Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: US president acknowledges cyber security challenges in State of the Union address; deteriorating security situation sparks surge in private security spending in Yemen; United States urges Europe to develop more advanced military technology; and more.
Tag: private military and security companies
Blowback: The failure of remote-control warfare
It all seemed so convenient: remote-control warfare would minimise military casualties while rendering the civilian dead invisible. But in this article co-published with openDemocracy, Open Briefing's executive director, Chris Abbott, explains how the battlefield has come home and remote-control warfare is failing.
Remote-control warfare briefing #8, January 2015: Attacks in Paris, terrorist use of drones, Sony Pictures hack
Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: attacks in France, Australia and Canada highlight domestic deployment of special operations forces for counter-terrorism operations; terrorist use of drones presents major potential threat to key sites and personnel in West; hack on Sony Pictures highlights key challenges in cyber security and conflict; and more.
Special forces, mercenaries, cyber warfare, drones and intelligence: Remote-control warfare briefing #7
Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: Afghan policy reversal reinstates special forces night raids; historic verdict in Blackwater Iraq shootings trial could set precedent; United States facing multiple cyber offensives from state and non-state adversaries; and more.
Trends in remote-control warfare: March-September 2014
Since April 2014, Open Briefing has produced a series of monthly intelligence briefings on developments in remote-control warfare, including special operations forces; private military and security companies; unmanned vehicles and autonomous weapons systems; cyber warfare; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. This report provides a detailed overview of the key trends that have emerged during the period covered by the previous five briefings.
Drones, special forces and mercenaries: Remote-control warfare briefing #05
Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: increasing number of mercenaries in foreign conflicts from Balkans region; state and non-state hacker groups launch cyber attacks on Israel in response to Operation Protective Edge; US officials grapple with political and economic costs of NSA’s surveillance activities; and more.
Remote-control warfare briefing #04
Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: eminent task force delivers detailed report examining US drone policy; significant malware distribution and network monitoring on rise across Iraq; British parliament passes ‘emergency’ data retention and surveillance legislation; and more.
Remote-control warfare briefing #03
Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: leaked defence company presentation reveals United States’ Afghanistan exit strategy relies on private contractors; US justice department indicts five members of Chinese People’s Liberation Army for hacking into US corporate networks; United Kingdom’s signals intelligence agency forced to reveal its policy on mass surveillance; and more.