviene da eserciti nazionali: ONU (The Defense Post). Sahel countries need to do more to fight the trafficking of firearms, which largely originate from national stockpiles within Africa, the United Nations said Tuesday. Most Trafficked Sahel Firearms Are From National Armies: UN
GLOBAL TOPICS
- Le conseguenze geopolitiche di ChatGPT (European Council on Foreign Relations, Víctor Muñoz, José Ignacio Torreblanca). ChatGPT seems set to shake up the technology industry, but its implications for geopolitics are less clear. We asked ChatGPT what these might be. Insights from an AI author: The geopolitical consequences of ChatGPT
- Quale sarà l’impatto della guerra tecnologica globale su Israele? (INSS, Ariel Sobelman). The growing competition between the West and China over the chips manufacturing market is perceived as “the Cold War of the 21st century.” How does this technology struggle between the global blocs affect Israel, and what measures should Israel take? The “Chips Alliance”: How will the Global Technology War Affect Israel?
- Interessi dei semiconduttori olandesi in Asia (Clingendael). A semiconductor is a material that allows for a certain level of electrical conduction, but the term often refers to computer chips (also known as integrated circuits (IC) or microchips). The Dutch semiconductor sector has many connections with companies, research institutes and official organisations in South and East Asian countries. These connections can be subject to any politicisation of the industry, creating both political and economic risks and opportunities for the Netherlands. Semiconductor devices (or microchips, integrated circuits or computer chips), to which the word ‘semiconductor’ refers in this study, are crucial for future technological and economic developments, as well as the transition to green technologies. Securing a sufficient supply of chips is therefore essential, while dependencies in the sector are used as political tools. Dutch semi-conductor interests in Asia
- Lezioni dai due esperimenti di governance dell’IA nel mondo (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Matt O’Shaughnessy, Matt Sheehan) Artificial intelligence (AI) is both omnipresent and conceptually slippery, making it notoriously hard to regulate. Fortunately for the rest of the world, two major experiments in the design of AI governance are currently playing out in Europe and China. Lessons From the World’s Two Experiments in AI Governance
- L’approccio del Giappone alla regolamentazione dell’intelligenza artificiale e il suo impatto sulla presidenza del G7 del 2023 (CSIS, Hiroki Habuka). Artificial intelligence (AI) is making significant changes to our businesses and daily lives. While AI brings dramatic solutions to societal problems, its unpredictable nature, unexplainability, and reflection or amplification of data biases raise various concerns about privacy, security, fairness, and even democracy. In response, governments, international organizations, and research institutes around the world began publishing a series of principles for human-centric AI in the late 2010s. Japan’s Approach to AI Regulation and Its Impact on the 2023 G7 Presidency
WORLDS
- Otto priorità per l’Unione Africana nel 2023 (Crisis Group). The African Union has more than a full plate of peace and security issues before it in the coming year. This briefing highlights eight conflict situations where its efforts can be of greatest help. Eight Priorities for the African Union in 2023
- Importazioni di gas naturale in Europa (Bruegel, Georg Zachmann, Giovanni Sgaravatti, Ben McWilliams). This dataset aggregates daily data on European natural gas import flows and storage levels. European natural gas imports
- Il fallimento dell’amministrazione Biden nel garantire la tranquillità in Cisgiordania (JCPA, Yoni Ben Menachem). The Biden administration failed in its plans to secure calm in eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank. The PA chairman rejected the American plan to fight terrorism and claimed that the administration is biased in favor of Israel. The refusal of Abbas to fight terrorism emphasizes that he has long ago finished his role as a possible partner for negotiations with Israel. The Failure of the Biden Administration to Secure Quiet in the West Bank
- Israele e Iran sono in rotta di collisione? (The Strategist, Amin Saikal). Hostility between Israel and Iran has potentially reached a tipping point. They have been conducting covert operations against each other for years, but Israel’s recent drone attacks on Iranian military facilities in the province of Isfahan were the most daring move yet. Tehran has promised retaliation at a time of its choosing. The two protagonists are now closer than ever to a major confrontation, by design or by accident. A war would not be confined to them. It could easily set off a devastating regional inferno with implications far beyond the Middle East. Are Israel and Iran on a collision course?
- La ricerca di una nuova strategia di politica estera dell’Azerbaigian nel 2023 (The Jamestown Foundation, Rahim Rahimov). Throughout 2022, Baku pursued a more activist foreign policy due to developments in the South Caucasus and the surrounding regions. First of all, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine has been the single major event to influence Azerbaijani foreign policy in the past year. While the Russo-Ukrainian war has caused a great deal of international uncertainty, it has also given rise to new opportunities. Economically, Azerbaijan’s significance as a gas supplier to Europe has risen. Cargo freights have surged through Azerbaijan in increasing numbers as the Russian route has become dysfunctional due to the war and related Western sanctions (Gfsis.org, December, 2022). Azerbaijan’s Quest for a Renewed Foreign Policy Strategy in 2023
- Come i Paesi hanno mantenuto il sostegno interno alla guerra in Ucraina (CFR, Stephen Sestanovich). Governments most directly affected by Russia’s war on Ukraine all worry about sustaining domestic support for their policies. One year in, however, they have managed this problem with surprising success. How Countries Have Kept Up Domestic Support for the War in Ukraine
- La guerra di Putin in Ucraina colpisce soprattutto le nazioni russe più piccole (The Jamestown Foundation, Paul Globe). The disproportionate use of soldiers from the primarily non-ethnic Russian republics in the North Caucasus, Middle Volga and Far Eastern regions in President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine has attracted widespread attention since the beginning of Russia’s campaign a year ago. Putin’s War in Ukraine Hitting Russia’s Numerically Smallest Nations Hardest
- I cosacchi usati per promuovere la guerra di Mosca contro l’Ucraina (The Jamestown Foundation, Richard Arnold). Morale is a critical resource during wartime, and the role of Russia’s state-organized Cossack movement in shoring up the home front has been significant (see EDM, May 10, 2022). Cossacks Used to Promote Moscow’s War Against Ukraine
- Una transizione zoppicante: l’ex Unione Sovietica trent’anni dopo (Bruegel, Marek Dabrowski). The purpose of this essay is to assess where FSU countries are 30 years after the break up of the USSR in terms of their economic and political system. A limping transition: the former Soviet Union thirty years on
- La diplomazia post-terremoto può aiutare a riparare i legami tra USA e Turchia (Atlantic Council, Grady Wilson). Turkey is reeling from the destruction left behind by the strongest earthquake to hit the country since 1939. The numbers of the dead and injured—which continue to rise in both Turkey and neighboring Syria to more than thirty-five thousand at last count—are shocking and difficult to comprehend. It’s harder still to imagine on a human level the manner in which people’s lives and livelihoods were erased overnight, while apartment blocks and indeed entire neighborhoods crumbled. This disaster requires global help and solidarity and, so far, the international community’s response has been inspiring. Post-earthquake disaster diplomacy can help repair US-Turkey ties
- La resilienza nei programmi di USAID. Il caso dell’Afghanistan (Brookings, George Ingram and Naheed Sarabi). The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has under review a draft revision of its 2012 resilience policy for fragile and conflict environments. As reported in the OECD’s “States of Fragility 2022,” fragility has been rising in recent years and is present across a diversity of country contexts. Of the 60 countries identified as fragile, 23 are low-income, and 33 are middle-income. Approximately half of the more than 100 countries in which USAID operates are on the list, highlighting that resilience should be at the core of the agency’s operating procedures. Resilience must drive USAID’s programs—Illustrations from Afghanistan
- Cybersecurity: il grande balzo in avanti del Giappone (FRS, Valérie Niquet). La dimension cyber est au cœur de la réflexion stratégique au Japon. Au mois de décembre 2022, la Stratégie de sécurité nationale (NSS) et la Stratégie de défense nationale (NDS) sont venues compléter et approfondir la stratégie de cybersécurité initialement publiée en 2015 et actualisée en 2018. Ce document consacré à la sécurité cyber du Japon définissait de grands principes généraux tels que la libre circulation de l’information, le respect du droit, l’ouverture, l’autonomie et la coopération entre organisations. Cybersécurité : le grand bond en avant du Japon
