Britain is about to launch its first ever dedicated military spy satellite.Called Tyche, the washing machine-sized spacecraft will have sufficient resolution to identify battlefield troop positions and vehicles.A successful launch will mean that the UK will no longer be the onlyG8 nation without a sovereign satellite imaging capability.The satellite is a demonstrator model that should be followed by a network of satellites this decade using a variety of sensors.Some of these future spacecraft will be able to see through cloud and even eavesdrop on radio transmissions.Tyche’s ride to orbit is booked on a SpaceX Falcon rocket flying out of California.…

The incursion into Russia is “definitely a blow to Putin’s image” according to Prof Haran.  

There are only 200,000 doses of mpox vaccines available according to the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) has reported, resulting in a shortfall of 9.8 million.

Autonomous AI drones capable of independently locating and destroying ground targets have been successfully tested in a “ground breaking” multinational military exercise. The exercise is the first use of autonomy and AI sensing systems in a real-time military environment according to UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL). Multiple AI-powered drones from Australia, the UK and the US, known as the AUKUS partnership, operated in tandem while rapidly sharing data and intelligence, such as troop movements or potential target locations. A specialised AI computer program was used to control the systems, minimising the time between identifying the targets, deciding how…

British Challenger 2 tanks have reportedly been used by Ukrainian troops inside Russia for the first time.The disclosure follows the recent announcement by the British Ministry of Defence that weapons supplied by the UK can be used inside Russia – with the exception of storm shadow cruise missiles.A video posted by a Russian Telegram account purports to show Vladimir Putin’s forces attacking a Challenger 2 inside Kursk. A source told Sky News that the British tanks have been used in Ukraine’s cross-border assault into Kursk, which was launched last week.The 82nd Air Assault Brigade, which has been operating British tanks since…

Britain’s largest nuclear plant operator has apologised after admitting to a series of cyber security failings that could have jeopardised national security. Sellafield, a government-owned facility which is home to the largest store of plutonium in the world, left sensitive information exposed to foreign hackers for four years. The case has raised questions about UK’s nuclear safety protocols. The nuclear waste management firm appeared in a sentencing hearing on 8th August to face charges brought by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). An investigation by the ONR revealed cyber security failings at the site between 2019 and 2023. The ONR…

The United States has deployed a nuclear-powered guided missile submarine and a carrier strike group to the Middle East in anticipation of an imminent attack on Israel by Iran. The deployment of USS Georgia follows new intelligence from Israel indicating that Tehran is planning a large-scale strike within days. Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said: “We’re following Hezbollah and Iran and ready. “We’re at highest alert. We have increased the air force’s patrols, we are attacking every threat we identify and are prepared to intercept threats in real time.” Despite previous warnings of an impending Iranian assault,…

A $10 million reward is being offered for information leading to the capture of a team of Iranian hackers targeting critical infrastructure within the U.S., National Security News has learned. The move comes as the U.S. government intensifies its efforts to combat cyber threats posed by foreign adversaries. The announcement by the State Department Rewards for Justice program, which offers rewards for information leading to the arrest of terrorists, names six Iranian security officials linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC is a branch of the Iran’s military force which has been responsible for malicious cyber activity…

Chinese defence chiefs are planning to install a star wars type laser on its nuclear submarines so that it will be able to shoot down British and US spy satellites while hidden beneath the ocean. Chinese scientists claim the weapon will be able to knockout satellites and enemy aircraft in a fraction of a second because lasers destroy targets at the speed of light. One of the western satellite systems in the Chinese sights is the SpaceX Starlink satellite system which can often be seen passing over UK skies. The UK has around seven military satellites which are now vital for command and…

Doctored videos of Vice President Kamala Harris have gone viral on social media platform X gaining millions of views. The surge in deepfake content targeting Harris began less than 24 hours after her first campaign speech and shows no sign of slowing in the lead up to the presidential election. One deepfake shows Harris repeatedly fumbling her words, in contrast to the actual footage of her smooth speech alongside President Joe Biden following a major prisoner swap. The recent deepfake video, first posted on Truth Social by Donald Trump, mocked Harris with the labels “DUMB!” and “extremely Low IQ.” The…

The recent significant losses suffered by Russian mercenaries at the hands of Tuareg rebels in Mali have undermined the perception that Russia’s Wagner Group can enhance security for local communities in the Sahel, according to Sahel expert Professor Sebastian Elischer from the University of Florida.

One of the Kremlin’s most senior intelligence chiefs is facing allegations of corruption amid claims that his family amassed a fortune through illicit dealings linked to a Russian state defence company. Lieutenant General Vladislav Menshchikov, the head of the FSB, the Russian counter intelligence service, is alleged to have acquired expensive properties and businesses registered under the names of his relatives, according to The Insider, an investigations website. Menschikov, is one of President Vladimir’s most trusted aides and was responsible for orchestrating the wrongful arrest of western journalists. The Insider found that Menshchikov’s daughter, Tatiana Menshchikova, has amassed a real…

Rioters responsible for a public order crisis across Britain face being charged with terror offences, Britain’s top prosecutor has warned. Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions, said his team would use every legal power to jail those behind the disorder, and that terror legislation was already being used in one case. He spoke out amid fears that up to 30 far right rallies are planned across the country over the next 24 hours. Senior police sources have admitted the “outlook is bad”, but insisted they were “ready to respond”. More than 400 people have already been arrested in connection…

There will be no re-opening of diplomatic relations between Russia and the West in the wake of the historic prison exchange, according to a former US National Security advisor.

Axiom Space announced that its upcoming mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will feature a diverse international crew representing India, Poland, and Hungary. The Ax-4 mission marks a significant expansion of global participation in commercial spaceflight. It is also expected to strengthen ties between the participating countries and solidify their positions as leaders in the growing space industry. Veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson will command the 14-day mission, marking her second with Axiom Space. Joining her are Mission Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India, and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The upcoming mission will mark…

“I think the status quo,serves quite a lot of people’s interest well and a major escalation doesn’t serve anyone.”

Iran has threatened that it will deliver a “harsh punishment” against Israel following theassassination of Hamas’s leader in an explosion. Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, was killed instantly inside his home in Tehran with some reports suggesting that a bomb had been placed inside the apartment months earlier and detonated by remote control.The threat of retaliation by Tehran raises the stakes in the Middle East with the two most powerful countries in the region moving ever closer to all out war.The Israeli government has not commented directly on the missile strike which killed Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran early…

The increasing reliance on mobile phones by both Russian and Ukrainian forces has transformed the battlefield, with devices serving as both vital tools and potential liabilities. The disclosure has led to a warning by cyber analysts of a shift in Russian cyber tactics to exploit mobile phone weaknesses. The Kremlin has also proposed a strict new law punishing soldiers for carrying phones in combat zones in a bid to clamp down on their use on the battlefield. Dan Black, Manager of Cyber Espionage Analysis at Mandiant, described how Russia’s cyber strategy has moved from high-profile, destructive attacks on civilian infrastructure…

North Korean spy chiefs are hacking into hospital computers to extort ransom payments which are then used to fund more cyber attacks, a new threat report warns. The communist state is using the attacks to fuel its nuclear ambitions, with the report from intelligence agencies in the US, UK, and South Korea, detailing a global espionage operation aimed at stealing critical technology. The state-sponsored cyber group, identified as Andariel, is waging a campaign against organisations involved in defence, aerospace, nuclear, and engineering worldwide. Andariel, also known as Onyx Sleet and APT45, operates within North Korea’s 3rd Bureau, the unit responsible…

F-16 fighters could soon be taking part in combat operations inside Ukraine’s airspace providing a well-timed significant boost to its air defences.Described by experts as the “world’s most agile fighter” – and a much hyped element of this the Nato summit in Washington – the US-made jet will be used primarily to shoot down the barrage of cruise missiles, deadly glide bombs and drones used by Russia to target Ukraine’s power infrastructure.Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said they are essential to help Ukrainians push back against Russia’s aerial dominance and “unblock the skies”.Russian forces have been preparing for the Ukrainian…

Confusion surrounds the intelligence which led to the arrest of 95 Libyans at a military training camp in South Africa. Government officials claim that the country’s intelligence officers were responsible for the raid on the camp in White River in the Mpumalanga province, but National Security News has learned that the arrests were due to a tip-off from the United States. Kobus Marais, a former shadow minister of the opposition Democratic Alliance, suspects that this situation mirrors a previous incident where the U.S. warned South Africa about allegedly selling weapons to Russia, which involved the Lady R ship docking in Simon’s Town and…

This is a war and the good guys must win. The alternative is unthinkable, writes former Sars executive JOHANN VAN LOGGERENBERG.

It certainly isn’t entirely unpredictable that something would happen at the Summer Olympics in Paris. Let’s hope this is the last one and not a strategy.

Traditional background checks for employees are not good enough anymore as sophisticated state actors use stolen identities and artificial intelligence to get around security checks. Even a cyber security training firm discovered their new software engineer was actually a North Korean hacker. The hacker was exposed after he attempted to load information-stealing malware onto company systems. Alberto Casares, the chief technology officer at the cyber security company Constella Intelligence, told National Security News that this threat is not new and “underscores the sophistication and persistence of state-backed actors.” He explained: “The evolving landscape of cyber threats, including the recent case,…