The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is planning to release 1.4 billion EUR in business opportunities in the next 18 months.
As NATO’s tech and cyber leader, the Agency works to deliver technology and services to NATO Nations and Commands. During these next 18 months, the Agency plans to issue bids for, or award contracts in areas such as cyber security; joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and satellite communications.
Industry leaders will learn more about these opportunities over the next three days at NITEC. The Agency’s annual flagship industry conference kicks off on 20 May 2019 in Oslo, Norway.
Satellite Communications: The Agency plans to contract out 189 million EUR in satellite communications transmission services for the space, ground and control resources to support NATO operations from 2020 to 2034.
Cyber Security: 129 million EUR is planned for refreshing and optimizing the security technology for NATO’s communications and information systems.
Deployable Communications and Information Systems (CIS): Through several other projects, the Agency is also planning to contract out 153.2 million EUR on deployable CIS and capability enhancements.
Nuclear Command and Control Services: NATO plans to make investments in the order of 15-to-20 million EUR to ensure a safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent in the face of new technologies and threats. These funds will be used to develop software and procure IT equipment, among other things.
Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Functional Services: NATO also plans to invest 10 million EUR in this area to develop software, replace certain ageing tools and support command and control of CBRN assets.
Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance: The Agency plans to issue a bid worth 17 million EUR in the area of Joint ISR, to provide additional intelligence collecting and sharing capabilities to NATO Commands.
North East based property and investment business, Adderstone Group, has invested a seven-figure sum into OpenWorks Engineering, an award-winning, hi-tech product company which is developing world-leading security and counter-terrorism products.
OpenWorks, which operates from premises in Stocksfield, Northumberland, has developed a unique and innovative drone capture system named SkyWall, which is already being used across the globe by a number of government authorities, militaries and private security organisations to provide close protection to the likes of airports, major infrastructure and even world leaders at summits.
OpenWorks was established in 2015 by five directors; Chris Down, Neil Armstrong, Alex Wilkinson, James Cross, and Roland Wilkinson; and has developed game-changing products for the defence and security industry. Its directors are confident that the significant investment from Adderstone Group will enable OpenWorks to increase capacity to manufacture their award-winning SkyWall drone defence products, accelerate research and development of the next generation of SkyWall products and ultimately add significant value to the business.
Whilst Adderstone Group is known primarily as one of the largest property development businesses in the region, it has a long and successful track record at founding and growing a range of investments.
The funding is Adderstone Group’s second investment into an engineering business, following the company’s successful support of a delisting and management buyout of Turbo Power Systems Plc., which specialises in providing innovative high-speed machines and power electronic solutions for the Energy, Industrial, Transport and Defence markets.
Ian Baggett, CEO and Founder of Adderstone Group said:
“OpenWorks achievements to date have been astounding. They are an extremely talented group of engineers who not only foresaw a massive need to protect against rogue drones but have gone on to design, patent, manufacture and monetise what is acknowledged to be world leading technology from their base in Stocksfield. My team and I look forward to doing whatever we can to help our new colleagues continue to grow a world-leading business that protects the public and infrastructure from this burgeoning threat.”
Chris Down, Managing Director of OpenWorks said:
“Adderstone Group’s track record speaks for itself. We were determined to partner with a local investor to expand our production capability and accelerate the development of new products. We are confident that, in Adderstone, we have secured the perfect investment partner.”
The Toxic Valley exercise, which annually organizes the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, is an exercise of military specialists in the field of radiation, chemical, and biological protection (RCHBO) from NATO countries. The exercise is designed for sampling teams and mobile chemical identification laboratories and is the only one of its kind within NATO countries across Europe.
Toxic Valley 2019 will involve more than 150 CBRN specialists from 1o different countries.
On Ex Toxic Valley 2018, Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš said: “International Ex Toxic Valley 2018 is one of the opportunities to practise the capabilities of our CBRN troops, while collaborating with specialists from other countries in response to CBRN incidents. And thanks to our unique testing facility in Zemianske Kostoľany, this all can be done with real toxic chemical substances.”
On the risk of a CBRN hazard, Chief of Defence Lt Gen Daniel Zmeko said: “In recent times, it has been clearly demonstrated that the threat of toxic chemical substances is real, not to mention their combat use. Therefore, our specialists train shoulder-to-shoulder with their colleagues from abroad to be ready to respond to similar incidents. Sharing of experience is the basis of success in this dynamically changing era.”
To find out more about Toxic Valley 2019 watch the promo video
Bertin has been chosen by the authorities of Switzerland and by the European Commission – on behalf of Armenia – to provide tailored radiation monitoring systems. These new contracts reassert Bertin’s strong expertise in Environmental Radiation Monitoring Systems (ERMS) and demonstrate its flexibility to meet specific requirements.
The Swiss authorities chose Bertin for the renewal of their MADUK1 and NADAM2 radiation monitoring networks. Bertin Technologies also won a tender for ANRA (Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority), within the framework of a contract funded by the European Union, to provide equipment and services in order to improve radiation monitoring near and around the Metsamor nuclear power plant3 in Armenia.
Bertin’s solutions perform the surveillance of radioactivity in air, soil, and water around nuclear facilities or for nationwide monitoring purposes to help ensure human safety. They include a broad range of sensors, including gamma dose measurements, air monitoring, and spectroscopic analysis for radionuclide identification. Collected data is transmitted through secured and emergency proof channels including radio, 4G or satellite.
A central data management system allows managing, analyzing and visualizing the situation in real time. “For these tenders, requirements were quite challenging. We had to adapt our products to the customer’s needs with the development of new features such as an improved build in solar supply, eventually deployed in all our future projects. Therefore, our well-known expertise and flexibility make us a partner of choice for the major players in the nuclear industry”, says Rainer Dielmann, Bertin GmbH Director.
Backed by the in-depth know-how of Saphymo (acquired in 2015), Bertin has developed and optimized cutting-edge instrumentation equipment for the detection and monitoring of ionizing radiation, which complies with the strictest international requirements.
On Wednesday it was announced that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has been given new powers in the fight against the opioid crisis.
The federal government announced amendments to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to allow certain law enforcement agencies, including the CBSA, to stop precursor chemicals from being brought into Canada and then used to make fentanyl and amphetamines.
Prior to this officers could only act once the illegal substances were actually made, or if there was evidence that the raw chemicals were going to be used to make an illegal drug.
These new regulations are effective immediately meaning officers can start seizing chemicals like benzylfentanyl and norfentanyl.
