Saturday, April 18, 2009

U.S., Cuba Mutually Signal Thaw In Relations / President Barack Obama Calls For 'New Beginning' With Cuba

U.S., Cuba Mutually Signal Thaw In Relations / President Barack Obama Calls For 'New Beginning' With Cuba
(NSI News Source Info) April 18, 2009: Progress toward a thaw in U.S.-Cuban relations gained unexpected new momentum Friday as leaders of the two countries signaled a willingness to open potentially historic talks on issues that have bitterly divided them since the early days of the Cold War.
President Barack Obama delivers a speech during the 5th Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Friday April 17, 2009.
President Obama called for a "new beginning" with the island nation, capping a surge of gestures fed by a Cuban President Raul Castro's declaration Thursday that his country "could be wrong" about its adversarial approach to its powerful northern neighbor. The flurry of overtures represented the latest in the diplomatic choreography that began with the election of Obama, who has called for a new openness to Cuba, and who this week began easing rules governing contacts with the island.
But Castro, using conciliatory language of a kind rarely heard in the 50 years since the Cuban revolution, grabbed the attention of U.S. officials when he said: "We could be wrong, we admit it. We're human."Castro spoke at a meeting of leftist leaders in Venezuela. "We are willing to discuss everything -- human rights, freedom of press, political prisoners, everything, everything, everything they want to talk about," Castro said. The explicit offer to discuss issues such as political prisoners and human rights with U.S. officials was apparently a first for a top Cuban official, and White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the Obama administration was struck by the comment.
Obama, arriving in Port of Spain, capital of Trinidad and Tobago, for the Summit of the Americas, a gathering of the Western Hemisphere's 34 democratically elected leaders, did not say he would end the statutory U.S. trade embargo against Cuba. But he indicated an openness to change.
"The United States seeks a new beginning with Cuba," Obama said. "Over the past two years, I have indicated -- and I repeat today -- that I am prepared to have my administration engage with the Cuban government on a wide range of issues -- from human rights, free speech, and democratic reform to drugs, migration and economic issues." U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, speaking earlier, addressed Castro's remarks more directly.
"We welcome this overture," she said at a news conference. "We're taking a serious look at how we intend to respond." Cuba was not invited to the summit because Castro was not democratically elected.
However, the country's inclusion in the economy and diplomatic affairs of the hemisphere emerged as a top subject of the three-day summit meeting.
In one other indication of momentum, the secretary-general of the Organization of American States, Jose Miguel Insulza, said he would push for Cuba's inclusion in the organization.
In recent decades, the Cuban government has repeatedly hinted that it was ready for a thaw in U.S. relations, only to clamp down, possibly fearful that better relations with the United States would threaten its hold on power.
Cuba experts and American lawmakers cautioned that the newest signs of warming could be short-lived as well.
"I think they get spooked whenever we get closer, and they want to push it back," said Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), a longtime advocate for expanded U.S. contact with Cuba. "I've never been convinced they want us to fully lift the travel ban."

President Barack Obama Greets His Venezuela Counterpart Hugo Chavez

President Barack Obama Greets His Venezuela Counterpart Hugo Chavez
(NSI News Source Info) April 18, 2009: U.S. President Barack Obama greets his Venezuela counterpart Hugo Chavez as Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez looks on before the opening ceremony of the 5th Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain April 17, 2009.

Australia RAAF AWACS Are More Eyes In The Skies

Australia RAAF AWACS Are More Eyes In The Skies
(NSI News Source Info) April 18, 2009: Australia ran a successful test where one of their Wedgetail AWACS (which is also able to perform maritime reconnaissance) aircraft was able to control three ScanEagle UAVs. This enables the Wedgetail to expand its recon capabilities, using its own AESA radar and the video on the UAVs to quickly identify land or sea traffic. In 1997, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems was awarded a contract to supply four AEW&C aircraft (whose design is based on the Boeing Business Jet 1), with Australia having the option to increase the order by three additional aircraft. Australia has since taken up two of those options. Aircraft deliveries were to begin in 2006, but significant program delays due to integration problems have occurred. The first two Wedgetail aircraft were assembled and will undergo testing in Seattle, Washington, with the final four aircraft to be assembled by Boeing Australia. All the Australian aircraft will be operated by No. 2 Squadron RAAF and will be based at RAAF Base Williamtown with a permanent detachment at RAAF Base Tindal. For the Australian aircraft, Boeing and Northrop are teamed with Boeing Australia, Ltd., BAE Systems Australia and Qantas Defence Services. Boeing Australia will provide training, maintenance and support, BAE provides EWSP systems, Electronic Support Measures (ESM) systems and ground support systems, while Qantas provides maintenance support for the aircraft. Qantas also provides maintenance for the two BBJ VIP aircraft of the RAAF. On June 29, 2006 the then Australian Minister for Defence, Brendan Nelson, announced that Boeing had recently informed the Australian Government that the Wedgetail project has fallen behind schedule. According to Nelson's press release, the company had previously maintained that the project was actually on schedule. Boeing has announced an 18 month delay, due to problems integrating radar and sensor computer systems, and will not deliver the aircraft until early 2009. Additionally, Boeing has taken $770 million in charges in 2006 for the delayed aircraft. Furthermore, on June 20, 2008 Boeing announced yet another delay to the Australian program, due primarily to integration of the radar and Electronic Support Measure (ESM) systems. Boeing now hopes to deliver the first aircraft in July 2009 and work on the aircraft in Australia to achieve full capability in "early" 2010. On March 16, 2009 Boeing demonstrated control of 3 ScanEagle UAS from the Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft. Australia is using militarized Boeing 737 transports as the basis for its new Wedgetail maritime reconnaissance aircraft.
The cruise speed for the 737 is 910 kilometers an hour and the Wedgetail version has a crew of 8-12 pilots and equipment operators, who use the search radar and various other sensors.
The 737 has hard points on the wings for torpedoes or missiles. Any UAV with suitable communications equipment can be controlled by the Wedgetail. This technique has also been tested with fighter-bombers controlling UAVs.

EADS Would Consider Splitting Pentagon Contract For 179 Planes

EADS Would Consider Splitting Pentagon Contract For 179 Planes
(NSI News Source Info) PARIS - April 18, 2009: Airbus' parent company EADS said today it would bid with partner Northrop Grumman Corp. for a $35 billion U.S. Air Force contract even if it had to share it with archrival Boeing Co. Northrop Grumman Corp. , a KC-45A refuels a B-2 stealth bomber. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says a new $35 billion aerial refueling tanker competition will restart this spring as planned. EADS spokesman Pierre Bayle said that European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. wants to bid for the 179-plane contract when Defense Secretary Robert Gates reopens the competition and will respect whatever format he chooses. "We want to be there whatever the solution," he said. The U.S. tanker replacement program has been plagued by a series of torturous delays, and with the current fleet of KC-135 jets entering old age, replacements are badly needed. Some powerful lawmakers have proposed splitting the job between Chicago-based Boeing and the Northrop-EADS team to speed up production. In September, Gates canceled the last competition - awarded to Northrop and EADS - saying he wanted to let a new administration decide the politically thorny issue. The decision to give Northrop-EADS the contract was overturned after Boeing appealed and a Congressional audit concluded the Air Force had unfairly penalized Boeing's smaller plane. An earlier plan to lease planes from Boeing was halted in 2003 and a top Pentagon official went to jail for favoring the Chicago-based company. Gates plans for the Pentagon to issue guidelines for a new plane and solicit bids this summer, although a timeline has not yet been set. Earlier this month he rejected a proposal to split the contract between the two teams, an idea pushed by Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees defense spending. Murtha says two assembly lines could speed production to 24 planes per year. But Gates said the same could be done with just one supplier. A Murtha spokesman said that a split contract is still an option despite Gates' opposition. Bayle confirmed comments by EADS CEO Louis Gallois in the New York Times that the Northrop-EADS team would consider dividing the contract with Boeing as long as EADS could build at least 12 planes annually. Gallois said that number is needed to support building a factory in Mobile, Alabama.

BAE Systems Awarded $23.8 Million For Caiman MRAP Parts And Support

BAE Systems Awarded $23.8 Million For Caiman MRAP Parts And Support
(NSI News Source Info) HOUSTON, Texas – April 18, 2009: BAE Systems received a contract modification worth $23.8 million for replacement and spare parts, instructor and maintenance support and other services for Caiman Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. The Caiman recently, as of July 2007, completed testing by the US Military at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds. On 13 July 2007, Armor Holdings received a prime contract award by the US Navy on the behalf of the US Marine Corps for $518.5m under the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle program. The contract specifies delivery of 1,154 Category I MRAP vehicles and 16 Category II MRAP vehicles by the end of February 2008. It is likely that the Cat I will be based on the LMTV, while the Cat II will be based on the MTV. The Cat I Caiman weighs 14 ton and the Cat II version weighs 24 ton which according to the Vice President of Armor Holdings, is lighter in weight than its competitors. The work will be performed at BAE Systems M&PS facilities located in Fairfield, Ohio and Sealy, Texas. A reinforced Caiman design submitted by BAE was one of the two eventual winners of the MRAP II competition at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. Replacement and spare parts include improved front seats, electrical connectors for towing and to retrofit door assist system safety strips on the Caiman vehicles. Spare and replacement parts deliveries will be completed through January 2010 and will help the Army units in Iraq maintain the estimated 2,850 Caimans. The contract also covers Caiman instructor and maintenance support services through September 2009. “This contract will help keep vehicles in operating condition, which is essential to saving soldiers’ lives and supporting the success of the military mission in Iraq,” said Bruce Harrison, vice president of Product Support for BAE Systems in Houston, Texas. “We can continue to provide the parts, and instructors and maintenance support to our soldiers through our Forward Support Representatives and wherever and whenever the Army needs it.” The Caiman MRAP was designed in 2006 to fill the Department of Defense’s urgent need for vehicles to protect U.S. troops from roadside bombs, rocket propelled grenades and explosively formed projectiles. In 22 months of production, 2,868 Caimans were built. Caiman is one of the U.S. Army’s MRAPs operating in Iraq, boasts a 94 percent operational readiness rate and has helped soldiers survive roadside bomb attacks on numerous occasions. BAE Systems employs more than 2,700 people in Sealy and Houston, Texas and has nearly 900,000 square feet of manufacturing, storage and office space on approximately 200 acres. The Sealy facility has a long history with wheeled vehicle products and 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’ Global Tactical Systems is the exclusive manufacturer of the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles and is the producer of three Mine Resistant Ambush Protected variants, the Caiman, the RG33 and the RG31. About BAE Systems BAE Systems is the premier global defense, 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.

US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates Cool To Iran Proposal To Train Afghan Police

US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates Cool To Iran Proposal To Train Afghan Police
(NSI News Source Info) April 18, 2009: US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on Thursday was cool to an Iranian proposal to train Afghan police, suggesting that Tehran should first stop arming the Taliban. Iran's police chief on Monday said his force was ready to train its counterparts in Afghanistan but also said there were no talks with NATO on cooperating with foreign forces in the war-ravaged country. "I think if the Iranians want to be helpful in Afghanistan the first thing they ought to do is stop sending weapons to the Taliban, that'd be a good start," Gates told reporters aboard an airplane traveling to Newport Beach, in the eastern US state of Rhode Island. "It's a very small level but they're still doing it," Gates said. Iran and NATO held their first "informal" talks since the Iranian revolution 30 years ago in March, focusing on Afghanistan where NATO is battling an intense Taliban-led insurgency. Iran is interested in possible cooperation on Afghanistan to confront the problems posed by opium production there, and because of an influx of Afghan refugees across their common border.

President Barack Obama And First Lady Michelle Obama's Tax Returns For 2008

President Barack Obama And First Lady Michelle Obama's Tax Returns For 2008
(NSI News Source Info) April 18, 2009: In these images released by the White House, the first two pages of President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama's tax returns for 2008 are seen. The return shows the Obamas together made $2.7 million last year.

General Dynamics Awarded $28 Million For Production of M2 Heavy Barrel Machine Guns

General Dynamics Awarded $28 Million For Production of M2 Heavy Barrel Machine Guns
(NSI News Source Info) Charlotte, N. C. – April 18, 2009: General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, a business unit of General Dynamics, has been awarded a contract modification valued at approximately $28 million from U.S. Army Tank Automotive Command (TACOM), Rock Island, Ill., to produce M2HB machine guns.
This option modifies a contract originally awarded in 2007, bringing the total value to date to more than $100 million. Deliveries from this award are expected to begin in December 2009.According to General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products gun systems senior program manager, Dean Gagnon, “Our M2’s accuracy, durability and versatility make it ideal for offensive and defensive operations.
It’s a belt-fed, recoil-operated, air-cooled, crew-served weapon capable of right- or left-hand feed.” The guns will be produced at General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products’ Saco, Maine, facility using its existing workforce.
Since 1979, this site has delivered more than 25,000 M2 heavy barrel machine guns to the U.S. government. Program management will be performed at the company’s Burlington, Vt., Technology Center.
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products’ site in Saco is the company's production site for single- and multi-barrel aircraft and crew-served weapon systems.
The site provides complete production capabilities, from design and development to manufacturing, testing and integration.
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products’ site in Burlington is the company’s Engineering Center of Excellence. More information is available online at http://www.gdatp.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.

Royal Navy Continues Training Iraqi Navy

Royal Navy Continues Training Iraqi Navy
(NSI News Source Info) April 18, 2009: The withdrawal of British combat troops from Iraq has already begun and by 31 July 2009 the vast bulk of British Armed Forces will have all left the country. Except that is, a small group of Royal Naval personnel.The crew of an Iraqi Navy fast attack boat undergoes training in the approaches to Umm Qasr[Picture: LA(Phot) Chris Winter] The naval personnel will be staying in southern Iraq to train the fledgling Iraqi Navy who have a task essential to the country's future economic development; protecting the country's oil network and main port of Umm Qasr. The port of Umm Qasr is gradually growing into a thriving area of commerce as it fulfils its role as Iraq's only deepwater quay facility. The port operates 24-hours-a-day and hundreds of containers are being shipped from the area with thousands of trucks daily coming in and out of the port area. Located close to the Kuwaiti border, Umm Qasr receives 80 per cent of the country's imports. The port is therefore also home to the Iraqi Navy which as well as protecting the port traffic has the vital role of protecting the country's two oil terminals out in the Gulf. These generate around 90 per cent of Iraq's income. British troops are currently based at two camps in Umm Qasr. One of the two sites will be handed over to the Americans at the end of this month, but UK military personnel are likely to remain at the second camp until at least 2011 where a British-led Naval Training Team, currently consisting of 55 British and 25 US personnel, will continue its work mentoring the Iraqi Navy. Naval Training Team trains members of the Iraqi Navy to carry out correct boarding procedures [Picture: LA(Phot) Chris Winter] The Iraqi Navy has been working hard to improve the safety and security of the port, their offshore oil infrastructure and Iraq's territorial waters, and while at present coalition forces protect the two oil terminals in the Gulf, known as KAAOT and ABOT, on-platform defence of KAAOT is expected to be handed over to the Iraqis at the end of this month. The Iraqi Navy has around 2,000 personnel, including Marines, and has grown and improved significantly since the 2003 invasion. Royal Navy Captain Richard Ingram, head of the coalition naval advisory team in Umm Qasr, said their progress had been "pretty dramatic", but added: "There's still a lot to achieve." Security has not been a problem at the oil terminals since April 2004, when a failed attack was launched on KAAOT, but it is still taken extremely seriously. British soldiers from The Queen's Royal Hussars currently patrol around Umm Qasr port wearing soft hats and without body armour, although they still carry weapons. But they will hand over responsibility for the port's security to the increasingly professional 2nd Battalion of the Iraqi Marines and return home at the end of this month. An engineer on board Royal Navy minesweeper HMS Chiddinfold discusses the Hunt Class vessel's propulsion system with his Iraqi counterpart [Picture: LA(Phot) Chris Winter] Royal Navy Captain Graham Charlesworth, who advises the port on development, said: "We're not blasé about security. We've adopted this posture because that's what the threat assessment says pertains to this port. We are not just cavalier about it." Colonel Jamal, the Iraqi Marines 2nd Battalion's commanding officer said the security situation had improved "from zero to 70 per cent" since a major Iraqi Army-led operation against militias in Basra last year known as Charge of the Knights - and to "80 per cent" at Umm Qasr.He described the port as an "artery" feeding all of Iraq, adding: "I am happy because the port of Umm Qasr belongs to all Iraqis and the investment that comes in the future is going to help Iraq's development and reduce unemployment." The Iraqi Government has asked for the Royal Navy-led training team to stay in the country after the bulk of the British troops pull out over the summer.
Iraqi Marines practise vessel board, search and seizure techniques [Picture: LA(Phot) Chris Winter] The port's capacity is increasing by 20 per cent a year, and it handled imports of 7.5m tonnes in 2008. Major projects to dredge the port and remove wrecks will enable it to take more large vessels in the future. While it is primarily a commercial port, it also has a passenger terminal and a ferry from Dubai runs to Umm Qasr twice a week. British Defence Secretary John Hutton highlighted the importance of the port earlier this year, saying: "The UK and our coalition partners are working with the Iraqi authorities to develop the port and it is one of the key areas in which international companies are looking to invest." With the British mentoring of the Iraqi Navy set to continue, the economic lifeline of southern Iraq should become ever more secure.

Northrop Grumman Upgrades Ship Navigation Radars With Enhanced Naval Display Features

Northrop Grumman Upgrades Ship Navigation Radars With Enhanced Naval Display Features
(NSI News Source Info) CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., - April 18, 2009: Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Sperry Marine business unit announces the introduction of a new family of navigation radar sets with enhanced naval display features. "We are now offering a naval display version of our highly successful commercial VisionMaster FT(tm) series of navigation radars, providing extended capabilities to meet the specific requirements of naval ships," said J. Nolasco DaCunha, vice president of Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine. "We have retained the outstanding capabilities of the commercial radars while incorporating important new features for the naval sector. The open-architecture design of the VisionMaster FT product line permits easy upgrades without making hardware changes." New features incorporated into the VisionMaster FT naval display radars include red first strike for immediate identification of high-speed targets, helicopter approach sectors, freeze frame function for radio silence, station keeping, target intercept, advanced index lines and other functions to support modern naval operations. It can be integrated with scanner systems operating at very low rotating speeds, down to 5 rpm. The VisionMaster FT naval radar display systems are available in 340 millimeters and 250 millimeters, X-band and S-band models in dedicated consoles or for built-in installations with remote electronics. The units utilize state-of-the-art high-resolution flat-screen display technology. They are designed to serve as stand-alone radars or as part of a complete VisionMaster FT integrated bridge system. Like all VisionMaster FT commercial radars, the naval display versions incorporate Sperry Marine's advanced automatic clutter-suppression technology, ensuring that weak targets can be detected under poor weather conditions or in close proximity to land. Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine, headquartered in Charlottesville, Va., and with major engineering and support offices in New Malden, United Kingdom and Hamburg, Germany, provides smart navigation and ship control solutions for the international marine industry with customer service and support through offices in 16 countries, sales representatives in 47 countries and authorized service depots in more than 250 locations worldwide. 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.

Raytheon Puts Math 'FIRST' With Sponsorship Of FIRST Robotics Championship

Raytheon Puts Math 'FIRST' With Sponsorship Of FIRST Robotics Championship
(NSI News Source Info) WALTHAM, Mass., - April 18, 2009: Seven Raytheon Company -sponsored teams totaling nearly 150 high school students will compete in the FIRST Robotics Championship Event April 16-18, 2009, in Atlanta, Ga. In August 2009, Raytheon will also award 40 FIRST Robotics team members who plan to pursue a college degree in math, science, engineering or technology with a $1,000 scholarship. The FIRST Robotics Championship is an international event in which teams of high school students build a robot during a six-week period using the core principles of engineering and mathematics. The final teams -- 8,600 students from 11 countries -- have been selected from more than 42,000 contestants who already competed at regional levels around the world. In preparation for the championship, almost 70 Raytheon employees have dedicated approximately 14,000 hours to mentor students from more than 40 high schools across the country during the last year. The Raytheon volunteers have met with their teams each week and have guided them in the development of their robots, each consisting of a standard kit of 604 components and other purchased parts based on a common set of rules provided by FIRST. "As a former FIRST Robotics student, I can attest to FIRST's ability to get kids excited about math. My experience with FIRST is what made me decide to be an engineer, and I'm proud that Raytheon is committed to supporting the program," said Christopher Matcek, an engineer with Raytheon Company and one of the volunteer mentors for the FIRST competition. For more than 11 years, Raytheon engineers have mentored teams of high school students for FIRST Robotics. This past year, Raytheon supported nearly 700 students who competed at FIRST regional competitions, including those that comprise the seven teams heading to the Atlanta championship. Alongside the FIRST Robotics Competition, Raytheon sponsors teams involved with the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) and FIRST LEGO® League (FLL), aiming to reach more young people to ignite and sustain the enthusiasm for science, technology, engineering and math. "Raytheon is committed to inspiring students to do better in math in school and go on to pursue math- and engineering-related careers -- something that fewer students have an interest in, but something the U.S. cannot do without to stay innovative and globally competitive," said Kristin Hilf, vice president of public affairs for Raytheon Company. "We are happy to support FIRST Robotics for helping young people discover how interesting and rewarding the life of an engineer or mathematician can be." Raytheon's support of FIRST is a component of its MathMovesU program, an initiative designed to engage middle school students in math and science and help create the next generation of innovators for the U.S. Since the program was launched in 2005, MathMovesU has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships and has touched the lives of more than 700,000 students, teachers and parents nationwide. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.mathmovesu.com/. Raytheon Company, with 2008 sales of $23.2 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 87 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.