Mer Group lands €46m. in West African intelligence, cyber contracts

Israel's Mer Group has secured a series of contracts valued at approximately €46 million ($53 million) from government entities in a West African country, expanding its footprint in the intelligence, cyber defense, and homeland security sectors as governments grapple with rapidly evolving AI-driven threats.The contracts were awarded to a wholly owned subsidiary, Athena Security Implementations, which is Mer Group's homeland security contributor that specializes in integrating intelligence solutions with national security frameworks.The contracts include providing intelligence and cybersecurity capabilities, modernizing existing intelligence systems, and modernizing and protecting strategic national infrastructure. The projects are expected to be executed over approximately 24 months.According to the company, roughly €34m. of the contract value is expected to be supported by a financing agreement between the customer and a financing bank, which is anticipated to be signed in the coming months.Athena works primarily with governments and security agencies, although it also supports corporations facing similar security challenges. According to Athena CEO Omer Lavie, the company's model begins with assessing a country's intelligence and security vulnerabilities before designing an integrated package based on Israeli operational experience and proven technologies."We don't just deliver technology," Lavie told Defense & Tech by The Jerusalem Post. "We provide doctrine, procedures, protocols and best practices, while improving the capabilities of the people operating those systems through training, mentoring, and professional development."The…