Saturday, February 28, 2009

Lockheed Says Interest Growing In F-35 Fighter /F-35 Will Be The Most Formidable Strike Fighter Ever Fielded

Lockheed Says Interest Growing In F-35 Fighter /F-35 Will Be The Most Formidable Strike Fighter Ever Fielded
(NSI News Source Info) February 28, 2009: Finland and Belgium have become the latest countries to speak to the Pentagon about possible purchase of the multinational F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, said manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corp. Three variants of the radar-evading F-35 are being developed with financing from the United States and eight other countries. Lockheed Martin calls it the world's most advanced multi-role fighter. "Finland and Belgium have expressed interest to the JPO," said Chris Geisel, a Lockheed spokesman, referring to the Pentagon's F-35 Joint Program office. The F-35 is designed specifically to replace U.S. Air Force A-10s and F-16s, U.S. Navy F/A-18s, U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harriers and F/A-18s, and U.K. Harrier GR.7s and Sea Harriers. Spain, looking eventually to replace its Harrier jump jets, has gone further, with a contractual study in place since late 2007, Geisel said. Greece and South Korea each received F-35 briefings from the U.S. government early this year, he added. F-35 competitors include Saab's Gripen, the Dassault Rafale, Russia's MiG-35 and Sukhoi Su-35, and the Eurofighter Typhoon made by a consortium of British, German, Italian and Spanish companies. Israel is the furthest along in a projected government-to-government F-35 deal. It appears likely to buy an initial 25 F-35s in 2012 for delivery in 2014, with an option for 50 more, Dan Crowley, Lockheed's F-35 program general manager, told a briefing Thursday during a U.S. Air Force Association symposium in Orlando, Florida. Crowley said Singapore appears likely to get F-35s two years after Israel. Asked about other potential buyers through the Pentagon's Foreign Military Sales program, Crowley said Japan has expressed interest but is "farther out" on a decision as it weighs other options. Lockheed says all 24 countries that fly its F-16 fighter are potential customers for the F-35, which is designed to replace at least 13 types of aircraft, including the F-16. The eight countries that have joined the United States to co-develop the F-35 -- Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway -- appear to be largely sticking to their plans to buy some 730 F-35s of their own, Pentagon officials have said. The United States currently plans to buy a total of 2,443 F-35 models -- including 1,763 for the U.S. Air Force and 680 for the Marine Corps and Navy together. It is the costliest U.S. arms acquisition program ever at a projected $299 billion over the next two decades. "As we mature the F-35, we continue to see evidence of ever-strengthening customer support," including statements of intent to buy from Norway and the Netherlands, Crowley said. "We will see more of the same in 2009," he said, "as our international partners begin ordering their first airplanes." Lockheed's chief F-35 subcontractors are Northrop Grumman Corp and BAE Systems Plc. Two rival, interchangeable F-35 engines are under development. One is built by United Technologies Corp's Pratt & Whitney unit; the other by a team of General Electric Co and Rolls-Royce Group Plc. Lockheed said it was on track to meet its F-35 cost projections. It said the conventional take-off and landing model was projected to cost in the "upper" $60 million range per copy in adjusted 2014 dollars, when full production is due to kick in. The short takeoff and landing version, to be used by the U.S. Marine Corps, is projected to cost in the mid-to-upper $80 million range, the company said, citing what it called Pentagon program office projections. The projection for the variant designed to land on Navy aircraft carrier is in the low $90 million range in 2015 dollars, Geisel said. "These costs represent aircraft early in the production cycle when aircraft costs are highest," he added. He said as production ramps up, cost per aircraft is projected to decrease.

China Exports Qing Buqiang Zidong QBZ-95 Light Assault Rifle To Myanmar / Myanmar Is A Controlled Embargoed Country, In Spite The Factor China Exports

China Exports Qing Buqiang Zidong QBZ-95 Light Assault Rifle To Myanmar / Myanmar Is A Controlled Embargoed Country, In Spite The Factor China Exports Assault Rifle Type 95 - Report
(NSI News Source Info) February 28, 2009: China has apparently sold some of its new assault rifles (the Type 95) to Myanmar. Troops in that country have been seen carrying the Chinese weapon. The QBZ-95 (Type 95) is bullpup design (the magazine is behind the trigger) that uses China’s proprietary 5.8x42mm cartridge, which is a little wider than the 5.56 NATO, but shorter in overall length.
The Type 95 uses a 30-round magazine, similar to the M-16. The Type 95 fires single shots or bursts. China is still in the process of replacing its own Type 81 (improved AK-47) rifles with the new rifle The Type 95 is about ten percent lighter than the older rifle, and has apparently been well received by the troops. The Type 95 was first seen in Hong Kong when China took over in 1997. The Type 95 comes in a variety of styles (a compact version, an automatic rifle, and a sniper rifle). An export version (the Type 97), using the standard 5.56mm NATO round is called, and is apparently what Myanmar is using. At the same time China was exporting Type 97 rifles to Myanmar, it provided Bangladesh with financing and technical assistance for building a factory to produce a modified version of the Chinese Type 81 assault rifle.
This is a 7.5 pound rifle that looks like the Chinese Type 56 (itself a copy of the Russian AK-47). The main differences are that the Type 81 has less recoil and "jump" (of the rifle when fired), which improves accuracy.
The Bangladeshi version of the Type 81 is called the BD-08, and the new factory will be able to produce 10,000 a year. Eventually, Bangladesh will replace all its current Type 56 rifles with BD-08s. Both use the same 7.62/39mm ammo.

US Increased Military Aid To Pakistan....Is This The Solution To End Afghan War?

US Increased Military Aid To Pakistan....Is This The Solution To End Afghan War?
By increase in military supplies to Pakistan, there will be no solution to Afghan war instead would accelerate misery in the region, hostility towards foreign NATO troops and stronger foothold of Islamic extremists in FATA region.
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON: February 28, 2009: Increased US military aid going to the Pakistani Army has failed with US President Barack Obama proposing to massively increase non-military and military aid to Pakistan in his maiden budget.
Though the exact amount of military aid has not been specified. Mr Obama’s maiden budget proposes spending of $130 billion for 2010 and $75.5 billion for 2009. There is a further request for $205.5 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan between now and 2010.
A soldier of Pakistan Army patrols in the main market of Mingora, capital of troubled Swat valley in Pakistan on Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. Taliban militants in the valley have extended a cease-fire, strengthening a peace process that Western governments say risks granting a safe haven to extremists close to the Afghan border.
The $130-billion request for the war also includes military aid to Pakistan to fight the Al Qaeda and the Taliban. The budget comes at a time when the Obama administration has just concluded trilateral talks with Afghanistan and Pakistan on the situation in the region with Pakistan seeking both military and non military aid.
The development is worrying for neighbours as past anti-terror funds supplied by the US have been diverted by the Pakistani military to prepare a war against India and to strike deals with the Taliban.
US government reports have also detailed the misuse of military funds by Pakistan and Mr Obama himself has earlier pointed out that $10 billion of US funds being wasted during the Musharraf regime.
Since Pakistani links were uncovered in the Mumbai terror attacks, India has been asking the US and other countries to stop military aid to Pakistan. The matter was taken up by the Indian side during special envoy Richard Holbrooke’s visit to India.
But the Obama administration, which initially did a lot of tough talking on the issue, needs the Pakistani military, which is now asking for drones to take action against militant hideouts, to take action against the Al Qaeda and Taliban.
Though India has been talking about a congruence of interests in the region with the US, the issue of military aid for Pakistan remains a point of disagreement between India and the US.
On the budget expenditure US policy towards Pakistan, joint chief of staff Admiral Mike Mullen was quoted as saying:
"I think it's very important that we help resource them and develop this comprehensive strategy with Pakistan over a number of years. I'm delighted to see that kind of support in the 2010 budget. “ The budget also proposes increasing non-military aid to Afghanistan and also Pakistan.
“External challenges include undertaking a responsible drawdown of troops from Iraq and focusing the appropriate resources on achieving US objectives in Afghanistan,” said the budget in the areas related to the defence department. There has been a lot of talk in the US polity of increasing non-military aid to Pakistan conditional to effective counter terrorism measures. There are reports that the US might be looking at $5-billion aid to Pakistan apart from the $1.5-billion package which is in the US Congress.
Mr Obama in his budget has also proposed to increasing non- military aid to Afghanistan and Pakistan to fight the resurgence of the Taliban through developmental activities. The proposal is for 10.5 billion in supplemental non-military funding for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
According to the budget, the proposal looks at doubling foreign aid and includes increasing the number of civilian personnel in Afghanistan and Pakistan to do development and reconstruction work to counter the Taliban. “In addition, we must leverage allied support to help struggling states such as Pakistan, which are the keystone for regional stability,” said the budget.
The defence spending for this year, according to the budget, $533.7 billion, which is a four per cent increase from last year. Incidentally, the move to double aid to Pakistan comes at a time when the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) stated that Pakistan has been fudging statements to the US for certain transport facilities it provided in counter terror effort. The fraud was revealed during an audit carried out by the US authorities.

Indian Navy To Be Responsible For Overall Maritime Security

Indian Navy To Be Responsible For Overall Maritime Security
(NSI News Source Info) Kochi - February 28, 2009: In a bid to strengthen the maritime and coastal security of India, the Centre had decided to designate the Indian Navy as the authority responsible for overall maritime security, which includes coastal and offshore security. The Indian Navy uses modern technology and weapon systems, some of which are domestically developed. Others, like the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, are jointly developed with Russia. Some major strides in defense research. There are reports on the joint development by India and Israel of the Barak-II missile system, an improved, longer range version of the Barak-I air defence missile which is operational on Indian Navy ships. The Barak-I is used on most of the main ships of the Indian Navy. The Indian Navy's nuclear deterrence capability is based on Sukanya class ships armed with the Dhanush ballistic missiles that has a range of 350 km. India has a number of foreign made cruise missile systems, including the Klub SS-N-27. It also has its own Nirbhay cruise missile systems under development. The Sagarika (Oceanic) submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM), which has a range of at least 700 km (some sources claim 1000 km) forms part of India's nuclear triad. Another successful program has been the adaptation of the Yakhont anti-ship missile system into the BrahMos by the NPO and the DRDO. The BrahMos has been tailored to Indian needs and uses a large proportion of Indian-designed components and technology, including its fire control systems, transporter erector launchers, and its onboard navigational attack systems. The successful test of Brahmos from INS Rajput (D51) provides Indian Navy with precision land attack capability. Announcing the Government’s decisions on the sidelines of the keel laying ceremony for the ‘Indigenous Aircraft Carrier’ being built at the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) here, Mr Antony said in its endeavour, the Indian Navy would be assisted by the Coast Guard, State Marine Police and other Central and State agencies for the coastal defense of the nation.
As part of the measures to spruce up the maritime security in the backdrop of the recent Mumbai attacks, the Defence Minister said Joint Operation Centres (JOCs) at Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi and Port Blair would be set up under the charge of existing Naval 'C-in-Cs'.
The JOCs would be manned and operated by the Navy and Coast Guard with inputs from diverse agencies, including Central and State Government. Besides, a 'National Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence' network for real-time maritime domain awareness linking the operations rooms of the Navy and Coast Guard, both at the field and apex-level would be established.
In order to synergise operations between the Navy and the Coast Guard, the Navy would control the operations of the two forces, which would result in effectively managing threats from the sea and security of the coastline.

Russia Busts Gang Stealing Arms For China / How China Steals U.S. Military Secrets

Russia Busts Gang Stealing Arms For China / How China Steals U.S. Military Secrets
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - February 28, 2009: The continuing deadlock over new arms deals between Russia and China has led to a remarkable development: Russian security services are investigating a suspected plot to steal Russian weapons and sell them to Beijing. RIA Novosti reported Wednesday that a number of Russian navy officers were under investigation for allegedly trying to ship 30 anti-submarine missiles and 200 bombs, worth a total of $18 million, to Tajikistan for eventual delivery to China. The Kremlin is taking the allegations very seriously. Russia's chief military prosecutor, Sergei Fridinsky, told RIA Novosti a criminal investigation had started on the case. He said the naval officers had been working with several businessmen. The report gave no indication whether any of the powerful, super-wealthy Russian organized crime families were involved. The targeted weapons do not appear to have been state-of-the-art or strategically significant, at least according to the report. Russian navy spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Igor Dygalo described them to the news agency as "decommissioned, recycled ammunition." Dygalo stated that the plot had been foiled by "the navy, in conjunction with the Chief Military Prosecutor's Office and the Federal Security Service."
However, RIA Novosti gave a tantalizing hint that the plot, and the existence of organized criminality within the Russian navy, may have gone far higher. It cited what it described as "some media reports" as claiming that very senior Russian naval officers, up to the rank of several vice admirals and rear admirals, may have been implicated.

Guatemala Interested In Russian Weapons In Exchange For Food

Guatemala Interested In Russian Weapons In Exchange For Food
(NSI News Source Info) MEXICO CITY - February 28, 2009: Guatemala's vice-president has said the Central American country is interested in buying Russian military hardware in exchange for food. "Guatemala is interested in acquiring aircraft, armored vehicles, and other armaments to fight organized crime. We could pay, as the Russian side suggests, with sugar and coffee for the arms deliveries," Rafael Espada told the Prensa Libre newspaper. Espada said the issues were discussed with Russian diplomats last Wednesday. "The Russian side presented information on the armaments that could interest Guatemala's Armed Forces and national police," he said, adding that no specific agreements have been reached yet. "The government has been instructed to study the Russian side's proposals and draft relevant recommendations," Espada said. In turn, Guatemalan Armed Forces spokesman Francisco Loranca told journalists that the country's Ground Forces, Air Force and Navy were in need of arms deliveries.

Russia Slams As Farce Canada's Statement On Tu-160 Flight

Russia Slams As Farce Canada's Statement On Tu-160 Flight
(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - February 28, 2009: A Russian government source expressed astonishment on Friday over a statement made by Canada's defense minister over a flight by a Russian strategic bomber near the Canadian border. The Tupolev Tu-160 is a supersonic, variable-geometry heavy bomber designed by the Soviet Union. It is similar in configuration to the B-1 Lancer but is significantly faster than the B-1B at altitude with a greater combat range and payload capacity. Entered service in 1987 with the 184 Guards Bomber Regiment, based at Priluki, Ukraine, the Tu-160 was the last strategic bomber designed by the Soviet Union but remains in production, with at least 16 currently in service with the Russian Air Force. Pilots of the Tu-160 call it the “White Swan”, due to its maneuverability and antiflash white finish. Although several civil and military transport aircraft are bigger, the Tu-160 has the greatest total thrust, and the heaviest takeoff weight of any combat aircraft, and the highest top speed as well as one of the largest payloads of any current heavy bomber. Peter Mackay said two Canadian fighters forced the Russian Tu-160 Blackjack to make a U-turn on February 18 as it neared Canadian airspace less then 24 hours before U.S. President Barack Obama was due to visit Ottawa. The Canadian minister said the move was "a strong coincidence." "The Canadian defense minister's statements concerning the flights of our long-haul aircraft are totally unclear... This was a routine flight. The countries adjacent to the flight path had been notified and the planes did not violate the airspace of other countries. In this light the statements by the Canadian Defense Ministry provoke astonishment and can only be called a farce," the source said. The Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Col. Alexander Drobyshevsky, confirmed that all the neighboring states had received prior notification of the flights by Russian strategic aircraft. Lt. Col. Vladimir Drik, a Russian Air Force spokesman, said earlier the Tu-160 flights were in compliance with international agreements and rules and did not violate Canadian airspace.

Russia Says Self-Sufficient For Early Warning Missile Data

Russia Says Self-Sufficient For Early Warning Missile Data
(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - February 28, 2009: Russia no longer depends on Ukraine to provide it with strategic missile tracking data following the launch of its new radar facility in the country's south, the commander of Russia's Space Forces said on Friday. Russia's Voronezh-DM radar site in the southern town of Armavir went into service on Thursday. Maj. Gen. Oleg Ostapenko said the Armavir radar would monitor missile routes and probable directions for a missile attack in the south and southeast of Russia in place of the early warning facilities in Mukachevo in western Ukraine and Sevastopol, the Crimea. Russia terminated a 1997 agreement with Ukraine on the use of both Ukrainian radars in February 2008 on the grounds that they had become obsolete. With an effective range of 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) the Voronezh-class radar has capabilities similar to its predecessors, the Dnepr and Daryal, which are currently deployed outside Russia, but uses less energy and is more environmentally friendly. Gen. Ostapenko said Russia would build more radar stations to replace the existing ones, adding that the Armavir facility was the second, after the Lekhtusi complex, in the Leningrad Region, which had been put into operation in March 2006. Washington wants to place 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar station in the neighboring Czech Republic, purportedly to counter a missile threat from Iran and other "rogue" states. Russia has fiercely opposed the plans, saying the European shield would destroy the strategic balance of forces and threaten Russia's national interests.

Russia To Build Nuclear-Powered 60,000-Ton Aircraft Carrier

Russia To Build Nuclear-Powered 60,000-Ton Aircraft Carrier
(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - February 28, 2009: Russia's new-generation aircraft carrier will be nuclear powered and have a displacement of up to 60,000 metric tons, a United Shipbuilding Corporation executive said on Friday. Vice Adm. Anatoly Shlemov, the company's head of defense contracts, said the new carrier was still at the drawing board stage, but its blueprint and basic specifications have already been defined. He said the carrier will serve as a seaborne platform for new-generation fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft, in particular, a fifth-generation fighter that will replace the Su-33 multirole fighter aircraft currently in service, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). "It will be a fifth-generation aircraft with classic horizontal take-off and landing capability," the admiral said. Shlemov said, unlike in the past, the new aircraft carrier would not be armed with cruise missiles, which were not part of its "job description." He said that at least three such carriers were to be built, for the Northern and Pacific Fleets. The executive offered no timeline on the project, saying it was not as yet clear which shipyard would get the contract. The new carrier has an estimated price tag of $4 billion. So far the Russian Navy only has one aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov Project 1143.5, built in 1985, with a displacement of 55,000 metric tons, a crew of 1,500, and capability to carry more than 50 aircraft. :

Friday, February 27, 2009

Pakistan Opposition Chief Warns Of Chaos

Pakistan Opposition Chief Warns Of Chaos
(NSI News Source Info) LAHORE, Pakistan - February 28, 2009: Opposition leader Nawaz Sharif warned in an interview Friday that political chaos could embolden Islamist militants threatening nuclear-armed Pakistan, as his supporters battled police following a court ruling barring him from elected office.
Pakistan's biggest political crisis in over a year began Wednesday when the Supreme Court upheld a ruling that banned Sharif from contesting elections because of a past criminal conviction.
Pakistani opposition leader Nawaz Sharif gestures during an interview in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. Sharif warned in an interview Friday that political chaos could embolden Islamist militants threatening nuclear-armed Pakistan, as his supporters battled police following a court ruling barring him from elected office.
The court also disqualified Sharif's brother from continuing as head of the government in Punjab province, Pakistan's largest, prompting President Asif Ali Zardari to oust the regional government.
The pro-Western government led by Zardari's party retains its majority in the federal Parliament. U.S. officials, who have wooed both Sharif and Zardari as allies against the Taliban and al-Qaida, have expressed no public concern so far about the gathering turmoil.
But in his first interview since the crisis broke, Sharif said the situation could deteriorate to the point that it undermines Pakistan's efforts against terrorism and major economic problems.
«There are a lot of forces _ the militants, the extremists _ they are all there to take advantage,» Sharif told The Associated Press at his villa near the eastern city of Lahore.
«I think we are heading for some sort of unfortunate situation.
Later Friday, thousands of Sharif supporters thronged peacefully through Lahore's main boulevard, waving his party's green flags and chanting «Go Zardari go
But rioting also continued for a third day, with police swinging batons and firing tear gas at stone-throwing youths among hundreds of people who blocked the six-lane highway between Islamabad and the nearby city of Rawalpindi.
Protesters also tore down advertising billboards, smashed traffic signals and street lights, and blocked traffic with burning tires.
«If anybody thinks that they can make politics without Nawaz Sharif in this country, he is very much mistaken,» said Raja Nasir Mahfoz, a middle-aged man among the crowd.
Paramilitary troops carrying assault rifles also stood guard along the route, where traffic was halted for hours, but didn't intervene.
Police official Saqib Sultan said about 10 people were arrested. There were no reports of injuries.
The government has accused Sharif, a two-time prime minister widely considered the country's most popular politician, of fomenting «open rebellion.» Sharif has called for police in Punjab to disobey orders from the governor, a Zardari loyalist who has taken emergency control of the province for two months.
But Zardari faces a hail of media criticism _ and an uncomfortable re-examination of past allegations of corruption.Sharif accused Zardari of orchestrating the crisis in cahoots with senior judges in order to prevent any reopening of recently shelved corruption cases that saw him jailed for years under former President Pervez Musharraf.
Pakistani anti-riot police officers walk toward demonstrators, not seen, during clashes in Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. Police fought running battles with supporters of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif near Pakistan's capital Friday as protests against a court order barring him from elected office continued for a third day.
Zardari and the year-old government led by his party have resisted pressure to reinstate Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, who was ousted as chief justice by Musharraf in 2007.
Chaudhry had questioned the legality of Musharraf's presidency and a pact that quashed cases against Zardari and his wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, involving millions of dollars allegedly stowed in Swiss bank accounts.Sharif has urged his supporters to join mass rallies planned for mid-March by Pakistan's lawyers, whose protests in defense of Chaudhry undermined Musharraf's long rule.
Associated Press writer Babar Dogar in Lahore contributed to this report.

Alenia And Boeing Scraped JV On Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) Program / Boeing Abandons Role In JCA Program

Alenia And Boeing Scraped JV On Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) Program / Boeing Abandons Role In JCA Program
(NSI News Source Info) ROME - February 28, 2009: Chicago-based Boeing and Italy's Alenia Aeronautica have definitively broken off talks to jointly manage a final assembly line for Alenia's C-27J aircraft in Florida, meaning Boeing would no longer have any role in the U.S. Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) program. In 1997, Alenia and Lockheed Martin formed Lockheed Martin Alenia Tactical Transport Systems (LMATTS) for the development of an advanced version of the G.222 with advanced avionics, a glass cockpit and new engines, the same Rolls-Royce AE 2100s that power the C-130J Super Hercules. The LMATTS joint venture was later dissolved when Lockheed Martin chose to offer the C-130J as a contender in the same U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) competition in which the C-27J was competing. Alenia Aeronautica then paired with L-3 Communications to form the Global Military Aircraft Systems (GMAS) joint venture to market the C-27J. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems later joined Alenia and L-3 Communications as a GMAS team member., as of this week Boeing are no longer involved in this procedure. Alenia previously announced this month that it would start building the line in Jacksonville alone in order to make delivery deadlines to the U.S. Army and Air Force, which are set to acquire 78 of the aircraft. Alenia and Boeing said at the time that talks would continue for Boeing to join Alenia in the work at a later date. But both firms on Feb. 26 said those talks would not continue. "We have decided jointly to break off discussions," an Alenia source said. "The discussions did not reach an agreement on financial and economic conditions regarding the assembly line." A Boeing spokesman confirmed the move. "After our best efforts in talks, we have decided not to go ahead with Alenia North America in establishing the final assembly line," said Bill Barksdale, communications director for Boeing's Global Mobility Systems. "It was not about the team or about the airplane," he added. "We did a final analysis, looked at the business objectives, at our shareholders and what they expect, and we made the decision not to go forward. We value our relationship with Alenia, and that relationship will continue." After starting talks as long ago as 2006, the firms said last summer they were on the brink of agreeing to terms on revenue streams from the line, part of the $2 billion deal to supply the aircraft to the Pentagon. Officials subsequently said the deal would be signed before Christmas 2008. Alenia plans to break ground in Jacksonville by the end of March to have the line operational in April 2010. Meanwhile, the first 13 aircraft ordered under the JCA program are set to roll off Alenia's production line in Italy. Both firms confirmed that Boeing would no longer have any role in the JCA program.

JASDF Receiving 3rd New Boeing KC-767J Tanker - Report / Boeing Transfers 3rd KC-767J Tanker To Japanese Partner Itochu

JASDF Receiving 3rd New Boeing KC-767J Tanker - Report / Boeing Transfers 3rd KC-767J Tanker To Japanese Partner Itochu
(NSI News Source Info) WICHITA, Kan. - February 28, 2009: The Boeing Company on Feb. 25 transferred the third KC-767J tanker to the company's Japanese partner, Itochu Corp., for delivery to the Japan Ministry of Defense (MOD) and Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).
A Boeing KC-767J air refueling tanker prepares to depart Wichita, Kan., on Feb. 25 on a 12-hour flight to Japan after being transferred to Boeing's Japanese partner, Itochu Corp., for a March delivery to Japan's Ministry of Defense and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
When Itochu officially delivers the aircraft in March, it will join two KC-767J tankers that Japan received in 2008. The KC-767J departed Boeing's tanker modification center in Wichita on a 12-hour, nonstop flight to Gifu, Japan, near Nagoya. Delivery to the MOD and JASDF will follow a final formal review and in-country acceptance processes. "This new KC-767J will be a valuable addition to Japan's tanker fleet as the country performs vital missions in the Asia-Pacific region," said Dave Bowman, Boeing vice president and general manager, Tanker Programs. "The recent completion of a yearlong technical evaluation and the on-time, on-cost delivery of this third tanker bring the JASDF one step closer to assigning these new assets to active air wings in Japan." Japan has ordered four convertible tanker/freighter KC-767Js, which provide flexibility in carrying cargo or passengers while maintaining their primary role as aerial refueling tankers. The KC-767 tanker, a military derivative of the proven 767-200 commercial airplane, features Boeing's advanced aerial refueling boom and Remote Aerial Refueling Operator II system. Boeing is scheduled to transfer the fourth Japan tanker to Itochu in December for delivery to the MOD in the first quarter of 2010. Boeing also has two KC-767 tankers in comprehensive flight test for the Italian Air Force (ITAF) and is performing modification work on two additional ITAF tankers. The first tanker for Italy is scheduled for delivery later this year.

U.S. Air Force Gives Pentagon New F-22 Purchase Plan

U.S. Air Force Gives Pentagon New F-22 Purchase Plan
(NSI News Source Info) ORLANDO, Florida - February 28, 2009: The U.S. Air Force's top general said Thursday he had put forward a fresh request for top-of-the-line F-22 fighter jets that would postpone an otherwise-imminent start to shutting down Lockheed Martin Corp's production line. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz told reporters he had presented the revised plan to Defense Secretary Robert Gates this week. He declined to elaborate on their discussion. "Until he renders a decision (on the fate of the F-22), I'd prefer to keep the content of that conversation between the (Air Force) secretary and myself and Secretary Gates," he told reporters after speaking to an Air Force Association symposium in Orlando, Florida. Lockheed Martin has said it plans to start shutting down the F-22 production line as early as next week unless President Barack Obama decides to buy more than the 183 aircraft now budgeted for. Schwartz said February 18 that the Air Force had scaled back its previous goal of acquiring a total of 381 F-22s. He said he would not differ with Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who had said earlier the Air Force was seeking 60 more, or a total of about 243. Asked about the size of the fleet the Air Force is now seeking, Schwartz said Thursday: "We ran the numbers, validated the assumptions, and came to the conclusion that we did." The radar-evading F-22 Raptor is the most advanced fighter in the U.S. arsenal, most recently costing about $143 million apiece, not including development. It has become the focus of a debate about hedging for large-scale wars versus fighting guerrillas in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan, and a lightning rod among arms programs in the deteriorating U.S. economy. Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said this week that the administration would make its wishes known for the F-22 when it releases full details of the fiscal 2010 budget, likely in April. In the meantime, the Pentagon planned to notify Congress on or about March 1 of its latest thinking on $90 million in congressionally provided bridge funds for the F-22 that the Pentagon has not yet spent. "Whatever we decide to do by March 1 with regard to long-lead parts is not necessarily an indication of where we're going with the program as a whole," Morrell said. The F-22 has strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress, not least because of the jobs it provides, with suppliers strategically chosen around the country. Even if the administration opts to end the program, many lawmakers are likely to fight for continued funding. Congress provided a total of $140 million in bridge funds to keep the F-22's production line going until at least March 1, of which $50 million has so far been spent to keep options for the aircraft intact. Sam Grizzle, a Lockheed spokesman, said earlier this month that some F-22 suppliers already had been notified that "we will begin shutdown activities on 1 March unless the President certifies that continued production of the F-22 is in the national interest." "If the decision on extending F-22 production is not made by March 1, additional funds, already authorized and appropriated by Congress, will be necessary to keep the line open," Grizzle added this week in response to the Pentagon's plans to put off a decision until the 2010 budget is released.

India to Construct Own Aircraft Carrier: Navy / India To Soon Have 40,000 Ton Aircraft Carrier / India to Start Building Home-Made Aircraft Carrier

India to Construct Own Aircraft Carrier: Navy / India To Soon Have 40,000 Ton Aircraft Carrier / India to Start Building Home-Made Aircraft Carrier
(NSI News Source Info) February 28, 2009: The Indian military confirmed news reports on Wednesday that the country will formally lay the keel of a home-made aircraft carrier at the end of this month. Indian Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta told local media that the country's first indigenous aircraft carrier will be in the waters by 2011 after a two-year construction. "Our indigenous aircraft carrier is being constructed in Kochi (southern India). It has been three years since the work started. On Feb. 28, what we call keel laying of the carrier will take place," the local Indo-Asian News Service quoted Mehta as saying. Local daily The Tribune reported on Wednesday that the 40,000- ton displacement vessel will be several times the capacity of naval worships that India has built so far. "And with this, India will join a select band of NATO countries and Russia, which possesses the capability to build aircraft carrier," said the news report. The navy chief said the building of a ship can be divided into seven phases: design, construction planning, work prior to keel laying, ship erection, launching, final outfitting, and sea trials. He said many of the parts of the aircraft carrier have already been constructed and his estimation is that "it should be in the water in two years" with an estimated cost of 30 billion rupees ( 620 million U.S. dollars). The Indian Navy has only one aircraft carrier, the INS Viraat. The Indian military expects to have three aircraft carriers by 2015 to own a true blue water navy. The Tribune said the carrier will have a crew of 1,400 officers and sailors and carry 30 aircraft in a mix of the MiG-29K, the Dhruv advanced light helicopter and the Kamov-31 Helix anti- submarine warfare helicopter.

How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! Part 3 / Obama Proposes More Military Aid To Pakistan

How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! Part 3 / Obama Proposes More Military Aid To Pakistan How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! US Detects Double Billing By Pak Navy - Dawn By Arshad Sharif How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! Part 2 / US Detects Double Billing By Pak Navy Honey, I shrunk Pakistan! The Taliban are coming, shouts By Muqtedar Khan* (NSI News Source Info) February 27, 2009: In a bid to address the rise of Al Qaeda and Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, US President Barack Obama’s maiden budget presented in the Congress has proposed more military aid to the two countries. US military aid to Pakistan has remained a matter of intense discussion. Pakistan Army troops pass through the main market of Mingora, capital of troubled Swat valley in Pakistan on Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. Taliban militants in the valley have extended a cease-fire, strengthening a peace process that Western governments say risks granting a safe haven to extremists close to the Afghan border. However, the Congressmen this time are pitching to increase non-military aid by linking it with Islamabad’s success in fight against terrorism. The budget also seeks to increase the non-military aid. When asked about the move at the Pentagon briefing, Joint Chief of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said: “I think it’s very important that we help resource them and develop this comprehensive strategy with Pakistan over a number of years. I’m delighted to see that kind of support in the ‘10 budget.” The budget also proposes increasing non military aid to Afghanistan. “External challenges include undertaking a responsible drawdown of troops from Iraq and focusing the appropriate resources on achieving US objectives in Afghanistan,” said the section of the budget related to the Defence Department. State Department budget also calls to increase non- military aid to Afghanistan and Pakistan to revitalise economic development and confront the resurgence of the Taliban. Pakistan duplicated ‘war on terror’ billsEven as America proposes to nearly double its aid to Pakistan, documents with the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) prove that Pakistan has been presenting false and duplicate statements to the US for certain transport facilities it provided in the effort to combat terror in the region. Pakistan’s fraud was exposed during an audit carried out by the Office of the Defence Reprsentative at the US Embassy. The GAO learnt that Pakistan Navy charged USD 19,000 per vehicle per month as reimbursement for at least twenty vehicles. The report titled Securing, Stabilising and Developing Pakistan’s border area with Afghanistan, says that Pakistan has been the largest receiver of US assistance from 2002 to 2008 with 70 per cent of USD 12.3 billion aid going towards defence funds as reimbursements. “The claims appear to contain duplicative charges for a fleet of fewer than 20 passenger vehicles. Pakistans military received 8.7 billion dollars as reimbursements and assistance since 2002, an amount provided in addition to the covert funding provided for intelligence operations,” read the US Government Accountability Office Report.

Bolivia To Start Receiving Russian-Made Helicopters In April

Bolivia To Start Receiving Russian-Made Helicopters In April
(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - February 27, 2009: Russia is to deliver two helicopters to Bolivia at the beginning of April, Bolivia's anti-drug tsar has said, with reports suggesting that they will be used in the fight against the illicit drug business. Sources earlier reported that Bolivia had expressed interest in buying a number of Russian-made Mi-17 multipurpose helicopters to combat terrorism and drug trafficking. "As far as I know, two Russian helicopters will be shipped to Bolivia in the first weeks of April. They will be used to destroy cocaine plantations in the country," Felipe Caceres, deputy minister for social defense said on Thursday. Last year, disputes with Washington over anti-narcotics efforts badly strained Bolivia's ties with the U.S. administration. La Paz expelled the U.S. ambassador in September and suspended U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration operations in the country. Bolivia is currently the world's third largest producer of cocaine after Colombia and Peru, primarily supplying Europe and other markets in South America. According to UN data, coca cultivation in Bolivia has grown to 27,000 hectares, while the government managed to eradicate more than 6,000 hectares of coca during 2007 alone. Moscow has recently announced plans to supply a large number of helicopters to Bolivia as part of the expansion of its economic and military-technical ties with Latin American countries.

Lockheed Martin Receives $324 Million For C-5M Super Galaxy Program

Lockheed Martin Receives $324 Million For C-5M Super Galaxy Program
(NSI News Source Info) MARIETTA, Ga. - February 27, 2009: Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] recently received two contracts totaling $324 million for the C-5M Super Galaxy program. The first contract is for the Reliability Enhancement and Re-Engining Program (RERP). The second contract, Interim Contractor Support (ICS), supports the Super Galaxy during familiarization and Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E). The C-5 AMP and RERP modernization programs plan to raise mission-capable rate to a minimum goal of 75%. Over the next 40 years, the U.S. Air Force estimates the C-5M will save over US$20 billion. The first C-5M conversion was completed on 16 May 2006, and performed its first flight on 19 June 2006. C-5Ms have been in flight testing out of Dobbins Air Reserve Base since June 2006. Two of the three (86-0013 and 86-0025) aircraft may be identified by the distinctive colored nose boom used to acquire test data. As of February 2008, the USAF will convert all remaining C-5Bs and C-5Cs into C-5Ms with avionics upgrades and re-engining. The C-5As will receive only the avionics upgrades. The three test C-5Ms successfully completed developmental flight testing in August 2008. The test aircraft will begin Operational Test and Evaluation in the third quarter of 2009. “These awards help us deliver the improved capability of the C-5M Super Galaxy to the Warfighter,” said Lorraine Martin, Lockheed Martin C-5 program vice president. “These funds are for the production of more C-5Ms and also help us partner with the U.S. Air Force while they become familiar with their new airplane.” A $299 million contract award funds the RERP production for nine aircraft including installation on one aircraft, material and fabrication of three aircraft, and long-lead funding for five aircraft. Production is slated to begin this year when the first aircraft is inducted into the production program in August. Two C-5Ms have already been delivered to the Air Force, and current Air Force plans call for Lockheed Martin to deliver 52 fully modernized C-5Ms by 2016. The ICS contract, valued at $25 million, will support the C-5Ms delivered to the Air Force during the initial familiarization period and continue through OT&E. The funds will be used for logistics support including supply, engineering, contractor maintenance experts and aircrew support. The C-5M is the product of a two-phase modernization effort. The first, the ongoing Avionics Modernization Program (AMP), provides a state-of-the-art glass cockpit with modern avionics and flight instruments. The RERP is the second phase of the C-5 modernization effort. It includes 70 enhancements or replacements of major components and subsystems, including the installation of GE CF6-80C2 commercial engines. Modernization of the C-5 pays for itself through savings in operation and sustainment costs. The C-5 has been the backbone of strategic airlift in every engagement since it entered service. It is the only aircraft capable of carrying 100 percent of certified air-transportable cargo, with a dedicated passenger compartment enabling commanders to have troops and their equipment arrive in an area of operation simultaneously. The C-5 can carry twice the cargo of other strategic airlift systems. With more than 70 percent of its structural service life remaining, the C-5M Super Galaxy will be a force multiplier through 2040. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

Boeing Delivers 1st CH-47F Chinook Manufactured Under Multiyear Contract Award

Boeing Delivers 1st CH-47F Chinook Manufactured Under Multiyear Contract Award
(NSI News Source Info) RIDLEY TOWNSHIP -February 27, 2009: Boeing today announced delivery of the first CH-47F Chinook manufactured under a five-year U.S. Army contract awarded in August 2008. The helicopter will be assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C., the fourth unit scheduled to be equipped under the Army's ongoing Chinook modernization program. Boeing has delivered 48 F model helicopters to the United States Army; on August 26, 2008, Boeing announced that the Army has signed a five year contract, worth over $4.8 billion for 191 more, plus 24 options. In February 2007 the Netherlands was the first international customer to order the F model, six helicopters were ordered to expand their current fleet to 17. These six helicopters will be equipped with an upgraded version of the Honeywell Avionics Control Management System (ACMS) cockpit. Additional orders are expected from Canada, Italy and the United Kingdom. "The timely delivery of our first multiyear CH-47F helicopter signifies the continued commitment of the U.S. Army and its Team Chinook partners to keep pace with our soldiers as they continue to serve this great nation," said Lt. Col. Thomas Todd, CH-47F product manager. "Boeing has once again stepped up and proved it is a steadfast partner in our efforts to keep America safe and strong." "The Boeing Company has shown its commitment to this important program by applying company funds and working in advance of the contract award to meet the delivery schedule," said Tommy Filler, CH-47F program director for Boeing. "It takes a dedicated group, including the U.S. Army customer, suppliers, and Boeing teammates, to achieve this milestone event. Our performance is measured daily and our commitment to 'Soldiers First' sets high expectations for first-time quality, on-time delivery and customer satisfaction." Under the multiyear contract, Boeing will deliver 24 aircraft in 2009 and then begin a graduated delivery rate through successive years, culminating in 2015. The multiyear contract also contains priced options for an additional 24 aircraft, for a total of up to 215 Chinooks. The 82nd Airborne has a long history of using the Chinook in combat, resupply and transport operations. The unit is simulating these missions in training with the new F-model aircraft. Built at the Boeing Rotorcraft Systems facility in Ridley Township, the CH-47F helicopter features a newly designed, modernized airframe, a Rockwell Collins Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) cockpit and a BAE Digital Advanced Flight Control System (DAFCS). The CAAS greatly improves aircrew situational awareness, while DAFCS provides dramatically improved flight-control capabilities through the entire flight envelope, significantly improved performance, and safety in the harshest of environments. CAAS also incorporates an advanced digital map display and a data transfer system that allows storing of preflight and mission data. Improved survivability features include the Common Missile Warning and Improved Countermeasure Dispenser systems. Powered by two 4,733-horsepower Honeywell engines, the new CH-47F can reach speeds greater than 175 mph and transport more than 21,000 pounds. The CH-47F, with the Robertson Aviation Extended Range Fuel System, has a mission radius of more than 400 nautical miles.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

United Arab Emirates Selects Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules Aircraft / UAE To Order 12 Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules

United Arab Emirates Selects Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules Aircraft / UAE To Order 12 Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules
(NSI News Source Info) MARIETTA, Ga. - February 27, 2009: Lockheed Martin has been selected by the United Arab Emirates to provide 12 C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft to modernize the country's tactical airlift fleet. The announcement was made by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, at the IDEX Defence Exhibition in Abu Dhabi.
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. The C-130J is a comprehensive update of the venerable Lockheed C-130 Hercules, with new engines, flight deck, and other systems. The Hercules family has the longest continuous production run of any military aircraft in history. During more than 50 years of service the family has participated in military, civilian and humanitarian aid operations. The Hercules has also outlived several planned successor designs, most notably the Advanced Medium STOL Transport contestants.
The C-130Js to be delivered to the UAE will be the longer C-130J-30 configuration and of similar specification to those being delivered to the U.S. Air Force. The contract to be signed with the UAE will also contain an option for four KC-130J tankers. In addition the contract covers spares and training, including a Weapon Systems Trainer for aircrew training.
"The C-130J is rapidly becoming the tactical airlifter of choice around the world," said Jim Grant, Lockheed Martin vice president for C-130J Business Development. "The C-130J is a highly reliable, versatile and proven airlifter that will greatly increase the UAE's airlift capability. This selection by the UAE makes the tenth country that has selected the C130J and we are excited about the future and the discussions we are having with many other countries."
The UAE currently operates a fleet of C-130Hs that will be retained until the new aircraft enter service.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

Lockheed Martin F-35 Production, Testing And International Participation Shift Into High Gear In 2009

Lockheed Martin F-35 Production, Testing And International Participation Shift Into High Gear In 2009
(NSI News Source Info) ORLANDO, Fla. - February 27, 2009: In a single calendar year, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lighting II program will complete all remaining System Development and Demonstration aircraft, deliver the first production-model F-35s to the armed services and initiate full-scale flight test operations at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation, single-seat, single-engine, stealth-capable military strike fighter, a multirole aircraft that can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and air defense missions. The F-35 has three different models; one is the conventional takeoff and landing variant, the second is short takeoff and vertical-landing variant, and the third is a carrier-based variant. The F-35 is descended from the X-35, the product of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. Its development is being principally funded by the United States, with the United Kingdom, and other partner governments providing additional funding. It is being designed and built by an aerospace industry team led by Lockheed Martin with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems as major partners. Demonstrator aircraft flew in 2000, with the first flight on 15 December 2006. "Two-thousand nine is shaping up to be a year of firsts for the F-35 program, with the first flight of our F-35C carrier variant, the first vertical landing of our F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing variant, the first stand-ups of our test sites as Edwards and Pax River, the first training aircraft delivered to the U.S. Air Force and the first F-35 orders from our international partners," said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager, speaking at the Air Force Association's 2009 Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Fla. "Already, we have delivered eight of 19 SDD jets, and we are moving aircraft off the assembly line at a rate of about one per month, a pace that continues to accelerate." Additionally, the program will continue to validate the F-35's highly evolved mission systems software and hardware by adding to the more than 1,100 hours of flight testing and 115,000 hours of laboratory testing already completed. The initiation of flight testing for the first mission-systems-equipped F-35 will reinforce technical risk reduction efforts for the most powerful and comprehensive avionics system ever packaged into a fighter. "As we mature the F-35, we continue to see evidence of ever-strengthening customer support - in the U.S. Air Force's request for stepped-up production, in the U.S. Navy's call for reinstatement of three early-production F-35Cs, and in Norway's and the Netherlands' endorsement of the F-35 as their future fighter," Crowley said. "We will see more of the same in 2009, as we prove out the Lightning II's capabilities, and as our international partners begin ordering their first airplanes." The F-35, a supersonic, 5th generation stealth aircraft, is the world's most advanced multi-role fighter. Three F-35 variants derived from a common design, developed together and using the same sustainment infrastructure worldwide, will replace at least 13 types of aircraft for 11 nations initially, making the Lightning II the most cost-effective fighter program in history. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Two separate, interchangeable F-35 engines are under development: the Pratt&Whitney F135 and the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team F136. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

McCain Backs Obama's Iraq War Plan

McCain Backs Obama's Iraq War Plan
(NSI News Source Info) February 27, 2009: Had history turned out otherwise on November 4, 2008, the approach to the economic recovery might be radically different. But, in an indication of how drastically the debate has shifted in the last few years, Iraq war policy would be roughly the same. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), President Obama's campaign opponent, went to the White House Thursday for a briefing on the president's plan for a timetable for a troop drawdown in Iraq. Before heading down Pennsylvania Avenue, he said he was already largely on board. McCain said he would not be advising the White House as to what he thought was the best plan, but rather hearing them out. "They're going to present us their recommendations. It's their plan," he said. "From what I know about it, I agree with it." For McCain, the plan has virtue because it is backed by the generals and the ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker. "I like it best because it's what Ambassador Crocker and General [Raymond] Odierno and General [David] Petraeus also felt was a suitable strategy," said McCain. That puts Obama and McCain in one camp and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who supports a smaller residual force, in another. Obama has suggested some 50,000 troops might remain in Iraq; Pelosi has said she hopes to see something in the range of 15,000. Author asked McCain, if he had been elected president, whether he would have implemented roughly the same plan that Obama intends to carry out in Iraq. "Oh, I'm sure," he said, "because that's what our military and civilian leadership has recommended. I can't say exactly, but certainly it seems to me it's a viable strategy."

Denel's A-Darter Makes Test Debut

Denel's A-Darter Makes Test Debut
(NSI News Source Info) February 27, 2009: Denel has completed the first series of test firings of its A-Darter short-range air-to-air missile, performing several boost-assisted launches at its OTB test range in mid-February. The A-Darter is a fifth generation short range infrared homing air-to-air missile designed and manufactured by the South African firm of Denel Aerospace Systems (formerly Kentron). In 2006 it was announced that Denel would use the latest solid-state inertial measurement unit, the SiIMU02 from BAE Systems for mid course range guidance. Denel Dynamics says the firings "successfully evaluated the missile's manoeuvrability and high g-force characteristics", while "parallel tests of its seeker head's ability to track targets were equally successful".

Norway Picks BAE Torpedoes For NH90.

Norway Picks BAE Torpedoes For NH90.
(NSI News Source Info) February 27, 2009: The Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation at Idex announced selecting selected BAE Systems Sting Ray Mod 1 lightweight torpedo to meet the requirements of its Norwegian Antisubmarine Torpedo (NAT) programme.
The organisation struck a deal a £99 million (Dh528 million) with BAE Systems to acquire the weapons system.
According to the announcement, Sting Ray Mod 1 will arm the new Fridtjof Nansen class frigates and will be integrated with the new NH90 Anti Submarine Warfare helicopter and the Orion P3-C Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
Commenting on the deal, Rory Fisher, Managing Director of BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies, said: "I am delighted that Norway has decided to select Sting Ray Mod 1, which is widely recognised as one of the world's most sophisticated lightweight torpedo weapon systems.
"We can set about delivering our commitments in programme delivery and ensure we become the dependable partner of choice for our Norwegian customer." BAE Systems campaign manager for Sting Ray Mod 1, Bob Moran, acknowledged the support provided by UK customer partners, including Torpedoes integrated project team within the Ministry of Defence Procurement Agency and the UK Defence Storage and Distribution Agency.
The Sting Ray Mod 1 system is in production for the UK Ministry of Defence at BAE Systems facilities.
Moran said: "The Norway order will extend Sting Ray Mod 1 production until the end of 2012 and help safeguard up to 50 manufacturing and engineering jobs at BAE Systems over that time."

Israel Continues To Search For Skyhawk Jet Trainer Replacement

Israel Continues To Search For Skyhawk Jet Trainer Replacement (NSI News Source Info) February 27, 2009: Israel expects to use its McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk advanced jet trainers until the middle of the next decade, and could then employ some of its current combat aircraft in the role. An Israeli air force source says the search for a Skyhawk replacement is continuing, but that "it will fly for at least another five years". If a suitable successor is not found then the air force may use its oldest Lockheed Martin F-16s as advanced trainers, the source adds. Israel has an inventory of 22 TA-4H/J trainers, according to Flight's MiliCAS database. Its air force is poised to receive its first of 25 Beechcraft T-6A primary trainers, which will replace its CM-170 Zukit (Fouga Magister) fleet at Hazerim air base by late next year.

Israel Says $100 Million Per F-35 Is Enough

Israel Says $100 Million Per F-35 Is Enough
(NSI News Source Info) February 27, 2009: In trying to put Joint Strike Fighter export issues into perspective, an Israeli Air Force general says price is the biggest issue, industrial participation by home industries is second and only in third place is the confrontation about replacing U.S. electronic warfare systems with local products. So far, Elbit has been subcontracted to provide a helmet mounted cueing systems that replaced the standard head up display. And Elta is expected to provide an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar without U.S. complaint. So there is some progress on Israeli industrial participation with more expected. But the pricetag of “more than $100 million” for each stealthy strike aircraft is seen as a show-stopper. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the sale of SA-22s to Syria and SA-20s to Iran, the IAF would have delayed purchase of the JSF for several years until the price went down. The “more than” appears to be a substantial amount because the Israeli general says that if the price from the Pentagon were $100 million each, the deal would already be signed. The Israelis want an initial buy of 25-50 aircraft with grow of the fleet expected to reach 75 or more. Nailing down the price of an F-35 is a complicated task. One problem is that the earlier you buy them, the more they cost and production isn’t scheduled to end until 2035. “There is no such thing as what JSF costs,” says U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Charles Davis, the F-35 program executive official. “If you give me a year [of purchase], a variant [of the aircraft] and a number [in the buy] I can give you a ball park [price].” There are a few bench marks. The first, low-rate production lot of two F-35As cost about $200 million each, Davis says. The second lot of six aircraft cost about $160 million (2008 dollars without the engines) each. And by 2014, at the end of LRIP, F-35As are predicted to cost $70-75 million (in 2014 dollars) each while Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL)variants will be coming in at $80-85 million, he says. Foreign customers are not going to get gouged in the pricing unless they want some thing extra, he says. For example, the Royal Air Force will pay the same for their F-35B Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing aircraft that the U.S. Marine Corps does. But the cost to any particular customer will be hard to predict. The vagaries, as explained by Davis, are the difference between the year of purchase, the exchange rate, and flyaway cost versus the cost when training, spares and long-term sustainment and other issues that vary over time are added to the total.

BAE Wins $107M For FMTV Truck Armor Kits / BAE Systems Receives $107 Million Contract For 5,100 Armor Kits Ror Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles

BAE Wins $107M For FMTV Truck Armor Kits / BAE Systems Receives $107 Million Contract For More Than 5,100 Armor Kits For Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (NSI News Source Info) SEALY, Texas – February 27, 2009: The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems a contract to supply more than 5,100 armor kits, known as “B-kits”, for the Long Term Armor Strategy (LTAS) configured Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV). The contract is worth up to $190 million, with $107 million of funding already committed. “This contract demonstrates the U.S. Army’s commitment to the Long Term Armor Strategy and the Army’s confidence in the performance and adaptability of the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles,” said Chris Chambers, vice president of BAE Systems’ Medium/Heavy Vehicles in Sealy, Texas. “Moreover, it provides field commanders the ability to balance protection levels against sustained, long-term mission requirements using the FMTV. This marks our continued commitment to an effort to ensure we keep protecting those who protect us.” The FMTV’s LTAS is system-designed for the legendary FMTV and is comprised of the armored cab or “A-Cab” and appliqué armor or B-kit. This configuration allows FMTV crews to operate FMTVs in on- and off-road non-tactical and low-threat tactical environments with minimal vehicle weight. The crews can increase their protection during periods of increased threat levels by installing the B-kits. The FMTV LTAS B-kits will be delivered to the U.S. Government between April 2009 and August 2010 for use on cargo trucks, wreckers, expansible vans, shop vans, and tractors. More than 53,000 FMTVs and trailers have been manufactured in the vehicle’s 17 years of production. The commonality of parts among the FMTVs 17 production models includes shared engines, transmissions, power trains, tires and cabs. This commonality significantly reduces the logistics burden, and operating and support costs for the U.S. Army and has been instrumental in achieving the FMTVs 95 percent sustained operational readiness rate in Iraq and Afghanistan. The FMTV LTAS B-Kits are being produced in a cooperative effort across BAE Systems facilities and its various suppliers. The transparent armor, armored cab hatch, and other armor elements are being produced at the BAE Systems facility in Cincinnati, Ohio. BAE Systems employs more than 2,600 people at its FMTV production facility in Sealy, Texas. The Medium/Heavy Vehicles business unit leverages a long history with wheeled vehicle products. It has established itself as a world-class designer, volume manufacturer and through-life supporter of high-quality, best value, military tactical trucks and wheeled vehicle systems with payload capacities from 2.5 to 18 tons. Today, BAE Systems is the exclusive manufacturer of FMTVs and the producer of the Caiman Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle. About BAE Systems BAE Systems is the premier global defence, security and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. With approximately 105,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded £18.5 billion (US $34.4 billion) in 2008.

Lockheed Unveils Fourth Operational JLTV Prototype / Lockheed Martin Unveils Fourth Operational JLTV Prototype At AUSA Winter Symposium

Lockheed Unveils Fourth Operational JLTV Prototype / Lockheed Martin Unveils Fourth Operational JLTV Prototype At AUSA Winter Symposium US Army Announce JLTV Winners GTV, Navistar-BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin will develop three competing designs for final selection within 27 months. (NSI News Source Info) February 27, 2009: The U.S. Army narrowed the list of potential JLTV bidders to three, awarding development contracts for each of the three teams, to continue the 27 month technology development of the proposed Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. The finalist to be selected at the end of this phase could win orders to deliver more than 60,000 armored vehicles over an eight year span augmenting and replacing part of the 160,000 HMMWVs currently in service with U.S. armed services. According to Lt. Col. Wolfgang Petermann, JLTV Product Manager for the Army the new vehicle will replace part of the HMMWV fleet but is not intended to serve as a direct replacement for that vehicle. The new program could be worth over $40 billion over the next decade. The Pentagon evaluated proposals and models submitted by six teams, and awarded development contracts to three of the teams. General Tactical Vehicles group, combining General Dynamics Land Systems and HMMWV maker AM General was awarded $45 million; the Navistar-BAE Systems team received $40.5 million and Lockheed Martin, also teamed with BAE Systems received $36 million contracts. The later was a cost plus fixed fee contract while the first two are cost share awards. Three of the losing teams filed protests on the selection decision, causing the Army to issue 'Stop Work' order pending a decision by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Each of the teams selected will be asked to build four test vehicles during the first 15 months, to be followed by a test phase that could last another year. One or two winning teams will receive Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contracts by 2011, to begin production of vehicles, and accelerate production over the next 24 months. According to Lt. Col. Ben Garza, JLTV Program Manager for the US Marine Corps, the test and evaluation phase will include testing of the vehicle's armor and ballistic hulls, the vehicle and trailers will undergo performance and reliability testing, including assessments from joint warfighters. Furthermore, the teams will have to demonstrate a 'family of vehicles' approach across the three payload categories and share a commonality of components, demonstrate technical maturity, requirements achievability and integration capabilities. While the winners of the contracts will ultimately produce refined prototypes of the vehicles at the end of the current technology demonstration phase, the Army's current intention is to hold another full and open competition for the system development and demonstration (SDD) phase which will allow all interested parties to compete. The Pentagon is also interested in extending international involvement in program. Australia has officially endorsed the program and is interested to commit by 2010, as the vehicle design is matured. Britain, Israel and Canada are also interested and were reported to be discussing possible co-development funding.

On February 17, 2009 GAO denied protests filed in November last year by three teams that lost the initial selection process of the Army's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle - Textron-Boeing-SAIC, Northrop Grumman-Oshkosh and Force Protection. The GAO decision will enable Pentagon to launch the 15 month program designing and manufacturing 12 vehicles for subsequent testing, leading to a procurement decision in 2011. After the filing of the protest, the Army issued stop work orders to the winning companies, an action that could have delayed the program by few months.

Oshkosh Wins $477M For New, Reset HEMTT Trucks / Oshkosh Defense Awarded $477 Million Delivery Order For New And Recapitalized HEMTT A4s

Oshkosh Wins $477M For New, Reset HEMTT Trucks / Oshkosh Defense Awarded $477 Million Delivery Order For New And Recapitalized HEMTT A4s
(NSI News Source Info) OSHKOSH, Wis. - February 27, 2009: Oshkosh Corporation, announced today that its Defense division has received a delivery order for $477 million from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM). The deliver order calls for more than 1,350 new and recapitalized Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) A4s and more than 1,000 Palletized Load System Trailers (PLST).
With this latest order, the value for the Oshkosh Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles (FHTV) III contract has risen to more than $2.1 billion. The delivery order includes 750 new vehicles and 600 recapitalized vehicles, comprised of the Oshkosh HEMTT A4 variants of tankers, wreckers, cargo and Load Handling Systems (LHS).
“Recapitalization by Oshkosh provides our customers and the taxpayers with a valuable and cost effective means of returning vehicles to the fleet. Through this program, Oshkosh delivers a vehicle with the performance, reliability and all the modern enhancements of a new truck but at a lower price point,” said Charlie Szews, Oshkosh Corporation president and chief operating officer. “This contract is evidence of our commitment to build and deliver mission-proven, rugged and reliable vehicles for the military.”
Through the Oshkosh Defense remanufacturing and recapitalization services, heavily used vehicles are returned to Oshkosh, stripped to the frame rails and completely rebuilt to like-new condition. Vehicles are put through the same extensive road tests, performance tests and inspection procedures as new vehicles. They receive the latest upgrades, are considered to have zero miles and zero hours, and are delivered with the Oshkosh full bumper-to-bumper warranty.
The HEMTT’s 13-ton payload and off-road capabilities make it the backbone for the U.S. Army’s logistics fleet. Since its introduction in 1985, the HEMTT has helped keep the U.S. Army on the move during major conflicts, such as Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. The HEMTT A4 features a fully air-conditioned and armor-ready cab, a more powerful drivetrain, improved suspension, safety improvements and other structural changes to make installation of add-on armor in the field quicker and easier.
The PLST is part of the PLS system designed to meet the U.S. Army’s distribution and resupply needs in even the most challenging military missions. The PLS truck and trailer form a self-contained system that reduces the need for forklifts or other material-handling equipment, and both carry a demountable cargo bed, also known as a flatrack, featuring a 16.5-ton payload capacity.
Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, is an industry-leading global designer and manufacturer of tactical military trucks and armored wheeled vehicles, delivering a full product line of conventional and hybrid vehicles, advanced armor options, proprietary suspensions and vehicles with payloads that can exceed 70 tons. Oshkosh Defense provides a global service and supply network including full life-cycle support and remanufacturing, and its vehicles are recognized the world over for superior performance, reliability and protection.

4,000 Muslim Brits Join Taliban / THOUSANDS Of British-Born Muslims Have Joined The Taliban In Afghanistan.

4,000 Muslim Brits Join Taliban / THOUSANDS Of British-Born Muslims Have Joined The Taliban In Afghanistan.
(NSI News Source Info) February 27, 2009: THOUSANDS of British-born Muslims have joined the Taliban in Afghanistan. UK troops say they are facing a mini civil war as more Brits head out to fight for the enemy. Senior officers said British-born Muslims from the West Midlands and Yorkshire have travelled to Helmand province and other parts of southern Afghanistan.
Interception of Taliban communications has revealed the sound of jihadists speaking with West Midlands accents.
One senior military source said: “It is the Punjabi and Kashmiri Urdu speakers who fall back into English in, for example, Brummie accents.“You get the impression they have been told not to talk in English but sometimes can’t help it.”
Brigadier Ed Butler, the former commander of the British forces in Afghan-istan, said: “There are British passport holders who live in the UK who are being found in places such as Kandahar.”
Robert Emerson, a security analyst, added: “There is ample evidence British Muslims trained in camps in Pakistan.
“What is emerging now is a picture of them being more active in Afghanistan, either providing support and logistics or in active service.”
The US has stepped up surveillance inside Pakistan.
They believe the UK is not doing enough to curb radical Muslims.
Tory MP Patrick Mercer, chairman of the Commons’ sub-committee on anti-terrorism, which has been examining the activities of British Muslim extremists, said: “We know the problem we have with UK-based jihadists.
“With the UK intelligence services at full stretch, it is not surprising some of these ended up in Afghanistan.”
MI5 has revealed that British Muslims with Somali roots have started fighting with al-Qaida-backed forces in the African country.
One 21-year-old suicide bomber brought up in Ealing, west London, recently killed 20 others when he blew himself up in a Somali town.

Pakistan Pushes US For Drones

Pakistan Pushes US For Drones
The Million Dollars Question; Should US provide Pakistan with drones. Who will benefit the info, Nato forces or Islamic militants/Taliban?
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - February 26, 2009: Pakistan's foreign minister said Wednesday that his country has asked the United States to provide unmanned planes that would allow Pakistan to strike extremists hiding in rugged terrain along the Afghan border. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said in an Associated Press interview with reporters and editors that Pakistan, and not the United States, should control the missile strikes that have killed high-level extremists but also civilians. The US missile strikes, he said, are alienating the Pakistani people and making it harder for his government to persuade locals to support the fight against militants. ‘We feel that if the technology is transferred to Pakistan, Pakistan will be in a better position to determine how to use the technology and, without alienating people, achieve the objective,’ he said. ‘Pakistan is a willing partner with the US in this fight,’ he said. ‘Let us exercise that judgment.’ The US missiles are fired from drones believed launched from neighboring Afghanistan. The strikes are one of the most sensitive issues in US-Pakistan ties. Qureshi said the matter was raised Tuesday in a meeting with President Barack Obama's national security adviser, retired Gen. James Jones. He would not provide specific details; ‘we are talking at this stage,’ he said. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs would not comment on Qureshi's comments Wednesday. Qureshi also said the Obama White House is more ‘willing to listen’ to Pakistan than the Bush administration. The Bush administration initially was a strong supporter of the current Pakistani government's predecessor, former President Pervez Musharraf, calling the former general ‘indispensable.’ Musharraf took power in a bloodless 1999 coup but was swept from power in democratic elections by the current government. The Bush administration, Qureshi said, ‘had a point of view, and it was like the approach was, 'this is it; take it or leave it.’’ He called the Obama administration's approach ‘more understanding and more endearing.’ Qureshi and Pakistan's army chief are in Washington to participate, along with Afghan Foreign Minister Dadfar Rangeen Spanta, in the Obama administration's efforts to draw up a new strategy for Pakistan and Afghanistan. Qureshi and Spanta were scheduled to have dinner Wednesday with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said the United States wants ‘this review to be as inclusive as possible. The White House is reaching out to everybody with a stake in this.’ ‘It won't just be window dressing: take a look at our plan and sign off on it when it's already virtually completed,’ he said. ‘We are all collectively in this, and we need as much advice and buy-in as possible for this to be a succeed.’ On the Obama administration's drone strikes, Qureshi called for Pakistan and the United States to ‘reassess the advantages and disadvantages, and, if the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, there is a case to review this strategy.’

Poland Confirms Plans To Deploy U.S. Patriot Missile Systems

Poland Confirms Plans To Deploy U.S. Patriot Missile Systems
(NSI News Source Info) WARSAW - February 26, 2009: U.S. Patriot air defense systems will be placed in Poland regardless of the prospects of the deployment of a U.S. missile defense base in the country, the Polish foreign minister said. Radoslaw Sikorski met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington late on Wednesday to discuss the placement of a U.S. base with at least 10 missile interceptors in Poland. "I was especially pleased when the U.S. secretary of state said that the United States would implement what is most important for Poland - the political declaration signed as part of the missile shield deal," Sikorsky said. He added that the document included the placement of a U.S.-manned Patriot missile battery in Poland "initially as a temporary measure and later on a permanent basis." Washington signed deals with Warsaw and Prague last year to deploy 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic by 2013. To clinch the deal, the United States accepted Poland's demands for extra security guarantees to offset potential risks of deploying a missile-interceptor base in the Central European country, including a Patriot missile air-defense system and greater military ties. Washington has since moved to find a compromise on the missile shield dispute with Moscow, which opposes the plans, and has sought closer cooperation with Russia to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons. The missile threat from Iran has been cited as a reason for deploying the new system in Central Europe. Russia has consistently opposed the missile shield as a threat to its national security and the balance of security in Europe. President Dmitry Medvedev threatened in November to retaliate if the U.S. plans went ahead by deploying Iskander-M missiles in the country's westernmost exclave of Kaliningrad, which borders NATO members Poland and Lithuania. U.S. President Barack Obama has indicated that he may put on hold his predecessor George Bush's plans concerning the European site for Washington's global missile defense system, which he said needed more analysis. Sikorski said on Wednesday he did not know whether the missile shield plan would go ahead. "The U.S. administration is still discussing the plans for a missile base in Poland. They have not decided yet," he said. Patriot (MIM-104) is a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather air-defense system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft. As well as the U.S., Patriot is in service in Egypt, Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan. Patriot missile systems were successfully deployed by U.S. forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.