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.

By Ross Kaniuk Daily Star THURSDAY, FEB 26, 2009

(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.

Yemen Plans To Buy More MiG-29 Fighters From Russia

Yemen Plans To Buy More MiG-29 Fighters From Russia

(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - February 26, 2009: The president of Yemen said his country plans to buy a number of MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters and other military equipment from Russia, a newspaper reported on Thursday. Ali Abdullah Salah, who is currently on a visit to Russia, met on Wednesday with President Dmitry Medvedev to discuss military and trade cooperation, as well as tackling piracy and terrorism. "These [the MiG-29] are excellent aircraft. We have had them for a long time and several years ago we brought them to Russia and carried out their modernization program," the Yemeni president said in an interview published by Russia's Vremya Novostei newspaper. "Suffice it to say that we are planning to acquire more of these aircraft and probably MiG-35 fighters as well. We are also in talks on the purchase of Russian helicopters and patrol boats," he added. About 90% of the military hardware and aircraft used by the Yemeni Armed Forces were made in the Soviet Union. Yemeni Air Force currently has 44 MiG-29SMT and MiG-29UBT fighters in service. Yemen and Russia are currently holding talks to reach an agreement on the maintenance of military hardware, component supplies and training of Yemeni military personnel in Russia. According to Salah, he and his Russian counterpart discussed measures to counteract terrorism and anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden. The UN said Somali pirates carried out at least 120 attacks on ships in 2008, resulting in combined ransom payouts of around $150 million. The Yemeni leader has proposed to set up a regional anti-piracy center in the port of Aden to coordinate the international efforts in fighting sea piracy off the Somali coast. He also said Yemen will render all necessary assistance to Russian warships involved in the current anti-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden. Russia has already rotated a number of combat vessels among some 20 warships from the navies of 16 countries that are operating in the area. At present, the Admiral Vinogradov destroyer from Russia's Pacific Fleet escorts commercial ships through the dangerous waters around the Horn of Africa.

US: Aerial Tanker Replacement Is Top Priority - Pentagon

US: Aerial Tanker Replacement Is Top Priority - Pentagon

(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - February 26, 2009: The U.S. general in charge of transportation needs for the U.S. military said on Wednesday that replacing the aging fleet of KC-135 aerial refueling tankers was his No. 1 modernization priority. (Photo/Image: Boeing C-17 proven platform for aerial tankers replacement) Any further delays in replacing this aircraft would add significant risk to the U.S. military's ability to move troops and firepower rapidly to a combat zone, U.S. Gen. Duncan McNabb, commander of U.S. Transportation Command, told a joint hearing of the seapower and air and land forces subcommittees of the House Armed Services Committee. The Pentagon last year canceled a contract with Northrop Grumman Corp, teamed with Europe's EADS, to begin building 179 replacement tankers -- a deal valued at $35 billion -- after government auditors upheld a protest filed by Boeing Co. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the sole holdover from President George W. Bush's cabinet, told Congress last month the Pentagon could restart the competition this spring, with a winner chosen in early 2010. "My number one recapitalization priority is replacing the fleet of 415 Eisenhower-era KC-135s with a new platform to preserve a unique asymmetric advantage for our nation," McNabb said in written testimony prepared for the hearing. He said it was imperative to move forward quickly with buying replacement aircraft that could refuel Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and coalition aircraft, particularly since some of the existing planes would be more than 80 years old by the time they were replaced. "Further delays in replacing this aircraft will add significant risk to our ability to rapidly project combat power to support the nation and our allies," he said. In addition to the important mission of refueling fighter jets and other aircraft, the new tankers could also play an important role in carrying cargo, he said. "The ability to carry cargo and operate forward with defensive systems will be a game-changer when the aircraft is not needed as a tanker," McNabb told the committees. McNabb's comments come at a time when the defense budget is under increasing pressure, and President Barack Obama has said he plans to cancel programs that are not performing well -- or are no longer needed. Some analysts had speculated that the Pentagon could delay buying new tankers for some time to save money in the short run. McNabb's comments could be a sign that the Obama administration is committed to continuing to fund the program. The administration is due to release an outline of its 2010 budget request on Thursday, but Pentagon officials have cautioned that they do not expect to release many details, if any, about specific programs or funding plans, until later. McNabb said the Boeing C-17 transport plane had proven its worth, offering flexibility for key tactical requirements as well as its primary airlift role. But he sidestepped questions about the need for additional C-17s, saying that would depend on the outcome of a new Pentagon mobility study, as well as the cost of upgrading the larger C-5 transport planes. He said low departure reliability and mission capable rates continued to plague the fleet of Lockheed C-5 transport planes, and modernization of all C-5s with avionics upgrades was essential. New engines and other reliability enhancements for the B and C models of the C-5 were needed to increase aircraft availability, reduce fuel consumption and improve performance. Grappling with massive cost overruns in a C-5 re-engining and modernization program, the Pentagon last year decided to modernize only 52 of the C-5s, instead of all 111. The remaining 59 are now due to receive only an avionics upgrade. McNabb said he would work to modernize the C-5 fleet while "closely managing the costs." Any decrease in the cost of the C-5 modernizations would give the military additional options, he said. He also praised the performance of the Lockheed C-130 transport plane, but said the military needed the freedom to fully retire aging planes as new ones came on board. He said congressional requirements that required long-term storage of the old planes were costly and prevented resale to other countries. It also hampered the military's ability to use the old planes for spare parts, he said. Representative John Murtha, who heads the House Appropriations Committee's subcommittee on defense, continued to press for splitting the tanker contracts between Northrop and Boeing, despite opposition by Gates. He said failure to split the deal, with the cheapest bid to get some 65 percent of the work, would result in another protest "that's going to bring it to a dead halt again." "I'm going to convince Gates by getting all this information together and convincing him that it's cost effective. He doesn't think I can afford it," Murtha told News Reporter.

How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! Part 2 / US Detects Double Billing By Pak Navy

How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! Part 2 / US Detects Double Billing By Pak Navy

How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!!

US Detects Double Billing By Pak Navy - Dawn By Arshad Sharif

(NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD - February 26, 2009: A recent report by the US Government Accountability Office accuses Pakistan Navy of submitting duplicative charges for transport facilities it provided in aid of war against terror. The duplicative charges were detected during an audit by the Office of the Defence Reprsentative at the US Embassy which pointed out that Pakistan Navy charged $19,000 per vehicle per month as reimbursement claims for a fleet of at least twenty passenger vehicles. ‘These claims appeared to contain duplicative charges for a fleet of fewer than 20 passenger vehicles,’ says the GAO report. The report by the US raises serious questions about billions of dollars which Pakistan's Army claims it did not receive. The report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), titled ‘SECURING, STABILISING, AND DEVELOPING PAKISTAN'S BORDER AREA WITH AFGHANISTAN,’ contains details of re-imbursements made available to Pakistan's military. According to the report, Pakistan's military has been the largest recipient of US funding from 2002 to 2008 with estimated 70 per cent of $12.3 billion going to the defence coffers as reimbursements or assistance. The report reveals that of the total $12.3 billion assistance to Pakistan, Pakistan's military received $8.7 billion as reimbursements and assistance since 2002, an amount provided in addition to the covert funding provided for intelligence operations. The report by the US Government Accountability Office raises serious questions about billions of dollars which Pakistan's Army claims it did not receive. However, a two star general of Pakistan's military said, ‘Pakistan Army did not receive more than 10 per cent of the much talked about coalition support fund of $6.4 billion.’ However, if the details made public by the investigative arm of the US Congress are to be believed, there are serious differences over the payment issues between Pakistan's military and the US. The $8.7 billion payments, which the report says were made to Pakistan's military to advance the US strategic goals in Pakistan, included $1.5 billion as foreign military financing and $6.5 billion as Coalition Support Fund (CSF). CSF payments have been used since fiscal year 2002 to reimburse a broad range of Pakistani military operations, including navy support for maritime patrols and interdiction operations; air force support for combat air patrols, reconnaissance and close air support missions, airlift support, and air traffic control; army military operations in the Fata; and increased management requirements at the Joint Staff Headquarters. Reimbursements have also been made for what the report says is Operation Al Mizan, a major deployment of the Pakistani army to combat Taliban and al Qaeda. The report says Pakistan is the largest recipient of US Coalition Support Fund used to reimburse 27 coalition allies. But despite six years of US and Pakistani government efforts, al Qaeda has regenerated its ability to attack the United States and continues to maintain a safe haven in Pakistan's Fata. As Pakistan's military claims it is yet to get a full re-imbursement of its coalition support activities, the GAO report highlights reasons for holding back some of the payments pending implementation of stringent verification procedures. ‘Where audits have been completed covering about $5.7 billion in military and development assistance, GAO and the Defense and USAID inspectors general have raised accountability and oversight concerns, such as the ability of the US government to work with the Pakistani government to validate the use of US funds,’ says the report. The report says the US Defence Department did not obtain detailed documentation to verify that claimed costs were valid, actually incurred, or correctly calculated. Citing an example, the report says that as of May 2008, the US Defence Department paid over $2 billion in Pakistani reimbursement claims for military activities covering January 2004 through June 2007 without obtaining sufficient information that would enable a third party to recalculate these costs. To overcome the problems of accountability, the report says Pakistan and the US have agreed to meet every six months to discuss the issues relating to Coalition Support Funds. As part of the agreement, a new review of Pakistan's claims was to take place in the month of February this year. The new measures for processing claims of Pakistan military to which the Pakistani officials have agreed to include: provision of a monthly operational summary of Pakistan Army, Air Force and Navy actions in support of US military operations; additional documentation and cost methodology information for the May 2008 claim; feedback on the proposed submission format within 30 days of receipt; and beginning with the May 2008 claim, provide additional information or documentation for all disputed claims within 90 days to substantiate claims deferred or disallowed by Office of the Defence Representative in the U.S Embassy, CENTCOM, or the Defense Comptroller. The report points out that Pakistan has used Foreign Military Financing to purchase military equipment, such as Cobra helicopters, Harris radios, and upgrades to its F-16 fighter aircraft. Interestingly the report points out that the US plans to train, equip and establish 16 new Frontier Corps units of about 650 personnel each has been delayed due to a deteriorating security situation in Frontier where the training centre had to be established. Moreover, the US Defense Security Development Plan faces a shortfall of approximately $167.5 million, about 73 per cent of its funding goal for fiscal year 2009.

China Stepping Into Aviation Industry / Leading Aircraft Manufacturers Would Face Competition "Made In China" In Near Future - Report

China Stepping Into Aviation Industry / Leading Aircraft Manufacturers Would Face Competition "Made In China" In Near Future - Report

(NSI News Source Info) February 26, 2009: In this March 30, 2007 file photo, workers gather for a ceremony marking the start of final assembly of the homegrown ARJ-21 regional jet at the Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Factory in Shanghai, China. Aviation Industry Corp. of China, which makes the homegrown ARJ-21 jet and Beijing's fighter jets, says it will recruit its first executives from abroad, an unprecedented step for the secretive world of Chinese military contractors, amid efforts to create a commercial aerospace supplier to compete with Boeing Co. and Europe's Airbus.

AVIC is looking for vice presidents for 13 subsidiaries who have experience at multinational companies in marketing, research and production, said Ding Zhiyong, a company spokesman.

He said most posts were in civilian areas such as helicopters and cargo planes but some were in defense, though he declined to give other details.

The company says it plans to formally launch the recruiting efforts Thursday, Feb. 26.