DTN News: Portugal Commissions ex-Dutch M-Frigate / Minister Of Defence Presides Delivery Ceremony For Frigate “Bartolomeu Dias”

DTN News: Portugal Commissions ex-Dutch M-Frigate / Minister Of Defence Presides Delivery Ceremony For Frigate “Bartolomeu Dias”

(NSI News Source Info) May 27, 2009: The Minister of National Defence, Nuno Severiano Teixeira, presided over the May 19 ceremony marking the delivery of the first of two Bartolomeu Dias-class frigates. The ceremony was attended by the Dutch Minister of Defence, Eimert van Middelkoop, and of the chiefs of the two countries’ naval staffs.

In May 2006, Portugal's National Defense Minister, Luís Amado, showed interest in buying two Karel Doorman class frigates to replace the two remaining frigates of the João Belo class in service with the Portuguese Navy — instead of buying two frigates of the Oliver Hazard Perry class, offered by the United States. A committee of the Portuguese government arrived in the Netherlands to evaluate the condition of two frigates to be bought. In the end of May 2006, the Portuguese Government Official News Bulletin published the order for the creation of an Official Portuguese Navy's "technical team" to supervise the transfer of two M-Class Frigates to Portugal. On November 1st 2006, the Portuguese Defense Minister Nuno Severiano Teixeira signed a contract for the purchase of the frigates Van Nes and Van Galen. Van Nes, renamed NRP Bartolomeu Dias (F333), was transferred to Portugal on January 16, 2009 and Van Galen, renamed NRP Francisco de Almeida (F334) will be transferred on November 1, 2009. With the sale of two M-class frigates to Portugal only two of the eight ships will remain with the Dutch Navy.

The M-class frigates, built in the Netherlands during the 1990s, are modern-technology multi-purpose vessels, capable of carrying out anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air warfare missions, and are thus also suited for anti-terrorism operations.

Their specific characteristics will allow Portugal to continue to operate an ocean-going naval force capable of carrying out both national missions, such as sovereignty and law enforcement at sea, and in support of the state’s international missions, when integrated into naval forces of NATO and the European Union.

These frigates, whose cost is 240 million euros, are being purchased under the current Military Program Law. The acquisition contract was signed with the Netherlands on November 1, 2006.

DTN News: Boeing KC-767J Aerial Refueling Tankers Join Active Air Wing In Japan / KC-767J Tankers Enter Japanese Service

DTN News: Boeing KC-767J Aerial Refueling Tankers Join Active Air Wing In Japan / KC-767J Tankers Enter Japanese Service

(NSI News Source Info) ST. LOUIS - May 27, 2009: The Boeing Company today announced that three KC-767J aerial refueling tankers recently achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) and have been placed in an active air wing in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).

The aircraft, the third for Japan, was later transferred to Itochu Corp., for delivery to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). Itochu officially delivers the aircraft this month when it will join two KC-767J tankers that Japan received in 2008. Japan has ordered four convertible tanker/freighter KC-767Js and Boeing is scheduled to transfer the fourth tanker to Itochu in December for delivery to the MOD in the first quarter of 2010.

“This is a historic achievement for the nation of Japan and a significant accomplishment for Boeing’s tanker program,” said Dave Bowman, vice president and general manager of Boeing Tanker Programs. “These wide-body KC-767Js are now providing the JASDF with its own aerial refueling capability for the first time in history, while improving its ability to deliver passengers or cargo.”

Officials with the Japan Ministry of Defense and JASDF officially designated the KC-767J tankers "operational" during an April ceremony at Komaki Air Base, Japan, after the aircraft successfully completed a yearlong technical evaluation.

The third of four KC-767J tankers ordered by Japan was ferried from Boeing’s Wichita, Kan., modification facility and delivered on time and within budget to the JASDF in March. The first two tankers were delivered to Japan in February and March 2008.

Boeing is scheduled to transfer the fourth Japan tanker to the company's partner Itochu in December for delivery to the Ministry of Defense in the first quarter of 2010. Final work on that tanker is taking place at the Wichita modification center.

The KC-767 tanker, a military derivative of the proven Boeing 767-200 commercial airplane, features the company's advanced aerial refueling boom and Remote Aerial Refueling Operator II system. Japan's tankers are convertible tanker/freighter KC-767Js, which provide flexibility in carrying cargo or passengers while maintaining their primary role as aerial refueling tankers. “Delivery of the first KC-767J aerial refueling tankers, and their achievement of IOC status just a few weeks after the arrival of Japan 3, are great milestones,” Bowman said. “Boeing has KC-767 international tankers that have been built, flown, tested, certified, delivered and in operational service today.”

Boeing also has two KC-767 tankers in comprehensive flight test for the Italian Air Force (ITAF) and is performing modification work on two additional ITAF tankers. The first tanker for Italy is scheduled for delivery this year.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.

DTN News: Russian Arms Exports To Grow By Up To $800 Million In 2009

DTN News: Russian Arms Exports To Grow By Up To $800 Million In 2009

(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - May 27, 2009: Russian arms exports are expected to increase by $700-$800 mln in 2009 despite the global credit crunch, state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Wednesday. "Rosoboronexport sells an additional $700-800 million [worth of weaponry] every year. Despite the crisis, 2009 will be no exception," company official Valery Varlamov said. The arms export monopoly sold $6.75 billion worth of arms in 2008, and earlier said its defense order portfolio was worth $27 billion. "We could have signed deals worth a total of $50 billion, but we did not do this, and settled for $27 billion. We believe this figure is realistic," the official said. Combat aircraft have a 50% share in sales of Russian weaponry, followed by air defense systems, military equipment for ground forces, and naval equipment. "At present, combat aircraft lead the sales of Russian arms with a 50% share of a total. Whoever dominates the skies, wins on the ground," Varlamov said. The official reiterated that Russia exports weapons to about 80 countries. "The amounts and types of the contracts vary from small arms ammunition to combat aircraft, and we do not shy away from small contracts. We have business ties with about 80 countries," he said. Varlamov confirmed that the Chinese and the Indian share of Russian arms exports decreased to 16-18% last year and could dwindle even further. However, Russia is expanding its presence on other markets, including in the Middle East and in Latin America. "We are increasing our arms exports by penetrating the markets of other countries," Varlamov said, adding that the U.S. remains Russia's key competitor in global arms sales. In military-technical cooperation with India and China, Russia has shifted focus to joint development of weaponry and defense technologies, he said. Russia and India, in particular, have developed the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, and agreed to jointly develop a medium-haul military transport plane and a fifth-generation fighter jet.

DTN News: Embraer Delivers 100th Super Tucano Aircraft

DTN News: Embraer Delivers 100th Super Tucano Aircraft

(NSI News Source Info) SÃO JOSÉ DOS CAMPOS, Brazil - May 27, 2009: Embraer delivered the 100th Super Tucano aircraft, today, at the Company’s headquarters in São José dos Campos, State of São Paulo, Brazil. The Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira – FAB) established the technical-operational requisites for this advanced turboprop, designated as the A-29 by the FAB, which has ordered 99 aircraft, and now receives this commemorative unit. DTN News: Embraer Delivers 100th Super Tucano Aircraft specifically to The Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira – FAB).

“We are proud to deliver the 100th aircraft specifically to the FAB, which was the first to operate the Super Tucano,” said Orlando José Ferreira Neto, Embraer Executive Vice President, Defense Market. “The FAB’s ability to establish challenging requisites that reflect real operating conditions was of paramount importance to our development of such a successful airplane. As a result, the Super Tucano offers the market’s best solution for more efficient tactical training, and the best operational adaptation, by incorporating leading edge technologies.”

Out of a total of 169 units sold, so far, Embraer has orders from the Air Forces of Chile, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador.

The Super Tucano currently operates successfully with the Brazilian and Colombian Air Forces on air space surveillance and operational missions. The Super Tucano, in its single- and two-seat versions, entered service with the FAB in December 2003, to be used both to train pilots and to fly operational missions. This flexibility makes the Super Tucano the only aircraft in production, in the world, that is capable of handling advanced pilot training, surveillance, and counter-insurgency missions, including at night, with the aid of night-vision goggles, and electro-optical and infra-red sensors. It also operates on rustic airfields and with a wide variety of qualified external load configurations.

The Super Tucano is an innovative evolution of the world-renowned basic training Tucano aircraft, of which around 650 are in service with 15 air forces, worldwide.

The Super Tucano was designed to operate in the most complex combat settings, including night-vision capability, smart weaponry, and data link technology. Besides a reinforced structure for operations on rustic landing fields, the airplane has an advanced navigation and weapon aiming system that ensures high mission precision and reliability, even under extreme conditions and with minimal logistical support.

The turboprop is in full production on a very active and flexible assembly line, in keeping with Embraer’s ability to meet its customers’ needs and deliver aircraft within short time spans. Besides the airplane,

Embraer also supplies an advanced training and support system for the operations of the Super Tucano. TOSS (Training and Operation Support System) consists of four systems: CBT (Computer-Based Training) that improves pilot learning; FS (Flight Simulator); MPS (Mission Planning Stations); and MDS (Mission Debriefing Station) to analyze mission data and results. Embraer is the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial jets up to 120 seats, and one of Brazil’s leading exporters.

Embraer’s headquarters are located in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, and it has offices, industrial operations and customer service facilities in Brazil, the United States, France, Portugal, China and Singapore. Founded in 1969, the Company designs, develops, manufactures and sells aircraft for the Commercial Aviation, Executive Aviation, and Defense and Government segments. The Company also provides after sales support and services to customers worldwide. On March 31, 2009, Embraer had a workforce of 17,375 employees – not counting the employees of its subsidiaries OGMA and HEAI – and its firm order backlog totaled US$ 19.7 billion.

DTN News: Raytheon Team Selected For U.S. Army Battle Command Development Contract

DTN News: Raytheon Team Selected For U.S. Army Battle Command Development Contract

(NSI News Source Info) FORT MONMOUTH, N.J., - May 27, 2009: A team led by Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) received an indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity award for the U.S. Army Battle Command Development contract. The Battle Command Development contract, managed by the U.S. Army Communications and Electronics Command, is a five-year, multi-award vehicle worth up to $777.4 million. The award enables the Raytheon team to compete for task orders that will enhance and maintain the capabilities of the Army Battle Command System. The ABCS consists of products that have been developed by battle command organizations. These products are used throughout theater and lack commonality. The task orders focus on unifying the existing ABCS products into a net-centric, service-oriented architecture. This allows the ABCS a common look and feel within its family of products and improved interoperability with other Army systems. "The use of battle command products in current conflicts and in future Army modernization efforts is critical, making this effort particularly important," said Andy Zogg, vice president, Raytheon Network Centric Systems Command and Control Systems. "Our aim is to put real solutions in the hands of our soldiers quickly." 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.

DTN News: South Korea TODAY May 27, 2009 - South Korean Soldier Guard At A Guard Post Near Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)

DTN News: South Korea TODAY May 27, 2009 - South Korean Soldier Guard At A Guard Post Near Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)

(NSI News Source Info) SEOUL - May 27, 2009: A South Korean soldier walks along a fence while standing guard at a guard post near the demilitarised zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas in Paju, about 55 km (34 miles) north of Seoul, May 27, 2009.North Korea on Wednesday threatened a military strike against the South a day after Seoul joined a U.S.-led initiative to intercept shipments suspected of being involved in weapons of mass destruction.

DTN News: French President Nicolas Sarkozy Opens France's First Gulf military Base / First French Military Base Opens In The Persian Gulf

DTN News: French President Nicolas Sarkozy Opens France's First Gulf military Base / First French Military Base Opens In The Persian Gulf

(NSI News Source Info) PARIS - May 27, 2009: France inaugurated its first military base in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday, underlining an ambition to help meet the strategic challenge from Iran and capture a share of the region's rich arms market for the French defense industry. President Nicolas Sarkozy, on a one-day visit to the United Arab Emirates' capital, formally opened a 900-foot quay allocated to the French navy in Abu Dhabi's Zayed Port, a French air force installation at the Dhafra Air Base just outside the city and a barracks at a downtown military camp for several hundred French soldiers. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, second right foreground, and United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister Sheik Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, right foreground, attend the opening ceremony of a French naval base in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, May 26, 2009. The outposts are France's first permanent overseas military installations outside its former colonies in Africa in 50 years, reflecting a shift in national security strategy in which Sarkozy has put less emphasis on traditional African allies and more on the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. In addition to being sources of oil and potential markets for French technology, these areas are key to France's security and that of the world, Sarkozy declared in a white paper on national security soon after assuming power in 2007. The decision to look beyond Africa also fits Sarkozy's desire to be a more active strategic partner of the United States. He has increased the number and combat role of French troops in Afghanistan, for instance, and in March returned France to NATO's integrated military command after a 43-year absence. The Abu Dhabi base, he said, illustrates "the responsibilities that France, as a world power, intends to assume alongside its special partners in a region that is a nerve center for the entire world," news agencies reported. As part of the new base arrangements, Sarkozy signed agreements with Abu Dhabi's rulers updating defense accords that date from 1975, essentially pledging France's assistance to Abu Dhabi during crises. These accords have taken on new importance as Iran, on the other side of the Gulf, rises as a regional power and pursues a nuclear research program that many experts think could lead to nuclear weapons within several years. In an interview with local journalists, Sarkozy reiterated that it would be "unacceptable" for Iran to acquire a nuclear arsenal. He urged intensification of U.S. and European efforts to draw Iran into negotiations on limiting its nuclear program. As part of its commitment to Abu Dhabi, France has been negotiating for months on the sale of 60 Rafale warplanes. The aircraft, manufactured by Dassault Aviation, has been on the market for more than a decade, but only the French military has bought it. Dassault's chief executive, Charles Edelstenne, accompanied Sarkozy to inaugurate the military facilities, as did two members of the Dassault family. But French officials said no sale is likely to be announced yet, as negotiations are underway on the price, estimated to be as high as $8 billion, and what kind of radar and other equipment the planes would carry. United Arab Emirates' Crown Prince Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, right, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, center, are seen at the al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi during a show of four twin-engined Rafale fighter jets manufactured by France's Dassault Aviation in Abu Dhabi, Tuesday, May 26, 2009. The main competitor is the F-16, a U.S.-manufactured workhorse that has been sold around the world. But Abu Dhabi's rulers have shown a desire to diversify their military suppliers, previously buying 380 Leclerc tanks and about 60 Mirage 2000 warplanes from France. In all, French officials told reporters, France has supplied about half the UAE military's equipment. In addition to military sales, French officials have been seeking to interest the United Arab Emirates in nuclear electricity plants.

DTN News: Pakistan TODAY May 27, 2009 - Suicide Car Blast In Lahore Kills 23

DTN News: Pakistan TODAY May 27, 2009 - Suicide Car Blast In Lahore Kills 23

(NSI News Source Info) LAHORE, Pakistan - May 27, 2009: Gunmen detonated a car bomb near police and intelligence agency offices on Lahore’s Mall road Wednesday, killing 23 people and wounding more than 100, officials said. Rescuers seek survivors in the rubble of a Lahore police building in Pakistan after gunmen and a bomber kill at least 23 people. At least four men with rifles stepped from the car and opened fire on the intelligence agency building, then set off a massive blast when security guards returned fire, officials said. Interior Minister Rehman Malik suggested the attack could be retaliation for the government's military offensive to rout Taliban militants from the northwestern Swat Valley. Wednesday's attack was the third major strike in Lahore in recent months. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the latest bombing. Police said one suspect was detained. Raja Riaz, a senior minister in the Punjab provincial government, told reporters that about 30 people died. Fayyaz Ranjha, a senior health official, told Pakistan Television that at least 116 people were wounded. Police put the number of injured at 250. The explosion sheared the walls off buildings in a main business district. TV footage showed bleeding bystanders and emergency workers carrying the injured toward ambulances. ‘The moment the blast happened, everything went dark in front of my eyes,’ witness Muhammad Ali said. ‘The way the blast happened, then gunfire, it looked as if there was a battle going on.’ Sajjad Bhutta, a senior government official in Lahore, told reporters that a car carrying several gunmen pulled up in a street between offices of the emergency police and the Inter-Service Intelligence. ‘As some people came out from that vehicle and starting firing at the ISI office, the guards from inside that building returned fire,’ he said. As the firing continued, the car suddenly exploded, he said. The ISI and police buildings were both badly damaged. An AP reporter saw dozens of troops entering the ISI building to supervise the rescue work, while gunshots were heard from inside the building even one hour after the blast. Television footage showed officers dragging a black-shirted man from the scene. Malik blamed the attack on militants that government forces are fighting in the Swat Valley and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas near Afghanistan. 'These terrorists were defeated in FATA and Swat and now they have come here,' he told reporters.