France Completes Ops Testing of ASMP-A Nuclear Stand-Off Missile / Technical-Operational Evaluation Of the ASMP-A

France Completes Ops Testing of ASMP-A Nuclear Stand-Off Missile / Technical-Operational Evaluation Of the ASMP-A

(NSI News Source Info) April 3, 2009: The third technical-operational evaluation of the ASMP-Amélioré (Improved Air-Sol Moyenne Portée) medium-range nuclear stand-off missile was completed on schedule on Thursday, March 26.

A French Air Force Mirage 2000N strike fighter taking off with a ASMP-A nuclear stand-off missile just visible between the two drop tanks.

During the morning, a Mirage 2000N nuclear strike fighter belonging to the 3rd “Limousin” squadron of the 4th Fighter Wing (Escadron 3/4) took off from Istres air base, in south-eastern France. After a long mission, during which it notably was refueled several times in flight, the crew fired the inert missile (without its nuclear warhead) at a designated offshore maritime firing range.

The missile completed its nominal flight profile.

This operation, designed to be representative of an operational nuclear strike mission, was the third and final phase of the validation process of the ASMP-A missile, which will enter operational service this autumn with the Istres-based 3/4 Squadron

India: Bribes Could Terminate Deal With Israel

India: Bribes Could Terminate Deal With Israel

(NSI News Source Info) April 3, 2009: India warned Israel on April 3 that it would scrap a missile deal if there was "credible evidence of malpractice" in the $2 billion contract. Leftist parties have demanded a probe, alleging that state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries bribed middlemen to secure the contract for the sale of medium-range surface-to-air missiles to India. Defence Minister A.K. Antony said so far no irregularities had surfaced but added he would not hesitate to take action if the charges proved true. Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony (L) stands in the cockpit of a Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft as Air Chief Marshall, F.H. Major (R) prevents him from banging his head on the shield of the aircraft during the induction ceremony at Bidar Air Force Station some 150 Kms from Hyderabad on February 23, 2008. Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony inducted the British-built Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) Hawk as a training aircraft for Indian Air-Force fighter pilots. "The government will not hesitate to take stern action if there is credible evidence of malpractice," the United News of India quoted Antony as saying in the southern Indian town of Thiruvananthapuram. The communists, who were part of the government until late last year, claim the Israeli firm paid out six billion rupees, or $120 million, to win the deal. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported late last month that Israel Aerospace Industries had refused to comment on the allegations but quoted sources who it said were familiar with the deal as saying the process followed regulations. A section of the Indian military is also opposed to the contract, arguing it could ring the death knell to Indian efforts to build its own surface-to-air missile, for which hundreds of millions of dollars have already been spent. Antony said the contract was cleared in a "transparent manner" by the Indian cabinet but said he could take a series of steps to weed out corruption. "The government can cancel the contract, initiate criminal proceedings and debar the company for five years ... if any irregularities are found," he told a news conference. India banned middlemen in military deals following allegations of bribery in a multi-billion-dollar artillery deal in the 1980s with Swedish firm Bofors. That scandal led to the downfall of the government of Congress prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1989. Israel replaced France in 2007 as India's second-largest arms supplier, after Russia, but Antony said New Delhi was not seeking closer military ties with the Jewish state. "Israel is just one of the 45 countries from where India is purchasing arms with Russia topping the list," Antony added. India, the biggest weapons buyer among emerging countries, has imported military hardware worth $28 billion since 2000. It has earmarked an additional $30 billion to be spent by 2010 - that includes $12 billion on 126 fighter jets, for which six global aeronautical giants are in the running.

Northrop Grumman Reaches A Settlement Agreement With The U.S. Government On Two Legal Matters

Northrop Grumman Reaches A Settlement Agreement With The U.S. Government On Two Legal Matters

(NSI News Source Info) LOS ANGELES - April 3, 2009: Northrop Grumman announced April 2., that it has reached an agreement with the U.S. government to settle two legal matters. The settlement amounts for the two matters are equal and thereby offset each other. The first matter involved a lawsuit filed by Northrop Grumman in December 1996 against the U.S. government for recovery of uncompensated costs, investments and a reasonable profit related to the Tri-Service Standoff Attack Missile (TSSAM) program that the government cancelled for convenience in 1995. Under the terms of the agreement, the Department of Justice valued Northrop Grumman's TSSAM claims at $325 million. The second matter involved a U.S. Department of Justice claim related to certain microelectronics parts produced by the former TRW Inc., prior to its acquisition by Northrop Grumman in 2002. Under the terms of the agreement, the Department of Justice valued its claims regarding the microelectronics matter at $325 million. As previously reported, the government commenced an investigation in 2003 based on allegations contained in a False Claims Act case that was filed under seal in 2002. While the company believes it acted properly under its contracts and had substantive defenses to the claims, it also believes that settlement is in the best interest of all parties as it releases the company from the government's claims, avoids litigation, and preserves a valued customer relationship. The company is subject to various litigation and other contingencies, and management records and adjusts provisions and accruals for these contingencies from time to time as conditions require and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. In the third quarter of 2006, the company recorded a legal provision for settlement and legal expenses related to the microelectronics claim. The financial impact of this agreement, including its related cost, on the previously recorded accrual for the microelectronics claim and any other adjustments for legal matters is expected to result in a net gain to be reported in the company's second quarter 2009 results. This agreement will not have a significant impact on the company's cash from operations. Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Note: Certain statements and assumptions in this release contain or are based on "forward-looking" information that the company believes to be within the definition in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and involve risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking information includes statements regarding accruals and provisions for contingencies and cash from operations. These statements are subject to various assumptions and uncertainties, including management's evaluation and associated accruals and provisions for other litigation, claims, appeals, bid protests and investigations; the impact of domestic and global economic uncertainties on financial markets, access to capital, value of goodwill and other long-lived assets; changes in government spending; future revenues; expected program performance and cash flows; returns on pension plan assets and variability of pension actuarial and related assumptions and regulatory requirements; hurricane-related insurance recoveries; environmental remediation; acquisitions and divestitures of businesses; joint ventures and other business arrangements; performance issues with, and financial viability of, key suppliers and subcontractors; product performance and the successful execution of internal plans; successful negotiation of contracts with labor unions; allowability and allocability of costs under U.S. Government contracts; effective tax rates and timing and amounts of tax payments; the results of any audit or appeal process with the Internal Revenue Service; the availability and retention of skilled labor; and anticipated costs of capital investments, among other things. This information reflects the company's best estimates when made, but the company expressly disclaims any duty to update this information if new data become available or estimates change after the date of this release.

General Dynamics Awarded $43 Million SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific Contract For Communications Engineering Support

General Dynamics Awarded $43 Million SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific Contract For Communications Engineering Support

(NSI News Source Info) FAIRFAX, Va. - April 3, 2009: General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics, has been awarded the Radio Frequency Communications Engineering Support contract by Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center Pacific. The five-year, multiple-award, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract has an initial value of $43 million. The contract has a total potential value of $82 million if eight, six-month extensions are exercised.

Through the contract, General Dynamics will provide technical support to the Radio Frequency Communications Division of SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific. Those duties include program management and engineering support; testing and evaluation; integrated logistics support; facilities management and maintenance; on-site technical assistance; network security; and implementation and integration of radio frequency, command-and-control and information systems.

“General Dynamics will provide diverse, multi-service technical expertise and experience in radio frequency communication systems engineering and operations to Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific,” said Kenneth Slaght, general manager and vice president of General Dynamics Information Technology’s Naval IT Solutions sector. “We expect to provide SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific with high-quality performance in support of its mission execution and assistance to the warfighter.”

As a trusted systems integrator for more than 50 years, General Dynamics Information Technology provides information technology (IT), systems engineering and professional services to customers in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, federal civilian government and commercial sectors. With approximately 15,000 professionals worldwide, the company manages large-scale, mission-critical IT programs delivering IT services and enterprise solutions. More information about General Dynamics Information Technology is available at http://www.gdit.com/.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 92,300 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.gd.com.

Alenia Talks With Northrop About C-27J Role

Alenia Talks With Northrop About C-27J Role

(NSI News Source Info) April 3, 2009: Italy's Alenia Aeronautica and Northrop Grumman are discussing a possible role for the American giant on the $2 billion program to furnish the U.S. Army and Air Force with C-27J tactical transports, according to sources at the two companies. The C-27J has a 35% increase in range and a 30% increase in service ceiling over the original G.222. The Italian Air Force, Hellenic Air Force, Bulgarian Air Force, Romanian Air Force, United States Army and the United States Air Force have ordered the C-27J. Alenia is offering Canada the C-27J as a CC-115 Buffalo replacement. Lithuania ordered the C-27J as Antonov An-26 replacement. The GMAS team promoted the C-27J in the U.S. Army and Air Force's Joint Cargo Aircraft competition against Raytheon and EADS North America's C-295. Both the U.S. Army and Air Force JCA orders combined are expected to top 100 aircraft. The JCA will eventually replace the existing C-23 Sherpa, C-12 Huron and C-26 Metroliners. The C-27J had completed the U.S. Department of Defense's Early User Survey evaluations by November 2006, flying 26 hours and surpassing all the JCA program requirements. The GMAS team also announced that the C-27J will be assembled at a facility at Cecil Field, Duval County, Florida. While the final selection of the JCA was expected to be announced in March 2007, the decision came on 13 June 2007, when the Pentagon selected the C-27J as its Joint Cargo Aircraft. A contract worth US$2.04 billion was awarded to the L-3 Communications team for 78 C-27Js along with training and support on 13 June 2007. On 22 June 2007, Raytheon formally protested the award of the JCA contract to the Alenia C-27J. On 27 September 2007, the GAO announced that it had denied Raytheon’s protest, thereby allowing the Pentagon to go ahead with the C-27J procurement. Prior to Raytheon's protest, the first C-27J aircraft were to begin delivery to the joint U.S. Army-Air Force test and training program in June 2008. The first flight of a US C-27J occurred on 17 June 2008. The C-27J was being considered as a sole-source contract by the Government of Canada as a future replacement for its current search and rescue airfleet, the contract being worth approximately C$3 billion as of January 2007. Romania ordered seven C-27Js for delivery from 2008 to replace Antonov An-24 and An-26 aircraft, beating the EADS CASA C-295. However, the order was blocked by the government in February 2007 upon a legal challenge filed by EADS. In June 2007, the order was confirmed again when the Romanian court rejected EADS' complaint. The Romanian government officially signed a contract for the delivery of seven C-27Js on 7 December 2007. The C-27J is a probable contender for a Royal Australian Air Force requirement for light airlifer to replace its aging DHC-4 Caribou. Currently orders stand at Italy (12), Greece (12 + 3 options), Bulgaria (5), Lithuania (3), Morocco (4), Romania (7), and United States (78). The US Air Force is shifting US$32 million from the Pentagon's 2008 budget to purchase a C-27J for its Special Operations Command. The AC-27J will be equipped using proven hardware and systems to reduce risk. Alenia is partnered with L-3 Communications which is serving as the U.S. prime contractor on the effort to supply 78 of the aircraft to the Pentagon. Two have already been delivered. It remains unclear whether Northrop would step into the role vacated by Boeing, which pulled out of the C-27J program in February after more than two years of difficult negotiations with Alenia, largely over investment levels. Alenia executives have repeatedly said that the company alone - or working with other arms of its giant parent Finmeccanica - could easily handle U.S. production of the aircraft even without another American partner. Boeing was to serve as co-manager of Alenia's planned assembly line in Florida, ensuring a major U.S. platform provider was on board the C-27J program. Northrop could work with Alenia on final assembly of aircraft at a new factory in Jacksonville, Fla., which Alenia plans to build. Even before Boeing pulled out of talks earlier this year, Alenia said it would start building the U.S. assembly facility on its own to ensure it wouldn't miss its delivery deadlines. Alenia will break ground April 25 to have the line operational by April 2010. In the meantime, the first 13 planes are being delivered from Alenia's production line near Turin, Italy. Northrop and Alenia declined to comment.

U.N. To Weigh Response If North Korea Fires Rocket

U.N. To Weigh Response If North Korea Fires Rocket

(NSI News Source Info) UNITED NATIONS - April 3, 2009: Japan will call an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss a possible response if North Korea launches a long-range rocket in the coming days, Japan's U.N. envoy said on Thursday. A North Korean patrol boat sails along the North Korean banks of the Yalu river between North Korea and China near Hekou, northeastern China's Liaoning province, Friday, April 3, 2009. As North Korea fueled a multistage rocket Thursday for its threatened satellite launch, President Barack Obama promised a "stern" response and Japan vowed to press for an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council. Ambassador Yukio Takasu said he had raised the issue at a closed council meeting and added that an emergency session on North Korea could take place this weekend if the rocket was fired. Takasu told reporters intensive diplomatic efforts were under way to persuade Pyongyang not to launch the rocket, which he said would represent a "threat to the security of Japan" and would further increase regional and international tensions. "If this effort does not result in a positive way, Japan will request an urgent meeting of the Security Council to discuss this issue and discuss a response," he said. "We must be clear and firm." Pyongyang has said it will send a satellite into orbit between Saturday and next Wednesday, but the United States, South Korea and Japan say the launch is a disguised test of the long-range Taepodong-2 missile, which is designed to carry a warhead to U.S. territory. "There is a very clear understanding (among) the council members that this affects not only Japan's security but peace and the non-proliferation regime," Takasu said. Japan's envoy gave no details on what response he would like the 15-nation Security Council to make, but he said it was possible Japan would press for a legally binding resolution. "We have been working on this, including the possibility of a resolution, if it's necessary," he said. "How it can be formulated, I don't I want at this moment to speculate."

He declined to say whether such a resolution would call for new sanctions or better enforcement of existing financial sanctions and an arms sanctions against North Korea. Council diplomats say that both Russia and China, which are permanent veto-wielding members of the Security Council, have made clear that they would not support a resolution imposing new sanctions. Echoing earlier comments from South Korea's foreign ministry, Takasu said launching the rocket would be a breach of Security Council resolution 1718, which imposed the existing sanctions after North Korea's nuclear test in October 2006. "If the DPRK (North Korea) goes ahead with the action that they announced, it is a clear violation of Security Council resolution 1718," he said. "The violation of this must have consequences."

Philipines: Manila Says Options Limited For Red Cross Kidnappers

Philipines: Manila Says Options Limited For Red Cross Kidnappers

(NSI News Source Info) MANILA - April 3, 2009: Philippine officials said they were hopeful that Islamist militants holding two European Red Cross employees would soon release them after the rebels, who have come under military pressure, freed a Filipina worker.

Andreas Notter, a 38-year-old Swiss national who was kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf rebels, is seen in the Philippines in this video grab made available February 6, 2009. Three aid workers, including two Europeans, kidnapped nearly four weeks ago on a remote Philippine island appeared in good condition in video footage broadcast by local television on Friday. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers were shown talking to an unidentified man while standing in a forested area, believed to be in the interior of southern Jolo island.

The Abu Sayaf group has been holding Swiss national Andreas Notter and Italian Eugenio Vagni of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for two-and half months in the southern Philippines. On Thursday they freed Filipina Red Cross engineer Mary Jean Lacaba.

"The group that is left there is now numbering about half of what they used to be, they apparently are suffering from a depletion of many of their resources," Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno told a news conference on Friday.

"The efforts of our uniformed personnel on the ground are starting to bear fruit," Puno said. "Hopefully, the Abu Sayyaf will start to realise it is the better part of prudence and discretion to just release the hostages, and if possible save themselves."

Puno reiterated no ransom was given in exchange for Lacaba's freedom. Lacaba was reunited with her family at an airbase in the southern port city of Zamboanga on Friday after about 2½ months of captivity in the rebels' mountain lair.

She was handed over to the provincial vice-governor by the rebels on Thursday evening."I believe that the kidnappers are now more aware of the limitations that they face and the wisdom of releasing the hostages than they were a week ago," Puno said.

The three ICRC workers were abducted on Jan. 15 near the capitol and shortly after a visit to a local prison where the neutral humanitarian agency was funding a water project.

No fighting has erupted so far this week between the rebels and government troops and local government officials were facilitating negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf, Puno said.

Alain Aeschlimann, ICRC's operations chief for east Asia, southeast Asia and the Pacific, issued another appeal late on Thursday for the unconditional release of the remaining hostages.

"The nightmare of this abduction is not over," Aeschlimann said in a statement. "Once again, we ask that they remain unharmed."

The Abu Sayyaf, a small but violent militant group based on southern Jolo island and nearby Basilan, had earlier demanded that troops relax the tight cordon they were keeping around the rebel hideout before talks for the hostages' release could start -- which the government agreed to.

The rebel group, with links to the Southeast Asian regional militant network Jemaah Islamiah and to al Qaeda, has been blamed for the worst terrorist attack in the Philippines, the bombing of a ferry in Manila Bay in 2004 that killed 100 people.

An Abu Sayyaf rebel is seen in the Philippines in this video grab made available February 6, 2009. Three aid workers, including two Europeans, kidnapped nearly four weeks ago on a remote Philippine island appeared in good condition in video footage broadcast by local television on Friday. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers, kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf rebels, were shown talking to an unidentified man while standing in a forested area, believed to be in the interior of southern Jolo island.

It is also notorious for high-profile kidnappings and large ransoms and has a history of beheading captives.

Sri Lanka: More Than 270 Tamil Civilians Flee Rebel Territory In Northern Area - Reports

Sri Lanka: More Than 270 Tamil Civilians Flee Rebel Territory In Northern Area - Reports

(NSI News Source Info) COLOMBO - April 3, 2009: At least 279 Tamil civilians escaped Tamil Tiger rebels' territory to the government troops controlled area in the northern Mullaittivu district of Sri Lanka on Thursday, the military said on Friday. Tamil people, who escaped Tamil Tigers rebels-held area following fighting between Sri Lanka army and Tamil Tigers, are seen inside a temporary refugee camp in Vavuniya, northern Sri Lanka. Since the beginning of the year, over 35,000 Tamils have fled to government-controlled areas following fighting and been placed in refugee camps. However, these refugees complain that they are not able to leave the camps, a temporary measure the government says will continue until they can weed out the rebels' infiltrators hiding among civilians. The Defense of Ministry said in a statement 155 people belonging to 52 families escaping on seven boats were rescued by the special sea units of the Navy in the northeastern coastal waters Thursday morning. The civilians were escorted to the Point Pedro coast of the Jaffna peninsula by the navy units, the statement said. Another 124 civilians escaped from the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) held territory to the troops controlled zone in the Puthukkudiyiruppu area in evening. "The LTTE is fast loosing the battle with many junior and middle level cadres planning to surrender or join the civilians seeking refuge with the security forces," the statement said. Meanwhile, a pro-rebel website said that 25 civilians including scores of children were killed and 56 more injured by shells in the new "safe zones" declared by the government in Puthumathalan, Mulivaaikal, Irraddaivaikal and Valaingaramadam in Mullaittivu on Thursday. The verification for the claims by both sides is impossible as the authority do not allow any independent journalists or organizations to enter the battle zone. The government had accused the rebels of holding civilians in the "safe zone". The military said the LTTE are now cornered in an area of just 21 sq km including 20 sq km "safe zone" in Mullaittivu after the military recorded unprecedented success in the current military campaign started in 2006. The international community has called on both the government and the LTTE to ensure the safety of the Tamil civilians trapped in the conflict zone as the troops advanced further into the rebel-held area. About 60,000 civilians have fled the rebels' shrinking territory to the government controlled areas so far, the government said. Although humanitarian agencies estimated some 230,000 civilians were originally trapped in Mullaittivu, the government said the figure was less than 120,000. Sri Lankan soldiers walk on a road in the Puthukkudiyirippu area, where fighting between the Sri Lanka army and the Liberation Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE) has taken place, in northeast Sri Lanka. The government also said it maintains a regular supply of food and essentials to the civilians who are still trapped in the battle zone. The LTTE began to rebel against the government to set up a separate homeland for the minority in the north and east in the mid-1980s, based on claims that the minority Tamils had been discriminated by the majority Sinhalese dominated governments. More than 70,000 people have died in the conflict since the mid-1980s in one of the world's longest civil wars.

Gunfire On Thai-Cambodian Border / Thai And Cambodian Troops Exchanged fire Over Disputed Border Temple

Gunfire On Thai-Cambodian Border / Thai And Cambodian Troops Exchanged fire Over Disputed Border Temple

(NSI News Source Info) April 3, 2009: Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged fire early Friday near a disputed border temple that was the site of clashes last year, a Thai military official said. Olabiyi Babalola Joseph Yai (C), UNESCO chairperson of the executive council, looks at the damage caused after a clash on October 15 during his tour of the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, a world heritage site, in Preah Vihear province, 543 km (337 miles) north of Phnom Penh March 13, 2009. Jayai is in Cambodia for a one-week visit. A Cambodian soldier walks past Preah Vihear temple in the Cambodian province of Preah Vihear on July 21. A group of about 20 Cambodian soldiers "intruded" into Thai territory and opened fired after they were warned to leave by Thai soldiers, said Col. Sansern Kaewkunerd, a spokesman for the Thai army. Both sides exchanged gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades in a firefight that lasted about five minutes. There were no Thai casualties, he said. Cambodian officials could not be immediately reached for comment. The fighting took place about 2 miles (3 km) from the 11th century Preah Vihear temple. For months last year, the two countries saber-rattled over the ancient temple. The nations differ on whether some territory around the temple forms part of Thailand or Cambodia. Both countries posted troops in the area after the United Nations in July approved Cambodia's application to have the temple listed as a World Heritage Site -- a place the United Nations says has outstanding universal value. The temple sits atop a cliff on Cambodian soil but has its most accessible entrance on the Thai side. The International Court of Justice awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962. Thailand claims, however, that the 1.8 square mile (4.6 sq. km) area around it was never fully demarcated. Thailand says the dispute arose from the fact that the Cambodian government used a map drawn during the French occupation of Cambodia -- a map that places the temple and surrounding area in Cambodian territory. The United Nations' decision re-ignited tensions, with some in Thailand fearing it will make it difficult for their country to lay claim to disputed land around the temple. Last year's flare-up began July 15, when Cambodian guards briefly detained three Thais who crossed into the area. Once they were let go, the three refused to leave the territory. Cambodian troops rest near the disputed 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province, 543 km (337 miles) north of Phnom Penh. Impoverished Cambodia has doubled its 2009 military budget to $500 million following this month's border clash with Thailand, officials said, an increase that is likely to anger its donors. Cambodia claimed Thailand sent troops to retrieve the trio and gradually built up their numbers. Thailand denied that, saying its troops are deployed in Thai territory

US President Barack Obama Concerned About Militants On Pakistan Border

US President Barack Obama Concerned About Militants On Pakistan Border

(NSI News Source Info) LONDON - April 3, 2009: US President Barack Obama said Thursday he was "very concerned" about extremists on the border between Pakistan and India and urged a cooling of cross-border tensions with an "effective dialogue". Obama told reporters after talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the G20 economic summit that they had discussed the threat posed by the militants on the frontier of the nuclear-armed neighbour states. Syed Salahuddin (L), head of the militant Hizbul Mujahideen collects the donation for the Kashmiri people during a public meeting to mark the Kashmir Solidarity Day in Muzaffarabad, the capital of the Pakistan-administered Kashmir on February 4, 2009. Around a dozen Kashmiri militant groups gathered publicly to urge Pakistan to lift bans against the Islamist organisation India blames for the Mumbai attacks and its political arm. "We appeal on the government of Pakistan to lift the ban against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) because no Kashmiri jihadi organisation was involved in the Mumbai attacks," Syed Salahuddin, head of the militant Hizbul Mujahideen, told the gathering of around 1,000 people. Asked by an Indian journalist of his assessment of the danger posed by extremists coming into India from Pakistan, Obama said: "Obviously we are very concerned about extremists and terrorists who have made camp in the border regions of Pakistan as well as in Afghanistan. "But we spoke about it more broadly, in terms of how we can coordinate effectively on issues of counter-terrorism." Obama said that India and Pakistan had more mortal enemies than each other. "At a time when perhaps the greatest enemy of both India and Pakistan should be poverty... it may make sense to create a more effective dialogue between India and Pakistan," he said. The president also praised Singh's leadership, saying he was "a very wise and decent man, and has done a wonderful job in guiding India, even prior to being prime minister, along a path of extraordinary economic growth". Singh told a separate news conference that he and Obama had agreed to join forces to fight terrorism. "We both agreed that our two countries must work together to counter the forces of terror," he said, adding that they had a "global strategic partnership". "We both have agreed that there are enormous opportunities to further strengthen our relationship to make this partnership more productive, more durable and diverse," he said. Singh added, however, that the ball was in Pakistan's court over the deadly Mumbai terror attacks last November, pressing Islamabad to "convince us that it is sincere" about tracking down those responsible. Questioned about Pakistan's response to the bloodbath, he said: "We expect Pakistan to do all that is required to bring the culprits of the Mumbai terror attacks to book. "We have supplied Pakistan (with) answers to all the questions that there are. The ball is in the court of Pakistan. It has to convince us that it is sincere about bringing to book the culprits of Mumbai." A group of 10 heavily-armed extremists carried out a 60-hour assault on India's financial and entertainment hub, leaving 165 dead and more than 300 injured. Indian Army soldiers display seized arms and ammunition after a gunbattle, at an army base in Srinagar, India, Wednesday, March 25, 2009. The Pakistan-based rebel group Lashkar-e-Taiba blamed for last year's Mumbai attacks on Wednesday threatened more attacks in Indian Kashmir after a five-day gunbattle between government troops and suspected insurgents killed 25 combatants. The attacks soured a five-year peace process between the neighbours as New Delhi blamed the attacks on the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba and "official agencies" in Pakistan -- a reference to the country's spy service.

Hamas Denies Establishment Of Military Academy In Gaza

Hamas Denies Establishment Of Military Academy In Gaza

(NSI News Source Info) GAZA - April 3, 2009: A senior Islamic Hamas official denied on Friday the earlier Israeli reports saying that the movement has inaugurated in Gaza a military academy to train militants on fighting Israel. Ismail Radwan said in a press statement that the Israeli report" is false and inaccurate. It is just a poor attempt to justify the occupation's defeat during the war on the Gaza Strip." Palestinian militants from the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) attend the funeral of fellow militant Mahmoud Hamdan in the central Gaza Strip March 5, 2009. An Israeli air strike killed three Palestinian militants, one of them Hamdan, in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, said medical workers in the Hamas-controlled coastal territory. An Israeli army spokesman said the air strike targeted a group of militants who had fired an anti-tank missile towards a military patrol on the Israeli side of the border. On Thursday, the Israeli Jerusalem newspaper revealed that Hamas movement has established a military academy to train militants in Gaza on fighting Israeli in case the latter carries out another large-scale military offensive on the enclave. The Israeli army had carried out a ground, air and sea military offensive on the Gaza Strip that lasted for 22 days and ended on Jan. 18, aiming at weakening Hamas movement and other Gaza militant groups. "The occupation (Israel) is still stumble and confused after it was defeated in the war and tries to market a victory in order to rise the mood of its soldiers by publishing inaccurate and false reports," said Radwan. Hamas movement and its armed wing have been ruling the Gaza Strip since the summer of 2007, after it routed by force the security forces of the west-supported president Mahmoud Abbas.

Lockheed Martin Prepares Australia’s First Aegis Weapon System For Post-Production Testing

Lockheed Martin Prepares Australia’s First Aegis Weapon System For Post-Production Testing

(NSI News Source Info) MOORESTOWN, NJ - April 3, 2009: Four antennas destined for Australia’s first Air Warfare Destroyer were recently installed in Lockheed Martin’s Aegis Production Test Center, marking the full system’s transition from production to testing. Testing on the first Air Warfare Destroyer Aegis shipset will begin in early May and complete in November. When testing concludes, the full Aegis Weapon System will be ready for installation in HMAS Hobart, the first of three Australian Air Warfare Destroyers under contract. Lockheed Martin’s Production Test Center replicates a ship’s superstructure and allows for the first integration of all the subsystems of the Aegis Weapon System, including the SPY-1D(V) radar, illuminators, all computing hardware, and the cabling that will be used in the final ship installation. In its Production Test Center, Lockheed Martin conducts testing concurrently with each subsystem’s installation, as well as with the entire completed Aegis Weapon System, in order to ensure the system is ready for the rigors of sea before it ever leaves land. “The land-based testing with HMAS Hobart’s Aegis Weapon System continues our enduring best practice of the ‘build a little, test a little’ philosophy which has underpinned the Aegis Program from its beginning,” said Orlando Carvalho, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Surface/Sea-Based Missile Defense Systems line of business. “This process is critical to the exacting reliability that Aegis continually delivers.” Upon completion of the testing, the Aegis Weapon System will be shipped to ASC Shipyard in Adelaide, Australia, when the shipyard is ready to install the system. The Hobart-class Air Warfare Destroyer will be the most advanced and complex warships ever built in Australia and will introduce the Aegis Weapon System to the Royal Australian Navy. The Aegis Weapon System is the world’s premier proven naval defense system. Its precision S-band SPY-1 radar and missile system seamlessly integrate with its own command and control. Its ability to detect, track and engage targets ranging from sea-skimming cruise missiles to ballistic missiles in space is unmatched. The 91 Aegis-equipped ships currently in service around the globe have more than 1,100 years of at-sea operational experience and have launched more than 3,500 missiles in tests and real-world operations. In addition to the U.S. and Australia, Aegis is the maritime weapon system of choice for Japan, Norway, South Korea and Spain. 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.

British Soldiers Train New Afghan Army Combat Unit

British Soldiers Train New Afghan Army Combat Unit (NSI News Source Info) April 3, 2009: Soldiers from the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and 1st Battalion The Rifles (1 RIFLES) have been working in Helmand to develop and train a new unit of the Afghan National Army (ANA) in specialist skills. The Combat Support Kandak (the Afghan term for a battalion, numbering approximately 350 men) was established to provide artillery, engineering and reconnaissance support to the operations undertaken by 3/205 Brigade of the Afghan National Army.

An Afghan gunner explains the D-30 light artillery gun to a senior officer on the ranges at Camp Bastion, Helmand. Soldiers from 1 RIFLES have been providing operational mentoring to the Combat Support Kandak and Major Jim Hill, Officer Commanding of the Combat Support Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (CS OMLT), said: "To be truly effective, the ANA need to be able to support their own operations, in the key areas of offensive support, combat engineering and reconnaissance. "The Combat Support Kandak has a proven track record as a ground-holding unit operating in the infantry role, but is now focused upon the development of its specialist capabilities. "The ANA undertake regular patrolling and operations throughout Helmand province, which require combat support. Whilst ISAF [International Security Assistance Force] are ready and willing to provide elements of this support, it is increasingly important that the ANA are able to contribute from within their own integral resources." In a demonstration of the progress being made, personnel from the ANA Artillery Company recently completed their first live firing exercise, having undertaken a concentrated training package with the D-30 gun - the ANA light artillery gun. 32 Afghan personnel underwent a five-week gunnery training assessment course run at Camp Shorabak in Helmand province, the main base for 3/205 Brigade. They were mentored throughout by members of 26 Regiment Royal Artillery who are attached to the OMLT to provide expertise on the use of artillery. Many of the Warriors (Afghan Private soldiers) had previous experience of using artillery but limited formal training. With many of them recently committed to infantry operations in the Nad e-Ali area following Operation SOND CHARA, they returned to Shorabak in late January as eager students, keen to return to their role as artillerymen. They undertook lessons on indirect fire procedures, firing data computation, ammunition care and equipment maintenance, and the basic gunnery skills, including rudimentary mathematics, required to enable them to produce effective and accurate indirect artillery fire. The culmination of their training was the live firing of two D-30 light artillery guns, putting all of the Warriors through their paces. A series of targets were engaged accurately at ranges out to 7km. Major Paul 'Red' Redgrave, the Technical Instructor in Gunnery within the Combat Support OMLT, who headed up the training package, said: "The live firing exercise was an excellent opportunity to confirm the basic skills required of the ANA artillerymen operating both on the guns and also within the command post, preparing the vital firing data. "Many of these individuals have previous artillery experience and the concentrated training period and live firing opportunities have allowed us to set a sound basis for further work in the future. "For me, personally, my tour is nearing an end and I look forward to being able to hand over these artillery soldiers, with the new skills they have developed, to the next OMLT. I am delighted with the progress that has been made and the skills they have demonstrated." Personnel from 24 Commando Engineer Regiment have also deployed within the CS OMLT, mentoring the Afghan Engineer Company. They have taught construction techniques and assisted in the preparation of Afghan National Security Forces infrastructure. This has included the renovation and construction of patrol bases and checkpoints, and substantial work to 'winterise' their accommodation and bases during the bitter winter months, improving the facilities and defences. As an example of their progress, on Op ATTAL, an ANA operation in January 2009 in the Spin Masjed area, a group of 20 Afghan engineers with six engineer mentors constructed two Afghan National Police (ANP) checkpoints. Using their own plant equipment and vehicles, under difficult operational conditions including regular small arms, mortar and improvised explosive device attacks, the engineers successfully established these sizeable positions in under three days. The resulting positions have been crucial to the continued security in this key area to the south west of Gereshk. The Royal Engineer mentors have also been training the Afghan Engineers in explosive hazard awareness and techniques to search for and dispose of improvised explosive devices in order to keep themselves, their colleagues and the local population safe.

Finally, to improve the efficiency of their operations, the Recce Company of the CS Kandak have been receiving instruction in the skills of reconnaissance. Utilising both UK and US expertise, the Recce Warriors have completed an intensive training package based upon establishing the enhanced skills required of a reconnaissance soldier. Focusing upon patrol skills, weapon-handling, navigation and tactics, they have recently deployed on a number of tasks in support of ISAF and ANA operations. Major Jim Hill has overseen these aspects and knows that significant progress is being made. With his tour drawing to a close he knows he is handing over a body of men with a developing skill in specialist trades - skills which will be essential for the future ANA, as it takes a greater role in providing security for the people of Helmand. He summarises the developments: "The British soldiers working alongside their ANA colleagues over recent months have been called upon to mentor in a wide variety of roles and locations. Fighting together as infantry established firm relationships between mentors and the ANA, which have allowed rapid progress to be made upon their return to specialist roles. "The ANA have worked very hard to master these skills and it has been most rewarding for the mentors from these specialised areas to see the improvement in ANA capability. "As our tour comes to a close, we are pleased to be handing over to the incoming British OMLT, the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment, with elements of the Afghan Combat Support Kandak now operating in their specialist roles. We look forward to hearing of further successful support to operations in the future."

Surface Warfare Center To Test New Uses For Unmanned Ground Vehicles In The Field

Surface Warfare Center To Test New Uses For Unmanned Ground Vehicles In The Field

(NSI News Source Info) OSHKOSH, Wis. — April 3, 2009: Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, announced today it is working in conjunction with the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) to develop and evaluate potential new and innovative uses of the company’s autonomous technology. As a result, Oshkosh will gain the military application data needed to refine its autonomous technology and move it closer to production. TerraMax™—The future of unmanned ground vehicles and leader-follower technology. Completely autonomous, requiring no driver and no remote control, the TerraMax was developed to help take troops out of harm’s way and reduce the personnel necessary to maintain supply lines. Based on Oshkosh’s MTVR (Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement) defense truck, TerraMax is equipped with technologies that include complex sensing systems, high-power computers and drive-by-wire technology. TerraMax was one of only five vehicles, and the only tactical cargo hauler, to complete the 2005 DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Grand Challenge’s 132-mile desert course. TerraMax exhibited obstacle avoidance, GPS waypoint following, and 30 hours of continuous operation—all applicable to military missions. Oshkosh has already integrated unmanned and leader-follower technology in the PLS, a 10-wheel-drive truck and trailer system. On November 3, 2007 Team Oshkosh competed in the third DARPA Grand Challenge, the Urban Challenge, which called for teams to compete to build an autonomous vehicle able to complete a 60-mile urban course safely in less than six hours. TerraMax was one of only 11 teams to qualify for the finals, and did so by demonstrating the advanced navigation and traffic skills required to safely compete in the race. After the qualification test Dr. Tony Tether, director of DARPA complimented the team on being the safest performer on the merging vehicle course of the 11 chosen to compete. The NSWC will be sponsoring these cooperative operations, which will involve Oshkosh’s unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), TerraMax™, and take place at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. TerraMax is based on Oshkosh’s Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) 4x4, and the NSWC will investigate the use of TerraMax as a Roboticized-MTVR (R-MTVR) in different mission-specific scenarios. If successful, the work could lead to new uses of UGVs and autonomous technologies on the battlefield. “Oshkosh Defense is excited to be breaking new ground in the autonomous-technology field with the NSWC,” said Andy Hove, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Defense. “We are still in the early exploratory stages of finding ways we can make missions safer for our soldiers through the use of UGVs, and opportunities such as these are important first steps.” TerraMax features the Oshkosh Command Zone® drive-by-wire technology, which allows computer-controlled steering and direct electronic control of the acceleration, braking and transmission systems. The vehicle also features a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, camera-based vision and a GPS/IMU system for operation and navigation purposes.

BAE Systems Manufacturers Of Super Digger Have Orders For Royal Engineers

BAE Systems Manufacturers Of Super Digger Have Orders For Royal Engineers

(NSI News Source Info) April 3, 2009: A new fleet of tracked armoured earthmoving engineer vehicles, which will give the Royal Engineers a powerful and versatile route-clearing and earthmoving capability, are to be built at BAE Systems' Newcastle factory.

Under a £300m contract, the Royal Engineers are getting 60 air-portable Terrier vehicles which will become one of the most important engineering tools in their inventory. Designed in Leicester and integrated by BAE Systems in Newcastle, the order is also good news for British industry as over 90 per cent of the manufacture will be supported by companies from across the country, demonstrating the great level of skills and workmanship we have in the UK. Terrier will support infantry troops by removing obstacles and opening routes, providing useful assistance on operations including peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. Minister for Defence Equipment and Support Quentin Davies said: "Terrier will be a hugely powerful and versatile machine, like a cross between an armoured vehicle, an excavator and a loader, and I am pleased to confirm this order for our highly skilled Royal Engineers who provide vital battlefield support to the infantry and front line troops. "Designed in Leicester and integrated by BAE Systems in Newcastle, the order is also good news for British industry as over 90 per cent of the manufacture will be supported by companies from across the country, demonstrating the great level of skills and workmanship we have in the UK." Terrier, which weighs in at 30 tonnes, has a crew of two who sit in a state-of-the-art crew compartment. The vehicle's armoured chassis will allow it to safely operate in a combat environment and, when required, remote-control operation can be used. As a powerful tracked vehicle Terrier will be able to negotiate almost any terrain, and its earthmoving bucket and side-mounted excavator arm will make short work of digging and obstacle clearance tasks. The bucket can be quickly replaced with a surface mine clearance device which, combined with a route-marking system, can be used to clear routes of surface-laid munitions Based on recent operational experience MOD has made changes to the vehicle design to provide additional protection against mine attacks and vehicles will be equipped with extra armour to prepare them for operations when they now enter service in 2013. Construction work will begin on the production line at BAE Systems' Newcastle site in 2010, supported by its sub-contractors who span the breadth of the UK. The Terriers will be equipped to fulfill a variety of military tasks. The bucket at the front and the side-mounted excavator arm will enable the two-man crew to carry out a variety of digging and carrying operations, predominantly to clear routes for other vehicles and deny routes to opposition forces. Its quick-hitch mechanism means the bucket can be rapidly dropped and replaced with other front-mounted equipment including a device for clearing mines from road surfaces. Similarly, the vehicle is designed so that different tools can be fitted to the side excavator arm enabling it to be used to dig holes, lift objects, drill into the ground or shatter concrete. The vehicle will also be able to tow the 18-tonne fully-loaded engineer trailer and deploy fascines (pipe bundles for filling ditches) and trackway (rolled metallic sheets to create temporary road surfaces) to assist other vehicles in moving around the battlefield. The vehicle's environmental control system will allow the crew to work comfortably in all conditions from desert to arctic, and thermal imaging cameras permit both day and night operation. Most tasks can also be conducted by remote-control from over one kilometre away, with onboard camera systems providing the operator with a close-up view. The vehicle is also equipped with advanced diagnostic analysis software enabling the crew to keep the vehicle working to its optimum capacity. The combination of transmission, suspension and track provide impressive agility allowing Terrier to keep up with both Warrior and Challenger, whilst the vehicle's armoured hull and general purpose machine gun provide protection for the crew. Despite being over eight metres long and 30 tonnes in weight Terriers can still be transported in either the C17 Globemaster or the future Airbus A400M military transport aircraft.

U.S. Delays Engines To India For Indian Navy Frigate

U.S. Delays Engines To India For Indian Navy Frigate (NSI News Source Info) April 3, 2009: An abrupt halt to work on installing U.S.-made engines in a new class of Indian Navy frigate in January sparked outrage in India. Indian newspapers decried "Washington's penchant for imposing sanctions and restrictions." Rumors blamed an "over-enthusiastic State Department bureaucrat" and an ominous arms export policy review by the new Obama administration. Unnamed officials suggested that the United States had become an unreliable supplier of goods to the Indian military. INS Shivalik will be the lead ship of the Shivalik class frigate of Indian Navy. The first ship INS Shivalik was launched on April 19, 2003. Shivalik is a mountain range in the Himalayas that extends 2500 km. The crest of the ship INS Shivalik shows the Shivalik mountain range and the Ramadao sword. Now officials from both governments say it was all a misunderstanding. Frank Ruggiero, acting assistant secretary for political-military affairs at the State Department, called it "a fairly large misunderstanding" over licensing requirements. An Indian Defense Ministry official called it an impasse over a technical clause in Indian defense-procurement procedures. The problem has been solved, Ruggiero said March 27, stressing there was no review of military sales to India, and none is planned. The issue will be fully resolved in the next two weeks, the ministry official said. Work on installing the engines has resumed, said Rick Kennedy, a spokesman for General Electric, which manufactured the engines. Here's how the three parties explain this peculiar predicament: The Indian Navy is building a new class of frigates, India's first stealthy warships. The first ship, INS Shivalik, which was supposed to begin sea trials this spring, is to be powered by two GE LM2500 gas turbine engines. The engines, which are used around the world in warships, ferries, supply ships and cruise vessels, can be exported without a license from the U.S. State Department. But when they are sold for military use, they cannot be installed until the State Department approves a type of license called a "technical assistance agreement," or TAA. GE did not realize it needed such a license until Jan. 22, Kennedy said. "The law on this is not black and white," but after considerable internal discussion, GE "decided to err on the side of caution." The alternative could mean significant fines, he said. There was no stop-work dictum from the State Department, Kennedy said. Ruggiero said that GE applied for a TAA until mid-February and the State Department issued the license March 12. The wait caused about a two-month delay in engine work on the Shivalik, Kennedy said. Resentment in India The delay raised resentment in India, where defense and military officials were already chafing at the strings that come attached to many U.S. arms. India has resisted End User Monitoring (EUM) agreements, Communications and Information Security memoranda and Logistics Supply Agreements, each of which impose restrictions on what foreign buyers can do with U.S.-made weapons. None of those agreements apply to the engine deal, a State Department official said. While Indian national security, defense and military officials have consented to EUM strictures, they bristle at being required to permit the physical inspection of weaponry and equipment supplied by the United States. Under U.S. law, all nations buying sophisticated American military equipment must agree to various oversight provisions, including seeking Washington's permission before reselling it. Some 90 nations have accepted the conditions. Indian and U.S. officials have been discussing EUM provisions for three years, but it has come to a head as U.S. contractors start to make inroads into the Indian market. In mid-February, a key U.S. official met with Indian officials at the Aero India show in Bangalore. But for now, progress appears stalled until a new Indian government is elected May 16. Alternate Engines? As the engine installation delay dragged on, some Indian officials vowed to look for other engine suppliers. In the past, Indian warships have been powered by Russian and Ukrainian gas turbines. A senior Indian Navy official said the U.S. license requirement confirmed Indian suspicions that the United States might not be a reliable supplier for the country's military needs. But an Indian Defence Ministry official said it is too early to tell whether the engine flap has dented U.S.-Indian defense ties. One local analyst agreed, noting that Washington had recently green-lighted the sale of jet-powered Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft. Ruggiero said defense trade relations with India remain good and trade is increasing. U.S. sales of military items to India amounted to about $1 billion in 2008 and are expected to rise to about $2.5 billion in 2009, he said. One troublesome deal "should not be treated as a case that might adversely affect the bilateral defense relations," said Deba Mohanty, senior fellow in security studies at the Observer Research Foundation. "One needs to wait for a while to see the fate of some of the future deals which are in the pipeline," he said. A Washington-based analyst said the dispute shows that the relationship has entered an interesting new phase. "How badly does each side need the other, and how far is each willing to go to realize their partnership? [U.S. President] Barack Obama's election adds a new chapter to the maneuvering between the two states, one in which the expectation by the United States will be on India to meet it more than halfway," said Dhruva Jaishankar, a South Asian affairs analyst with the Brookings Institution. Three of the 12 planned Shivalik frigates are under construction at Mazagon. The first was originally planned for launch this month. They are expected to cost $300 million each. They will carry land-attack Klub cruise missiles.

India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh At Buckingham Palace In London

India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh At Buckingham Palace In London

(NSI News Source Info) April 3, 2009: Britain's Queen Elizabeth meets India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Buckingham Palace in London April 1, 2009. World leaders arrived in London on Wednesday ahead of a G20 summit meeting under intense pressure to produce a morale-boosting response to the worst economic downturn since the 1930s.

Japan Says It's Ready For Missile Launch

Japan Says It's Ready For Missile Launch

(NSI News Source Info) TOKYO - April 3, 2009: The Japanese government was tight-lipped April 2 about North Korea's latest threat to "deal deadly blows" to the country if it intercepts Pyongyang's planned rocket launch. "An interception would be made only if the flying object directly threatens the lives and assets of Japanese people," a Japanese defense ministry spokeswoman said, reading from a prepared statement. A North Korean soldier stands guard at his a post on a foggy day in this picture taken from the Dora observation post near the demilitarised zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas in Paju, about 55 km (34 miles) north of Seoul, Apri 2, 2009. Pyongyang has said it will send a satellite into orbit between April 4-8 but the United States, South Korea and Japan say the launch is a disguised test of the long-range Taepodong-2 missile, which is designed to carry a warhead to U.S. territory. However, top Japanese government leaders and officials Thursday remained quiet on North Korea's threats to "mercilessly deal deadly blows" to Japan if it tries to shoot down what Pyongyang says is a satellite it intends to launch as soon as April 4. Washington, Seoul and Tokyo believe the launch, which is set to cross northern Japan sometime between April 4 and 8, is a cover for testing a long-range ballistic missile that could - in theory - reach Alaska. Japan has deployed land- and sea-based defense systems with guided interceptor missiles to destroy the rocket or its debris if it deviates from its expected course and threatens to fall on Japanese territory. In northern Japan, meanwhile, officials held a briefing April 2 for local administrative officials on emergency readiness for the launch. "Local municipalities should be on standby only as a precaution for an unexpected situation," said Cabinet Secretariat official Shuichi Sakurai. "We ask the Japanese people to conduct their business and activities as normal." Japanese leaders have called for calm among the public, saying Tokyo believes the North Korean rocket is likely to follow its projected course. The Japanese government would not attempt to shoot down the rocket if it follows its planned trajectory, top leaders have said.

Russia Cool To Possibility Of Joining NATO

Russia Cool To Possibility Of Joining NATO

(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - April 3, 2009: Russia said April 2 that joining NATO was not on its immediate agenda, rebuffing a statement by the Polish foreign minister that Moscow would be welcome in the alliance. "In the current situation the question of NATO membership for Russia is not a practical matter," a Russian foreign ministry spokesman, Andrei Nesterenko, told reporters. But Moscow is "ready to develop normal, fully partner-like relations with the alliance," Nesterenko said when asked about the comments by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski. Sikorski said in a speech March 30 that he would not be against Russian membership in NATO. "Russia is the only one who can decide if NATO ... is a chance for it or a threat," Sikorski said in an address to Torun University in northern Poland that was later broadcast on national television. "Personally, if Russia declared itself to be a potential candidate for the alliance, I would not be against." The idea of Moscow joining its former Cold War foe NATO was debated in the 1990s but never became a reality, with Moscow and the West instead choosing to form a consultative body called the NATO-Russia Council. The defense minister's spokesman Piotr Paszkowski described his comments as "free thinking during a debate with students" adding that Sikorski had presented a "hypothetical opinion."

Eurocopter Takes Over Japanese Distributor

Eurocopter Takes Over Japanese Distributor

(NSI News Source Info) April 3, 2009: European helicopter maker Eurocopter said April 2 it had taken over Euriheli, its distributor in Japan, buying up 80 percent of its shares and absorbing it into one of its subsidiaries. "From April 1, 2009, the personnel and activities of Euroheli have been fused with those of Eurocopter Japan," the company said in a statement. The move could help Eurocopter "develop its presence on the defense market in Japan," it quoted its chief executive Lutz Berling as saying. It currently claims 57 percent of the Japanese civil helicopter market. Eurocopter, a division of the major European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), said it boosted its overall stake in Euroheli to 90 percent by buying 80 percent from Japan's Itochu group. Itochu retained a 10-percent stake.

IAEA Chief Welcomes Nuclear Reduction By U.S., Russia

IAEA Chief Welcomes Nuclear Reduction By U.S., Russia

(NSI News Source Info) VIENNA - April 3, 2009: The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) welcomed on Thursday the newly announced U.S. and Russian commitment to reduce their nuclear arsenals. Mohamed ElBaradei said in an IAEA statement that he believed Wednesday's joint statement by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Barack Obama on starting talks on a new strategic arms reduction treaty demonstrated their leadership and "finally moves us beyond the Cold War mentality." Obama and Medvedev met on Wednesday for the first time as world leaders gathered in London for the G20 summit. After their bilateral talks, they issued a joint statement on immediately beginning talks on a replacement for the START agreement on strategic arms control, which expires in December 2009. "As leaders of the two largest nuclear weapons states, we agreed to work together to fulfill our obligations under Article VI of the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and demonstrate leadership in reducing the number of nuclear weapons in the world," read the joint statement published Wednesday on the White House web site. The two presidents also vowed to put an end to nuclear weapons testing. ElBaradei said the two presidents' initiative would help to create the impetus necessary for strengthening commitment to IAEA agreements, and would also lead to an improvement in the system of security. The IAEA head also welcomed the U.S. and Russian presidents' decision "to promote the safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy for all countries."