MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
05 Jun 24. Australia: Military recruitment changes will likely partially mitigate security force capacity concerns. On 4 June, Australia introduced changes to its military recruitment policies as part of a broader effort to meet a target strength of 63,600 full-time personnel and to address a 4,400-person shortfall. Starting from January 2025, permanent residents from Canada, the UK and the US can enlist to join the Australian Defence Force (ADF). New Zealanders can enlist from July this year. These countries, in addition to Australia, make up the ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence-sharing network. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles stated that the list will possibly expand in the future; Pacific nations are the most likely to be added in this case. The policy shift follows a governmental review which found that the ADF is not ‘fit for purpose’ in confronting China’s military expansionism. Marles highlighted the strategic need for change, citing Australia’s reliance on open trade routes and the necessity to resist foreign military coercion. Additionally, the Overseas Lateral Recruitment Scheme was modified to attract skilled military personnel from overseas in a further bid to enhance the ADF’s capabilities. If successful, we assess these initiatives will improve the ADF’s operational readiness in an increasingly contested region. (Source: Sibylline)
04 Jun 24. International Defence Force: ADF recruitment widened to non-Australian citizens. The federal government has announced expanded recruitment criteria to allow eligible permanent residents from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States to join the Australian Defence Force.
Under the newly announced changes, eligible New Zealanders who are living in Australia can apply to join the ADF from July this year while eligible permanent residents from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada will also be able to apply to join the ADF from January 2025.
As outlined in the National Defence Strategy, Defence must recruit, retain, and grow a highly specialised and skilled workforce. The new changes are expected to assist federal government initiatives to grow the Australian Defence Force.
“Australia and New Zealand have a longstanding relationship – opening the Australian Defence Force to New Zealanders living in Australia will increase opportunities whilst strengthening our Anzac bond,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles said.
“The Australian government has chosen to grow the Australian Defence Force because it is essential to meet the nation’s security challenges through the next decade and beyond.”
As well as meeting ADF entry standards and security requirements, permanent residents wishing to join the ADF must have lived in Australia for at least one year immediately prior to applying, not have served in a foreign military in the preceding two years and be able to attain Australian citizenship.
Defence is also streamlining the existing Overseas Lateral Recruitment Scheme, which allows the ADF to fill capability shortfalls by recruiting skilled military overseas applicants.
Minister for Defence Personnel Matt Keogh said the changes are considered bold to grow the Australian Defence Force.
“Our people are our most important capability, but reversing the Defence recruitment shortfalls of the last government requires innovation,” he said.
“Recruiting from a wider pool of people will help ensure our Australian Defence Force reflects the full diversity of Australia and is able to draw on the talents of the entirety of Australian society.”
In early 2023, the Defence Strategic Review, unveiled by the Australian federal government, revealed that Defence recruitment was considered a reoccurring issue across ADF, APS, and defence industry.
In addition, the document outlined that recruitment was likely to continue to deteriorate without creative and flexible responses, and recommended an increase in recruitment speed from application to enlistment to recruitment and the process of recruitment should be achieved in days, not months.
Chief of the Defence Force General Angus Campbell, speaking at the Senate foreign affairs, defence and trade legislation committee (Senate estimates) meeting on 14 February, said current inflow rates remain below the level required to maintain the Defence Force.
“Recruiting and retention, Defence is addressing retention and recruitment as a priority. As at 1 January 2024, the ADF is 6.9 per cent or 4,308 people below its authorised strength (of total 62,735),” he said.
“Recruiting performance is highly correlated with unemployment: low unemployment, low recruiting, and vice versa.
“Nevertheless, considerable effort and innovation continue to inform changes to our recruiting system, focused in four areas of activity.
“Firstly, widening the aperture of eligibility to increase the number of potential applicants who might wish to join the ADF, including through consideration of non-citizen enlistment on a pathway to citizenship.
“Secondly, increasing the capacity of the recruiting system to manage a greater volume of applicants.
“Thirdly, improving recruiting processes so as to accelerate and thereby shorten the time taken to recruit an applicant.
“And finally, encouraging our people to remain in service through targeted retention initiatives. There have been some early encouraging results.
“Separation rates have declined from a high of 11.6 per cent per annum to 10 per cent, as at 1 February 2024. The size of our Air Force is at a 20-year high. The Australian Defence Force Academy has just commenced one of its largest intakes of trainee officers. Last year, Army graduated its largest cohort from the Royal Military College.
“Nevertheless, a considerable effort continues to be required to remediate our recruiting and retention challenges.” (Source: Defence Connect)
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
03 Jun 24. Mr Gareth Ward has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to Georgia in succession to Mr Mark Clayton. Mr Ward will take up his appointment during August 2024.
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
06 Jun 24. USMC MG Melvin G. Carter for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as deputy commandant for Information, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. Carter is currently serving as the deputy director of Cybersecurity for Combat Support, National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Maryland.
06 Jun 24. USMC MG Benjamin T. Watson for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as commanding general, Training and Education Command, Quantico, Virginia. Watson is currently serving as the commanding general, 1st Marine Division, San Diego, California.
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
01 Jun 24. Air Marshal Vijay Kumar Garg, AVSM, VSM assumed the appointment of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Maintenance Command, Indian Airforce Nagpur on 01 Jun 2024. He was commissioned in the Aeronautical Engineering (Mechanical) branch of Indian Air Force on 19 Aug 1986. The Air Officer graduated from Regional Engineering College, Bhopal in Mechanical Engineering. He did his M. Tech in Aerospace Engineering from IIT Madras and was awarded Air India medal for standing first. He is also an alumnus of National Defence College. (Source: Google/https://pib.gov.in/)
INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY TEAMINGS
06 Jun 24. Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall expand strategic collaboration. Lockheed Martin, the global aerospace and deterrence company, and Rheinmetall, a leading international systems provider for security technology, have signed a new collaboration memorandum of understanding (MoU) at ILA Berlin. The two companies aim to collaborate in areas including land, air and naval forces as well as in simulation and maintenance. Specifically, this includes rocket artillery systems, laser weapon systems, simulation and training for land vehicles and helicopters, short-range air defence (SHORAD) and other areas of cooperation. Speaking at the signing event, Ray Piselli, vice president International at Lockheed Martin, said: “Today’s MoU marks a further step in the development of Lockheed Martin’s maturing relationship with Rheinmetall and will deliver business opportunities for both companies internationally. I’m excited by the opportunities ahead which will sustain German jobs, boost exports and enhance the country’s technical skills base well into the future.”
Dennis Goege, vice president for Central and Eastern Europe at Lockheed Martin, added: “This signing today builds on successful cooperation such as the German F-35 program or the GMARS rocket artillery system. It is a logical step for us to take our collaboration with Rheinmetall to a new strategic level which will strengthen our enduring relationship with German and European industries.”
Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG: “We are pleased to take the next step in our proven cooperation with our US partner Lockheed Martin. Both companies have specific capabilities and technological expertise that complement each other perfectly. It is our declared goal to serve our customers from this ambitious partnership with cutting-edge technology that combines the best of both companies.”
Lockheed Martin has been a partner to the German industry for over 50 years and continues to strengthen these partnerships by working with companies like Rheinmetall that possess highly advanced technical capabilities. As part of the international F-35 supply chain, Rheinmetall will soon start the production of up to 400 F-35 center fuselages. The Düsseldorf-based technology group is thus creating at least 400 direct jobs for highly qualified workers in Weeze (North Rhine-Westphalia). In 2023, Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin teamed up to develop GMARS, a two-pod multiple rocket launcher system designed to meet the growing demand for long-range rocket artillery. If selected by the Bundeswehr, this system would bring significant workshare to the German industry.
03 Jun 24. Partnership with Lithuania: Rheinmetall and Minister of Economy and Innovation, Aušrinė Armonaitė, sign further agreement for a new factory. Lithuania takes another step towards strengthening its defence sector. The Lithuanian Minister of the Economy and Innovation, Aušrinė Armonaitė, has signed an agreement delineating the arrival of Rheinmetall, the German military industry giant, to Lithuania. The project has been granted the status of state importance.
“Rheinmetall establishing operations in Lithuania is a significant step towards meeting our country’s immediate defence and security needs. It will help us to ensure uninterrupted access to essential weapons and ammunition, as the products that European defence needs will be produced on Lithuanian soil. With an investment of more than EUR 180M, the new plant is also expected to create at least 150 new jobs,” Minister Armonaitė said.
The site of the investment project should be announced in the upcoming weeks. The plant is expected to produce tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition per year.
“We are grateful to have been selected by Lithuania as a partner of the defence industry. We are pleased to be able to make a contribution to national sovereignty in the field of ammunition,” said Maximilian Froch, Head of Strategic Programme Organisation International at Rheinmetall AG.
Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG: “We at Rheinmetall are very grateful for this long-term partnership with Lithuania. It confirms us once again in our claim to be one of the pillars of national and international security provision.”
To ensure Lithuania’s security, the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation has also initiated legal amendments that facilitate the development of large-scale projects. Potential investors, including Rheinmetall, will be able to benefit from these new provisions.
The amendments simplify territorial planning, land procurement, and construction procedures. This will enable manufacturers in the defence industry to launch operations in Lithuania in the shortest possible time.
These amendments were drafted in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of the Environment, and the Office of the Government. It is expected that the Lithuanian Parliament will adopt these regulations during this year’s spring session.
The ‘Green Corridor’ initiative for large-scale investment projects, developed by the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation and launched in 2021, makes it easier and quicker for investors to set up operations in Lithuania, granting their project a status of state importance and a 0% corporate tax rate for a period up to 20 years.
The Ministry of the Economy and Innovation has already signed contracts for 14 large-scale investment projects, which will create nearly 4,000 jobs and attract more than €1.25 bn in investment.
03 Jun 24. PT Len Industri (Persero) and Thales have signed an agreement on 30th May 2024, to launch a Joint Venture (JV) that will take Indonesia’s defence capabilities to the next level by reinforcing joint local industrial activities in manufacturing, engineering and services.
- A Centre of Excellence, first of its kind in Indonesia, will be established to initially address the air surveillance requirements contributing to airspace protection capabilities of the Indonesian Air Force.
- The Joint Venture is structured from the onset to be an agile platform able to expand to various other topics in the future, including but not limited to, C4ISR1, Military Satellites, Electronic Warfare, National Data Links, and National Combat Management Systems.
Two years on since the launch of DEFEND ID PT Len Industri (Persero) and Thales are proud to mark an important milestone on the 30th of May 2024, with the signing of the joint venture agreement, in the presence of Mr Kartika Wirjoatmodjo, State-Owned Entreprises (BUMN) Deputy Minister, Pascale Sourisse, President and CEO, Thales International and Fabien Penone, French Ambassador in Indonesia. The agreement was signed in Jakarta by Bobby Rasyidin, President Director for PT Len Industri (Persero) Holding DEFEND ID and by Nicolas Bouverot, Vice President Thales Asia.
Through this JV, PT LEN Industri (Persero) and Thales will kick-start a unique centre of excellence that will first address the Indonesian Air Force requirements in air operations, including collaboration on air surveillance radars and Command & Control (C2) systems. Thales will bring its deep expertise in radar technology, with transfer of knowledge. The JV will also cover Command and Control activities and the co-development of a national Air Operations Centre. Associated services, including Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) activities, will be carried out at PT Len’s site in Subang.
The signing of the JV Agreement is a step further for Thales in strengthening its local industrial footprint. By providing localised, engineering, maintenance and services with maximum operational availability, the JV will accelerate our response to end-user requirements and will strengthen proximity with the Indonesian forces. This joint venture aligns with the Indonesian government’s long-term “Made-in-Indonesia” strategy, thereby enhancing its sovereign capabilities. In addition, it will support DEFEND ID’s goal to increase the use of locally-manufactured components within the industry, enabling Indonesia to export its capabilities worldwide.
“We are pleased to expand our partnership with Thales and explore further collaboration on these new topics that will bring advanced technology and greater value to the Indonesian defence industry. Through this JV, we can bring PT LEN products to compete in the global market. In the future, PT LEN and Thales will develop defence products and solutions that meet the needs and expectations of our local end users” Bobby Rasyidin, President Director, PT Len Industry (Persero) Holding DEFEND ID.
“I am pleased that the partnership between PT LEN and Thales has grown from strength to strength, resulting in today’s important milestone that entrenches Thales’ role in the defence ecosystem of Indonesia. We are establishing our Indonesian roots and driving change through training and transfer of knowledge. This joint venture will bring the best of both worlds, from Thales’ technological expertise, to PT LEN’s acumen and knowledge of local defence needs and challenges of our Indonesian end users. I have no doubt that this will help Indonesia strengthen its indigenous capabilities in the defence sector and is the start of many fruitful collaboration opportunities to come in other domains.” Pascale Sourisse, President & CEO, Thales International.
1Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance.
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
04 Jun 24. Team Defence has hired Ed Coleman, a project manager at BAESystems and already winning awards and acclaim – we are most fortunate to have him! Ed also serves in the British Army Reserves in the role of Company Second-in-Command. Please join me in welcoming Ed to our team and we particularly look forward to meeting many of you at DI24.
06 Jun 24. Terma, announces that its new CEO will be Henriette Hallberg Thygesen. With a series of senior positions in A.P. Moller Maersk and board positions in some of Denmark’s largest companies, she is a strong asset to take over the CEO position at Terma states the Chairman Carsten Dilling. On 19 August 2024, Henriette Hallberg Thygesen will assume the role of CEO at Terma. She will replace Jes Munk Hansen, who was announced earlier this year as the new CEO of ROCKWOOL. Henriette Hallberg Thygesen has held several senior positions at A.P. Moller Maersk – including CEO for the American and North Asian divisions of Damco, CEO for Svitzer, and head of Fleet & Strategic Brands. Most recently, she was Chief Customer Delivery Officer at A.P. Moller Maersk.
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
06 Jun 24. Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE: BAH) today announced that retired Army Lieutenant General Scott Berrier has joined the firm as a senior vice president in Booz Allen’s national security business. In this role, Berrier will support and expand business growth and development across Booz Allen’s federal clients with a focus on strategic direction for intelligence. Berrier brings more than 40 years of experience as a joint intelligence operations leader, having most recently served as the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). In that role, he led more than 16,500 military personnel, Department of Defense civilians, and contractors in the largest transformation in DIA’s history focused on the pacing challenge, and positioned the organization for strategic competition. He also served as U.S. Army deputy chief of staff for intelligence, where he stood up the Intelligence, Reconnaissance, and Surveillance (ISR) Task Force and created the Army Counterintelligence Command (ACIC). (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
03 Jun 24. Capital Edge Consulting, the nation’s leading independent U.S. government contract consulting firm, is excited to announce that Tony Worick has joined the firm as Partner.. Based in the National Capital Region, Tony brings nearly twenty years of expertise in all facets of government contracting, having supported a large variety of both major and mid-size government contractors. Tony has earned the reputation as a government contracts expert from his clients, colleagues, competitors and by “Big Law.” Throughout his career, Tony has provided sage advice to numerous organizations on complex regulatory compliance matters and been embraced as an enabler to their corporate growth through his mastery of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, including agency supplemental regulations, Cost Accounting Standards, and 2 CFR 200 across both DoD and civilian agencies. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
03 Jun 24. Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), a leading innovator of purpose-built vehicles and equipment, today announced that Michael Pack, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Oshkosh, has been appointed as president of the Vocational segment, effective immediately, succeeding Jim Johnson in that role. Mr. Johnson is retiring from the Company, effective June 30, 2024. Oshkosh has initiated a search process with the assistance of a leading executive search firm to identify the Company’s next chief financial officer. Pack will continue to serve as CFO until a successor is named. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
03 Jun 24. Sypris Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq/GM: SYPR) announced today the appointment of Michael D. Sedgwick to the position of Vice President and General Manager of Sypris Electronics, LLC, effective June 3, 2024. Mr. Sedgwick will operate from the Company’s headquarters located in Tampa, Florida and will report to Jeffrey T. Gill, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sypris Solutions, Inc. Mr. Sedgwick will be joining Sypris following a successful career with SCI Technology, Inc., a division of Sanmina Corporation, where he most recently served as the Vice President of Defense and Aerospace Products and was responsible for the company’s product portfolio and electronics manufacturing services with annual sales in excess of $180m per year. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
04 Jun 24. Skydweller Aero, Inc. has selected a new Chief Financial Officer: Jilinda Crowley will be the company’s new CFO starting June 3, 2024. Jilinda brings tremendous skill and experience to the CFO role, having previously been CFO at magniX, and before that at Electra.aero. Prior to that, Jilinda held a series of senior positions with increasing responsibility at Rolls Royce: vice president of government relations, vice president of investor relations, CFO of Civil Small and Medium Engines, and senior vice president for Civil Aerospace Programs. In that position she managed the company’s $10 bn global engine and aftermarket business. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
03 Jun 24. Vision Products (www.visionproducts.llc) is pleased to announce the appointment of Daniel P. Fata as a Strategic Advisor, bringing his decades of expertise in the aerospace and defense sector, government affairs, and strategic planning to the company. Mr. Fata has cultivated a distinguished career spanning nearly 30 years. His extensive background includes roles in Congress, the Defense Department, the aerospace and defense industry, consulting, and renowned think tanks, making him a trusted advisor to C-Suite executives, Cabinet officers, military leaders, and public sector figures. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)