France, Saudi Arabia
Tough preparations underway ahead of French defence minister's visit to Riyadh

France
Ministry of Defence think tank descends into crisis

The scientific director of France's Institute for Strategic Research, the IRSEM, Julia Grignon, resigned on 6 October from the Ministry of Defence think tank.

The Intelligence Gazette
Yulia Shoigu, Akhmed Zakayev, NGA drops analogue imaging, NATO, Bernard Emié

Appointments, reforms and key issues: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community.

Moscow Defence minister puts daughter in charge of veteran aid fund

Kyiv Akhmed Zakayev's Chechen armed wing gets its baptism of fire

Springfield Final curtain for analogue imagery

Brussels NATO looks for help on Russia analysis

France DGSE director, diplomat Bernard Emié, opts for state administror status

France, Saudi Arabia
Race to lead French business interests in Saudi Arabia in full swing

As the strategic partnership between Paris and Riyadh takes shape, French companies are trying to tap into networks that will help them win contracts in Saudi Arabia. A handful of private and public business clubs and consultancies are jostling to champion French interests in the kingdom.

France, Saudi Arabia
Former PM Raffarin helps Saudi-French Business Council aiming for involvement in MbS's projects

Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the former prime minister who became the French government's envoy for China, has recently made his mark on the Saudi-French business networks. For many French companies, that has resulted in a reorientation of their focus towards Mohammed bin Salman's large-scale plans.

Spotlight | France, Saudi Arabia
Airbus keeps low profile in Saudi mission-critical communications bid

Now the leading French mission-critical communications provider, Airbus is seeking to earn a share of the Saudi defence ministry's mission-critical communications contract. But delays on France's RRF radio network of the future project have the firm treading very cautiously in Riyadh.

France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia
Alexis Le Cour Grandmaison, civil defence champion in the Middle East

The Club de l'Export de la Sécurité Civile, a club aimed at exporting French civil defence, is planning a trip to Jordan and Saudi Arabia in May to lay the groundwork for an official visit and line up contracts in September.

France, Middle East
Gulf nations show little interest in France's special forces seminar

SOFINS, the trade fair designed to put French defence industry players in touch with their special forces and intelligence clients, is traditionally the go-to place to impress foreign delegations. However, this year's event failed to garner as much attention from the Gulf as its organisers would have liked.

France, Singapore
French external intelligence agency wants its South East Asia team in shipshape

Marc P.'s arrival in Singapore after six years serving as head of the DGSE's intelligence department should allow the service to ramp up its action in a highly strategic zone, one that it had largely ignored for years, as China places its pawns in South East Asia.

France, Saudi Arabia, Spain
Naval Group's fight for Saudi Arabian combat ship deal sunk by Spain's Navantia

Faced with the contract won by the Spanish Navantia to equip the Royal Saudi Navy, the French Naval Group has conceded defeat. Intelligence Online takes a look into the background of a competition that did not go well from the start.

Saudi Arabia
MBS spares veteran spymaster Khaled bin Ali Al Humaidan in Saudi shake up

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was appointed prime minister in September, has made another step towards the title of king. He is meanwhile ushering his young guard into the bastions of power - except for the intelligence service, which remains untouched.

Gérald Darmanin aborts Tunis trip

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin was supposed to have accompanied his Italian counterpart Matteo Piantedosi on a visit to Tunis on 16 but his assertion that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was "incapable of solving the migration problems" made a joint trip impossible, so Piantedosi travelled alone.