Palestinian Authority resumes security partnership with Israel

by Mohammed Najib

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has resumed security co-operation with Israel after six months and following the election victory of US President-elect Joe Biden, senior PA security officials confirmed to Janes in November 2020. A Palestinian security analyst consulted by Janes considered the resumption a good gesture and a message to Biden, whom Palestinians expect to sponsor a return to peace talks with Israel to alter course from the policies of outgoing US President Donald Trump on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Major General Kamil Abu Rukun, director of the Coordination of the [Israeli] Government Activities in the [Palestinian] Territories (COGAT), confirmed by writing in a letter to the PA on 17 November that Israel has previously stated that the bilateral Israeli-Palestinian agreements continue to form the applicable legal framework governing the conduct of the parties. The PA presented the letter to justify the resumption to Palestinian sceptics, with PA Minister of Civilian Affairs Hussein Sheikh telling Janes on 26 November, “Immediately, following our receipt of General Abu Rukun’s letter, we informed the Israeli side of our decision to resume security co-operation with them.”

Resuming operations

An Israeli security guard stands by burning tyres amid clashes with Palestinian protesters following their demonstration against the expansion of settlements in the town of Salfit, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on 4 December 2020. Public unrest in the West Bank will remain a major challenge as security co-operation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority resumes. (Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP via Getty Images)


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New Chinese attack helicopter in development

by Akhil Kadidal

This concept image of China's new attack helicopter, tentatively designated as Z-21, is based on photographs of the prototype aircraft in flight. (Janes)

China is developing a new attack helicopter that appears to be in the same weight class as the US Boeing AH-64 Apache and the Russian Mil Mi-28 Havoc.

Images of the new helicopter, which emerged on Chinese social media in March 2024, show an aircraft that is larger than the People's Liberation Army's (PLA's) in-service AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Changhe Aircraft Industries Group (CHAIG) Z-10 attack helicopter, and with a wider central fuselage that is comparable with the Apache. The fuselage includes cheek fairings similar to the AH-64 Apache and a nose configuration similar to the Mi-28. The AH-64E and the Mi-28N have a maximum operating weight of 10–12 tons.

The new helicopter (tentatively designated as Z-21 by Chinese military observers) also appears to incorporate some of the PLA's latest combat helicopter features such as upward-facing engine exhausts to reduce its infrared signature.


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Australia passes law to boost AUKUS defence trade

by Jon Grevatt

New Australian legislation aims to support defence trade between partners working on the AUKUS submarine. A visual concept of the submarine is pictured above. (BAE Systems)

Australia's parliament passed legislation on 27 March that will support the country's AUKUS partnership with the United Kingdom and United States but toughen rules on the transfer of technologies to other foreign countries.

The Department of Defence (DoD) in Canberra said the new Defence Trade Controls Amendment Act 2024 (DTC Act) will enhance the protection of “Australian technology and information as well as that of key partners”.

It added that the law will “fast-track the delivery of high-end capabilities to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) by streamlining trade and collaboration with our AUKUS partners, maintaining Australia's capability edge”.

The cornerstone of the legislation, which amends the existing Defence Trade Controls Act 2012, is the easing of red tape in defence trade between AUKUS partners by supporting the establishment of a “licence-free environment for Australian industry”, the DoD said.


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GA-ASI sets out Reaper upgrade plan for Netherlands

by Gareth Jennings

One of four Reaper UAVs now operated by the RNLAF. As well as doubling its fleet to eight, the Netherlands plans to upgrade its Reapers with a raft of enhanced capabilities. (Royal Netherlands Air Force)

The Netherlands is to equip its General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with a raft of enhancements over the next three years, the manufacturer said on 27 March.

Following previously disclosed plans by the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) to double its fleet size from four to eight air vehicles, GA-ASI spelled out some of the capability upgrades that the service intends to add.

“Upgrades to their aircraft [will] include capabilities such as maritime radars, a communications relay, extended range fuel tanks, electronic support measures (ESM), and weapons,” the manufacturer said.

As noted by Lieutenant Colonel Jan Ruedisueli, the commander of the RNLAF's 306 Squadron that operates the type, the Netherlands plans to use its Reapers across an increasing range of mission sets for its national and NATO needs. “With these upgrades, we will support NATO's ISR [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] and maritime surveillance missions throughout Europe,” he was quoted as saying by GA-ASI.


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The Palestinian Authority (PA) has resumed security co-operation with Israel after six months and fo...

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