DTN News: Boeing Cites 4 Aircraft Types It Could Base Tanker On

DTN News: Boeing Cites 4 Aircraft Types It Could Base Tanker On *Sources: Defense News ~ By Tom Kington

(NSI News Source Info) PARIS, France - June 17, 2009: A day after stating it could offer the 767 or 777 airframes in a new U.S. tanker bid, Boeing named on Tuesday four variants of the two types it could use to build a tanker. Boeing is waiting to see the new request for proposal in the U.S. Air Force tanker competition before deciding to stay with the 767 or shift to something else, such the larger 777. Shown is an artist’s conception of a 777 tanker refueling a B-2 bom ( BOEING) In a briefing at the Paris Air Show, Boeing tanker vice president Dave Bowman said the 767-200, -300 and -400, and the 777-200 ER aircraft all could be candidates to become Boeing's tanker offering when a new request for proposal is announced this summer. "We have one for every one of the strategies being considered. The Boeing team is pumped and ready to rock," Bowman said. Boeing would prepare to offer a mixed fleet of 777s and 767s, he said. Even the engine choice on a 777 offering would be up the customer, he added. Boeing lost the previous tanker contest to the Airbus A330 but successfully challenged the decision. Bowman was deliberately vague about which version Boeing would offer, claiming he awaited the RFP. He did say the new name for the unspecified offer, the 7A7, could stand for "Advanced, Ability, Available, Agility or Acquisition." Boeing has already developed a 767 tanker for customers Italy and Japan, but Bowman claimed that developing an all-new 777 tanker would take a "similar" time to that needed to ready a 767 tanker for a U.S. customer. Bowman did give some insight into whether Boeing would seek to take a green aircraft and convert it to tanker format, or roll an aircraft with tanker features off the assembly line. "The P8 [maritime patrol] aircraft is a line aircraft, and is a very good example of how to do a commercial derivative aircraft off the line," he said. Boeing started its 767 program for Italy with green aircraft before declaring that it would switch to rolling 767 tankers of a dedicated line if it won the U.S. contract.

DTN News: Italy To Fly New Predator B's Over Mediterranean

DTN News: Italy To Fly New Predator B's Over Mediterranean

*Sources: Defense Media (NSI News Source Info) PARIS, France - June 17, 2009: Italy expects to freely fly new Predator B's it will obtain by year end over the Mediterranean, albeit within Italian airspace, a senior official has said. In August 2005, a version of Predator B, called Sky Warrior, was chosen for the four-year system development and demonstration (SDD) phase of the US Army's extended range / multi-purpose (ER/MP) UAV programme – 11 Sky Warrior systems, each with 12 air vehicles and five ground control stations. Initial operating capability is planned for 2009. Two block 0 Sky Warrior UAVs were deployed to Iraq in April 2008. Also in August 2005, the US Department of Homeland Security / Customs and Border Protection (DHS/CBP) ordered two Predator B systems for monitoring of the USA's south-west border. The first was delivered in late 2005, the second in September 2006. Two further systems were ordered in October 2006, for monitoring operations on the border with Canada. In September 2006, the UK requested the foreign military sale (FMS) of two MQ-9 Reaper systems with Lynx SAR, multi-spectral targeting systems and one ground station. Deliveries began in mid-2007 and the RAF deployed the system in Afghanistan in November 2007. In January 2008, the UK requested the sale of an additional ten MQ-9 systems. In August 2008, Italy requested the sale of four MQ-9 Reaper systems with three ground stations. "Since the B's will fly at 50,000 feet, above regular traffic, it means they can go everywhere at sea at that altitude," said Italian Air Force deputy chief of staff Gen. Giuseppe Bernardis. Italy expects to start taking delivery by year's end of four unarmed Predator B's, which will be based at the Italian Air Force's Amendola base in southern Italy, already home to Italy's Predator As. Italy already has carved out a flight corridor for Predator A flights over sea that links coastal Amendola with Salto di Quirra test range in Sardinia. Bernardis said plans were underway to create a series of new "feeder corridors" linking the main corridor to bases at Sigonella and Trapani in Sicily, the Italian island of Pantelleria and Decimomannu in Sardinia. Bernardis said the A's would stick to the corridors, but once at 50,000 feet, the Predator B's will be able to cross airspace between corridors. The pending corridor linking Sigonella could also be used by Global Hawks, which are set to be based there under the NATO Allied Ground Surveillance program, Bernardis added. The Italian Air Force is, meanwhile, set to obtain two new upgraded Predator A's to join the four it already flies. The new UAVs will have a larger wingspan and laser targeting. One of Italy's four existing A's also is being upgraded to the standard of the new deliveries. The three upgrade standard A's will undergo training flights in Italy this summer before being deployed to Afghanistan by year end, Bernardis said. The three Predator A's now flying in Afghanistan will then be withdrawn and upgraded.

DTN News: Microsoft Names Three In 'Click Fraud' Suit

DTN News: Microsoft Names Three In 'Click Fraud' Suit

*Sources: PCMAG.COM by Mark Hachman (Click link)

(NSI News Source Info) NEW YORK - June 17, 2009: Microsoft said Tuesday that it filed suit against three Canadians and two associated businesses that the software giant had committed a version of "click fraud". Microsoft sued Eric Lam, Melanie Suen, and Gordon Lam of Vancouver, British Columbia for breach of contract, torturous interference with business relationships, fraudulent inducement and misrepresentation, computer fraud, conspiracy, and two violations of Washington anti-spyware and consumer laws. Companies named UMGE, Super Continental USA and Super Continental US, both allegedly tied to the trio, were also named, as were 50 "John Doe" plaintiffs. The complaint accuses the Lams and Suen of abusing Microsoft's adCenter network, specifically exploiting it to benefit their own company, and its ad purchases of keywords associated with so-called "gold farming" in the online game "World of Warcraft," and a separate business reselling car insurance. The method, according to Microsoft, was a technique known as "pay-per-click fraud". Advertisers pay a certain amount per keyword or set of keywords to promote their own company when a certain keyword search term is entered, such as "auto insurance". That money is paid out of a budget when a user clicks on the sponsored ad, and is redirected to the site. Once the budget vanished, so would the sponsored ad. Higher bids receive higher placement, according to the complaint. But the ad is only valuable when a genuine customer visits the sponsoring site. In Microsoft's case, the defendants allegedly either manually clicked competitor's sites, or used automated tools to do so. The effect, according to Microsoft, was to defraud those who had paid for the higher rankings, as the rival ad budgets were quickly exhausted by the artificial clicks. "This would cause the higher-sponsored sites to drop off the results page or decrease in the rankings, and the perpetrator's lower-ranking sponsored site to rise to a higher position in the sponsored site list," Microsoft's complaint said. "This improved sponsored site positioning would lead to higher and better quality traffic (and presumably greater revenue) for the click fraud perpetrator -- without the perpetrator paying a higher price for keywords." Microsoft said it would continue to take action against other incidences of click fraud. "Consumers and businesses around the world rely on free Internet services and content funded and powered by advertising," Tim Cranton, the associate general counsel of Microsoft, wrote in a blog post. Indeed, just last week the Interactive Advertising Bureau released a study that found interactive advertising is responsible for $300 billion of economic activity annually and has created 3.1 million U.S. jobs. "Given the sector's size and strategic importance, it is critically important for the industry to continue working together to help combat fraud against online advertisers and promote a healthy marketplace for online advertising and Internet services to thrive," Cranton added. "This marketplace will help fuel technology advancements worldwide and provide a key element in economic recovery and growth in the years ahead."

DTN News: Pakistan Sought Time To Act Against Militants ~ India

DTN News: Pakistan Sought Time To Act Against Militants ~ India *Sources: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - June 17, 2009: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday that Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari had sought more time to act against anti-India militants because Islamabad's fight with the Taliban had entered a crucial phase. In this handout photograph from the Indian Press Information Bureau (PIB), Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh shakes hands with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on the sidelines of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) leaders summit and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Yekaterinburg on June 16, 2009. Leaders from the world's top emerging economic powers met for their first summit to plot a strategy to increase their clout amid the global crisis. "He did mention to me the difficulties Pakistan is facing in controlling terrorism and asked us to bear with him, to give him some more time," Singh told reporters on his way back from Russia's Yekaterinburg, where the two leaders met on Tuesday. Singh's comments came a day after he urged Zardari to ensure Pakistan was not used to launch attacks on India. Their meeting, the first since last year's attacks on Mumbai, marked a tentative thaw in relations but stopped well short of reopening a peace process that India had put on hold after the Mumbai assault. India blames Pakistan-based anti-India groups for attacking Indian cities and named the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group as responsible for the attack on Mumbai which killed 166 people. Pakistan says it is investigating the Mumbai attacks, even while it struggles to push back a growing Taliban insurgency. Security forces have made progress in more than a month of fighting against militants in Swat. The militants have responded with a string of bombs in towns and cities. Pakistani military has been ordered to go on the offensive against Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud in his stronghold in South Waziristan on the Afghan border. "I explained to him that whereas now Pakistan has taken effective action against the Taliban and al-Qaeda, we have a strong feeling that those elements who are active in perpetrating terrorist acts in our country ... (are) not being brought to justice," Singh said. He said India would not close channels of communication with Pakistan and would continue to try to make peace with it. "We have often said we can choose our friends, we have to live with our neighbors, and therefore, it is obligatory on us not to close channels of communication," Singh said. Singh's comments hold out prospects of more talks between officials of the two countries and their leaderships. An Indian official told Reuters on Tuesday Singh and Zardari would meet in July in Egypt, which is hosting the Non-Aligned Movement summit.

DTN News: Iran TODAY June 17, 2009 - More Unrest And New Protests Over Iran Elections

DTN News: Iran TODAY June 17, 2009 - More Unrest And New Protests Over Iran Elections

*Sources: DTN News / Int'l Media / BBC

(NSI News Source Info) TEHRAN, Iran - June 17, 2009: The opposition is said to be trying to become more organised and supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi are planning a new demonstration in Tehran in protest at what they see as a fraudulent presidential poll in Iran. The planned rally comes after a night in which security forces reportedly raided university dormitories in several Iranian cities. In this frame grab taken from amateur video, supporters of Iranian reformist opposition leader Mir Hossien Mousavi demonstrate in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday June 16, 2009. Thousands of protesters rallied in Tehran in support of Mousavi, according to witnesses and video footage. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has sought to calm tensions and called for an end to rioting. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected last week with almost two-thirds of votes. Protests have grown since his re-election was confirmed on Saturday, with huge demonstrations in Tehran and clashes between protesters and security forces. Eight people have been killed. The latest opposition demonstration is expected to wind its way though central Tehran, reports the BBC's Jon Leyne from the city. A similar march on Tuesday is thought to have passed off peacefully, although few details have emerged. Iran has imposed tough new restrictions on foreign media, requiring journalists to obtain explicit permission before covering any story. Journalists have also been banned from attending or reporting on any unauthorised demonstration. Ayatollah intervention Overnight, members of Iran's Basij volunteer militia reportedly raided university dormitories in several Iranian cities. Students have been active among Iran's opposition and there have been several reports of security forces moving in on university premises since protests began over the weekend. Nobody should take any action that would create tension, and all have to explicitly say they are against tension and riots Ayatollah Ali KhameneiIran's Supreme Leader The raids came after another direct intervention in the crisis by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Ayatollah Khamenei has not appeared in public since the election results, but now seems to be deeply involved in the search for a solution to the stand-off.

Women take part in a demonstration in support of leading opposition presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, seen in image a centre back, near the Iranian embassy in Paris, Tuesday June 16, 2009, protesting the outcome of the presidential election in Iran. The clerical government appears to be trying to defuse popular anger and quash unrest by announcing the limited recount even as it cracks down on foreign media and shows its strength by calling supporters to the streets. Meeting representatives of the four election candidates, he urged all parties not to agitate their supporters and stir up an already tense situation. "In the elections, voters had different tendencies, but they equally believe in the ruling system and support the Islamic Republic," the Associated Press reported him as saying. "Nobody should take any action that would create tension, and all have to explicitly say they are against tension and riots." He also repeated his offer of a partial vote recount, a proposal already rejected by the main opposition. But our correspondent says the ayatollah's personal intervention in the crisis is reducing his political authority. Obama 'concern' Widespread anger at the result brought hundreds of thousands of Mr Mousavi's supporters on to the streets on Monday and eight protesters died when a rally ended in violence. A majority of Iranians are under 30, lending the opposition a youthful voice A witness told the BBC that Tuesday's rally in northern Tehran was even bigger than Monday's - though this cannot be independently confirmed - and the state Press TV also described it as large. Witnesses described demonstrators walking in near silence towards state TV headquarters - apparently anxious not to be depicted as hooligans by authorities. Thousands of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's supporters staged a counter-rally in Vali Asr Square in central Tehran - some bussed in from the provinces, observers say. A BBC correspondent in Tehran said that protesters also blocked roads with their cars and police set up roadblocks to control gatherings of demonstrators. As night fell, residents took to the roof-tops of their houses to shout protest messages across the city, a scene not witnessed since the final days of the Shah, our correspondent says. In the US, President Barack Obama sought on Tuesday to stay neutral in the debate over Iran's election results, insisting he did not want to "meddle" in the affairs of the Islamic Republic. "It is not productive, given the history of US and Iranian relations to be seen as meddling in Iranian elections," he said. "But when I see violence directed at peaceful protesters, when i see peaceful dissent being suppressed… it is of concern to me and it is of concern to the American people." But in a TV interview he also cautioned that there might not be much difference between the policies of President Ahmadinejad and rival Mir Hossein Mousavi.

DTN News: Gaza TODAY June 17, 2009 - Gazans Flock To Hamas-Run Religious Summer Camps

DTN News: Gaza TODAY June 17, 2009 - Gazans Flock To Hamas-Run Religious Summer Camps

*Sources: DTN News / AFP

(NSI News Source Info) GAZA CITY - June 17, 2009: Summer has arrived, school's out, and on the carpeted floor of a Gaza City mosque Ala al-Ramalawi is reciting the Koran to a group of 12-year-old girls in colourful veils. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter (C front row) poses for a photo with Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh (2nd row) and Palestinian children in Gaza City June 16, 2009. Carter met the children, who lost relatives during the three-week offensive Israel launched in Gaza last December, during his one-day visit to Gaza. For most of Gaza's children summer camp still means swimming, horseback riding and campfire songs. But the number of children attending Hamas-run religious camps has soared in the two years since the group seized power, reflecting the growing religious awareness among the enclave's impoverished residents. "There is no way for us but learning ... The enemy wants to condemn us to a siege and shelling and poverty," says Ramalawi, 16, who prides herself on having memorised the Koran but says she is not a member of Hamas. Anwar Nassar, the director of the Koran camps, says Hamas supporters make up at most 60 percent of the youth who attend the camps, but that the total number of attendees has soared since the group seized power. Since the takeover on June 15, 2007, Israel and Egypt have sealed Gaza off to all but limited humanitarian aid, crippling the local economy, fueling massive unemployment, and stalling reconstruction efforts. Israel has insisted that the blockade is necessary to prevent Hamas -- which is backed by Iran and Syria and committed to the Jewish state's destruction -- from arming itself. But human rights groups have slammed the restrictions as collective punishment of the overcrowded territory of 1.5 million people, where the vast majority of the population depends on foreign aid. The lack of most building materials has meant that Gaza has recovered little from the devastating three-week Israeli offensive at the turn of the year that killed more than 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis. "The stronger the siege gets and the more frustration there is, the more it pushes the youth towards religiosity and Koranic studies," Nassar said. More than 20,000 youth between the ages of 12 and 20 will attend the two-month-long religious summer camps this year, up from just 3,000 the year before, he said. Another 100,000 are attending camps that Hamas says are purely recreational, according to Ayman Dalul, the director of the "Victory of Gaza for Jerusalem" camp. "We will teach the participants arts, swimming, riding horses and history. There are other camps especially for scouts, technology and computers," he says, insisting that military training is not part of the curriculum. Although many of the youth attending the camps are not Hamas supporters, the growth in interest in Islam serves the interests of the movement, which is committed to the destruction of Israel. "Hamas is interested in the youth from childhood on," says Sheikh Hamza, a 22-year-old teacher with a long, scraggly beard, one of 1,200 instructors paid 250 dollars a month to teach the Koran and religious studies. "Teaching the Koran is part of the religion. These are the generations that the movement will rely on for steadfastness and confronting enemies." Hamas will spend more than 3.5 million dollars on the camps this year alongside its vast network of charities and other social programmes, with much of the funding coming from international Islamic charities. Such activities, which date back to the movement's founding in the 1980s, have helped it to build up grass-roots political support and contributed to the increasing religious conservatism in Gaza in recent years. Umm Mohammed, her face concealed beneath a long, black Saudi-style veil, proudly sends her three daughters to a Koranic camp held on the second floor of a mosque near her house. "Every path is blocked," she says. "There is no future for girls except to learn the religion and the Koran in order to raise their children to serve Palestine and Islam. Everything brings frustration. We have to be stronger."

DTN News: Singapore TODAY June 17, 2009 - Chinese Star Jet Li 'Takes Singapore Citizenship'

DTN News: Singapore TODAY June 17, 2009 - Chinese Star Jet Li 'Takes Singapore Citizenship' *Sources: DTN News / AFP (NSI News Source Info) SINGAPORE - June 17, 2009: Chinese action star Jet Li has taken up Singapore citizenship and bought a property in the city state worth nearly 20 million Singapore dollars (14 million US), according to a report. Chinese action star Jet Li has taken up Singapore citizenship and bought a property in the city state worth nearly 20 million Singapore dollars. The Business Times did not say when the Beijing-born star took up his new nationality or bought the upmarket property. It did not give its source. Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) would not confirm the newspaper report when contacted by AFP for reasons of confidentiality. A Beijing-based staff member at Li's One Foundation contacted by AFP declined comment. Li is the latest Chinese star to have taken up Singapore citizenship, following in the footsteps of leading actress Gong Li, who shot to fame with her roles in "Farewell My Concubine" and later "Memoirs of a Geisha." Gong Li, who is not related to Jet Li, became a Singapore citizen last year.

DTN News: Israel TODAY June 17, 2009 - Forget Speeches, Soccer Paves The Path To Peace

DTN News: Israel TODAY June 17, 2009 - Forget Speeches, Soccer Paves The Path To Peace

*Source: The Jerusalem Post By Dov Lieber

(NSI News Source Info) JERUSALEM, Israel - June 17, 2009: Less than 24 hours had passed since Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu called for "two peoples living truly, side-by-side, in amity and mutual respect" when a group of Israeli Jews, Israeli Arabs and Palestinian children put their differences behind them to play on mixed teams in a European Union-sponsored soccer event at the Wingate Institute on Monday. "Ahmed, Ahmed, I'm open in the corner," yelled the skullcap-wearing youngster speeding side by side down the field with his Palestinian teammate. Without hesitation, the ball made it to the young Jew's feet, and he proceeded to neatly place the ball past the small Arab goalkeeper into the right corner of the net. The goal-scoring team burst into celebration - everyone hugging the closest teammate. This was just one of many moving scenes where Palestinian and Jewish children joined together in celebration of a goal, like longtime friends rather than enemies on Monday. The friendly relations between the children weren't an instant miracle. For years now, these youngsters have been participating in programs and activities run by the Education and Social Project, a non-profit NGO along with Hapoel Tel-Aviv. More than 25,000 children, from first through eighth grade, from Israel, the West Bank, and even Jordan meet twice weekly with Israeli and Palestinian coaches and educators, mostly university students. One meeting is devoted to soccer, the other for educational activities. "They talk about the value of teamwork in the classroom, then they see the value on the field," explained Brian Gonzales, the consultant for development of resources and partnership for the program. Avraham Burg, director of the Education and Social Project, put the program into simple terms: "Get to know the other; be a better student; use sports as social mobilizer." The European Union sponsored Monday's events through a program called "Football, Our Common Ground," while the Educational and Social Project organized and ran the event. Israeli squads of Jewish and Arab children, usually coming from neighboring villages, hold practices together all over the country every week. Palestinian children can only meet their teammates two to three times a year because they are rarely able to get permission to come into Israel. This was the second time this year the Palestinian children met their Jewish teammates and opponents, yet already relations between them had become friendly. "I was hesitant at first," said 15-year-old Muhammad Hlel from Susiya, south of Hebron, who was sunburned from earlier that morning when the Palestinian children enjoyed Kibbutz Shefayim's water park. "But once we started playing together it worked out." Hlel added that "there is a big change" in how he sees Jews. He now keeps in touch with his Jewish friends by phone and he would like to befriend more in the future. Muhammad Hassan, another 15-year-old Palestinian player from Twainey, another village south of Hebron, sat with his Palestinian friends (also sunburned) in between games. He wore a Barcelona jersey, and spoke with a serious face but gentle tone. Hassan said he was very excited and interested to play with Jews. "I didn't like them before, but once I played with them it was totally different," he said. "They were good people in general." Hassan's friends sat around him in silent agreement. During the closing ceremonies, Sol Gross, an 11-year-old from Kibbutz Evron in the North, sat in a circle with his Jewish friends. He said, "It was fun playing with the Palestinians. They were like me. It was good from the beginning until the end." Ma'ayan, from Kibbutz Shomrot, cutting in front of his friend, added his own experience. "It was interesting. It was a little hard at first but in the end it was good. I will continue to be good friends with [the Palestinians]," he said. Moving back in front of his friend, Sol exclaimed excitedly, "You can trust them!" The highlight of the games wasn't a spectacular goal or the trophies, which went to all participants, said Clive Lessem, one of the developers of the program. Even though the Palestinian children had to leave before trophies were handed out in order to get through the checkpoints in time, Lessem said he was most impressed by the frequent moments when children speedily extended hands to those they knocked down, receiving a hand, smile, and pat on the back in return. "That's the real story," said Lessem. "That's what this is all about."

DTN News: GE's Dowty Business Delivers 600th Dash 8 Q400 Propeller System

DTN News: GE's Dowty Business Delivers 600th Dash 8 Q400 Propeller System

*Source: GE Aviation (NSI News Source Info) LE BOURGET, France - June 17, 2009: GE Aviation’s Dowty business recently delivered the 600th propeller system for the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft. The advanced six-bladed propeller system for the Dash 8 has single removable all-composite blades. GE Aviation's Dowty business recently delivered the 600th propeller system for the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft. The advanced six-bladed propeller system for the Dash 8 has single removable all-composite blades. “Dowty has 19,000 all-composite blades in service, accumulating more than 270 million blade flying hours,” said Lorraine Bolsinger, president and CEO of GE Aviation Systems. “The new Q400 NextGen turboprop airliner is the next step in the continuing evolution of the Q400 aircraft. We will continue to invest and develop propeller systems technologies resulting in environmental and operational cost benefits for our customers.” The Q400 six-bladed all composite propellers deliver more thrust and less noise than smaller propellers turning at a higher speed. Made from a new generation of lighter and stronger materials, these slow rotating propellers are mounted further out on the wing to help reduce noise levels. Operating costs of the Q400 NextGen airliner, already among the lowest of any regional aircraft, will be made even lower by increasing the scheduled maintenance intervals and further optimizing maintenance tasks to reduce downtime during the aircrafts life cycle. The Q400 aircraft is already the most technologically advanced turboprop airliner and the NextGen features will make it even more so. The Q400 NextGen aircraft is the turboprop airliner for the twenty-first century. GE Aviation, an operating unit of General Electric Company, is a world-leading provider of jet engines, components and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings. GE Aviation Systems LLC and GE Aviation Systems Ltd are subsidiaries of General Electric Company.

DTN News: BAE Systems Wins $33 Million Contract For Airborne Countermeasures

DTN News: BAE Systems Wins $33 Million Contract For Airborne Countermeasures *Source: BAE Systems

(NSI News Source Info) NASHUA, New Hampshire - June 17, 2009: BAE Systems has been awarded a $33.6 million low-rate initial production contract for the ALE-55. The AN/ALE-55 is part of the U.S. Navy’s Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures (IDECM) system that provides fighter aircraft with electronic defense against radar guided missiles. ALE-55 Countermeasures System ~ Artwork depicts the U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet with the towed ALE-55 countermeasures system, and a notional representation of the device’s decoy capabilities. “We conducted a very successful production readiness review and believe BAE Systems will continue to perform, produce, and deliver a very capable system,” said Capt. Paul Overstreet of the Naval Air Systems Command. “The ALE-55 will significantly enhance self-protection for our aircraft across a range of threats.” The ALE-55 consists of an onboard electronic frequency converter (EFC) and a fiber-optic towed device (FOTD). The EFC converts radio frequencies to light that is transferred over a fiber-optic cable to a transmitter in the FOTD that jams missile threats to the aircraft. “We’re well on the way to providing the Navy the protection it needs in modern combat,” said Burt Keirstead, director of Navy Programs at BAE Systems Electronics Solutions business. BAE Systems began low-rate initial production of the AN/ALE-55 Lot IV in June 2008 and is expected to complete production of Lot V in September 2011. When combined with the previous Lot IV award, this Lot V production award increases the total FOTD deliveries to 473 and the total contract value to $65.6 million. 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.

DTN News: South Korea TODAY June 17, 2009 - South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak Posing With US And South Korean Fighter Pilots

DTN News: South Korea TODAY June 17, 2009 - South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak Posing With US And South Korean Fighter Pilots

*Source: DTN News (NSI News Source Info) SEOUL, South Korea - June 17, 2009: South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak poses with US and South Korean pilots as he visits the Air Force headquarters in Osan, south of Seoul on June 6, 2009.

South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak inspects a fighter jet as he visits the Air Force headquarters in Osan, south of Seoul on June 6, 2009. President Lee Myung-Bak said South Korea would not make any compromises in the face of North Korea's nuclear threats and called for Pyongyang to return to six-party disarmament talks. The UN Security Council is considering new sanctions against North Korea after Pyongyang carried out its second nuclear test last month.

DTN News: President Barack Obama Rejects North Korea's Bid To Be Nuclear Power

DTN News: President Barack Obama Rejects North Korea's Bid To Be Nuclear Power

*Source: Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - June 17, 2009: Despite President Barack Obama's assurance Tuesday that he won't accept North Korea as a nuclear power, he has few options short of war and may have little choice but to find a way to live with the threat. President Barack Obama speaks as South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak looks on during a joint press conference in the Rose Garden at the White House on June 16, 2009 in Washington, DC. He won't have to give North Korea a formal seat at the table of nuclear powers. The rogue nation already has the ability to make nuclear weapons, however, and probably will keep it, barring an act of war or an unexpected shift by China to squeeze its neighbor. Instead, analysts said, the United States and the rest of the world may have to adopt a new Cold War-like strategy of containing a nuclear North Korea, stopping it from sharing weapons and technology with others and using the threat of a nuclear counterattack to protect South Korea. "At this point, there's very little the outside world can do to stop North Korea," said Chaibong Hahm, a North Korea specialist at the RAND Corp., an independent research organization based in California. In defiance of international condemnation, North Korea announced over the weekend that it's starting a program to develop enriched uranium and that it would weaponize all of its uranium. The announcement, after its test of another nuclear warhead in May, dominated White House talks Tuesday between Obama and visiting South Korean President Lee Myung-bak. In a joint news conference, Obama called North Korea's actions a "grave threat" and said his goal was to find a way to strip North Korea of nuclear weapons. "We will pursue denuclearization on the Korean peninsula vigorously," Obama said in the White House Rose Garden with Lee at his side. "North Korea," he said, "has a track record of proliferation that makes it unacceptable for them to be accepted as a nuclear power." Obama said that the United States, along with South Korea and regional powers such as China, Japan and Russia, would never accept North Korea as a nuclear power and would end the historic cycle of paying off North Korea to stop developing nuclear weapons. "We're going to break that pattern," Obama said. That may be as much a recognition of hard reality as it is a statement of principle, since analysts think that North Korea is now intent on remaining a nuclear power, not merely using the threat as a bargaining chip to win concessions or payoffs. What can the United States do? Obama said that the United States and other countries have been working on plans to interdict North Korean ships carrying arms or arms parts, as spelled out in a United Nations resolution. Hahm said, however, that the Chinese had watered down the resolution so that ships might stop vessels heading to or from North Korea but couldn't board them to search. Obama also said that while he wanted to break the pattern of making concessions to the North Koreans, he still was willing to negotiate. Analysts said the best hope might be to get them to stop developing more weapons or working on long-range missile technology. "That's what everybody is working towards: We live with a de facto nuclear North Korea, but try to stop them from developing even more bombs," Hahm said. There's little hope anymore for a quick agreement leading North Korea to shelve its nuclear ambitions, according to Daniel Sneider, an expert on Korea at Stanford University. "They have to be patient, hunker down and take the long view," Sneider said. "They have to think of this in Cold War terms. This is more a case of containment and deterrence." The containment could come from exerting financial pressure to stop North Korea from exporting nuclear weapons technology or missile technology to other rogue nations, particularly Iran. The deterrence could come from the threat of nuclear counterattack by the United States in response to any nuclear strike against allies such as South Korea or Japan. South Korea's Lee emerged from the White House with a reassurance from Obama that the United States continues to extend its "nuclear umbrella" over those countries. "This has given the South Korean people a greater sense of security," Lee said at the White House.

DTN News: U.S. Eyes Fighters For Ballistic Missile Defense

DTN News: U.S. Eyes Fighters For Ballistic Missile Defense

*Source: Defense Media / U.S. AIR FORCE (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - June 17, 2009: The U.S. Air Force wants to look at arming fighter jets to shoot down ballistic missiles, according to a letter from Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz to the head of the U.S. Defense Department's Missile Defense Agency. U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz wants to examine the viability of a system called Air Launched Hit-to-Kill. (SENIOR AIRMAN LAURA TURNER / U.S. AIR FORCE) The June 2 letter from Schwartz, addressed to the MDA director, Army Lt. Gen. Patrick O'Reilly, called for a study of arming F-15s and F-16s, and possibly F-22s and F-35s, with specialized munitions under a concept dubbed Air Launched Hit-to-Kill. Schwartz said a 2008 war game, based in the European theater in 2020, piqued the interest of the Air Force to study the ALHK concept. "This examination indicated several ALHK approaches may be operationally suitable for employment from Air Force fighters," Schwartz wrote. An accompanying white paper said the growing threat of increasing ballistic missiles in smaller nations could outstrip the military's ability to overcome a missile attack. The ALHK strategy would have roving packs of fighters, along with a support network of tankers and reconnaissance and radar aircraft to intercept missiles in rapidly established protection zones. The paper said the mission could be carried out by F-16s and F-15s, with more study need to explore the possibility of equipping F-35s and F-22s. The fighters would be armed with two types of missiles that could bring down ballistic missiles in their launch phase or from higher in the atmosphere. For high atmospheric interception, the paper suggested the Air Force consider a modified Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile, a 1,500-pound version of an Army ground-based missile. For use lower in the atmosphere, the paper suggested using an Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile designed to intercept shorter-range ballistic missiles. The missiles, according to the developer, Raytheon Co., would fit into any AMRAAM-capable fighter with minimum modifications. The request to the MDA comes on the heels of the cancellation of the Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser, designed to kill ballistic missiles in their early launch phases, and recent North Korean ballistic missile tests that have raised tension in the South Pacific.

DTN News: Raytheon's KillerBee® Unmanned Aircraft System Tests Heavy Fuel Engine

DTN News: Raytheon's KillerBee® Unmanned Aircraft System Tests Heavy Fuel Engine

*Source: Defense Media / Raytheon Company (NSI News Source Info) PARIS, France - June 17, 2009: Raytheon Company, with its teammate XRDi, completed testing of its KillerBee unmanned aircraft system heavy fuel engine. KillerBee's purpose-built HFE is highly efficient and reliable compared with conventional gasoline engines converted to burn heavy fuels. The KillerBee UAS features a blended-wing body design and systems for launch, recovery and ground control on land and sea. It has the ability to insert persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance into the battlespace and is ideally suited for force protection in an expeditionary environment. "This heavy fuel engine test is a major milestone for the KillerBee UAS," said Bob Francois, Raytheon Missile Systems vice president of Advanced Missiles and Unmanned Systems. "We have delivered on our commitment to make KillerBee an adaptable, affordable, long-endurance platform UAS that is safe for the warfighter to operate." The flight test proved that the KillerBee HFE propulsion system is ready for full qualification flight tests and will achieve technical readiness level 6 this summer. TRL 6 means a system has demonstrated it can operate in environments similar to the surroundings where it will be employed. The KillerBee is designed to provide the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps with a UAS for their respective Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Tier II missions. 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: Raytheon To Display Operationally Tested ASTOR System At Paris Air Show

DTN News: Raytheon To Display Operationally Tested ASTOR System At Paris Air Show

*Source: Defense Media / Raytheon Company (NSI News Source Info) PARIS, France - June 17, 2009: Raytheon Company's Airborne Stand-off Radar system that has been deployed twice to Afghanistan in support of coalition forces will be on display at the Paris Air Show. ASTOR is a sophisticated air-to-ground surveillance system that provides 24-hour, all-weather actionable intelligence. Airborne Stand-Off Radar (ASTOR) ~ ASTOR, the Airborne Stand-Off Radar program being supplied by Raytheon and Raytheon Systems Limited (RSL) to the UK Ministry of Defence, is an advanced air-ground surveillance system which will be jointly operated by the RAF and the British Army. The program draws on Raytheon’s considerable capability in advanced surveillance radar, communications, networking and systems integration. ASTOR provides the UK world-class capabilities within the network-enabled battlespace. The ASTOR system represents a new era in military operations planning and management, delivering more accurate information and increasing the speed of decision making. The system provides a highly effective 24-hour surveillance and target acquisition capability. It delivers wide area, all weather surveillance and reconnaissance imagery in near real time for peacekeeping, warfighting and homeland security needs. At the heart of the ASTOR system is a dual mode Synthetic Aperture Radar/Moving Target Indicator (SAR/MTI) sensor. The SAR provides high-resolution images for decision makers and the MTI monitors the quantity, direction and speed of moving targets for unparalleled situational awareness. The imagery, which can be exploited both on board the aircraft and on the ground, is passed by secure data links to ground stations at all levels of command and control. By operating at high altitude, and at considerable long range stand-off distances, the radar platform is able to remain over safe territory while providing an excellent “look-down” angle of the target area. "ASTOR has clearly proven itself during operational trials," said RAF Group Capt. Harry Kemsley. "As we prepare to deploy again to provide airborne support during the Afghanistan elections, we are looking forward to exploring additional capabilities and continuing counter-insurgency operations." The ASTOR system comprises five Sentinel aircraft, six tactical ground stations, two operational-level ground station units, support vehicles, and an extensive and sophisticated support infrastructure. Raytheon has delivered all ASTOR equipment to the U.K. Ministry of Defence and supports the system in the field, assisting the front line on operations and in training and logistics. The ASTOR's dual mode radar incorporates a synthetic aperture radar and moving target indicator for wide-area surveillance. Data from the radar system is exploited and disseminated by an extensive and sophisticated communications suite including wide- and narrow-band data links, tactical data links, secure VHF and UHF radios, and satellite communications. All are controlled through a central mission system operated by crews in the air and ground segments. "Raytheon's moving target indication and synthetic aperture radar technology allow near real-time dissemination of critical data to the ground forces," said Tim Carey, vice president for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems. "The actionable intelligence provided by ASTOR has had an immediate operational impact on the success of U.K. and allied ground forces in theater." Raytheon Systems Limited is a prime contractor and major supplier to the U.K. Ministry of Defence and has developed strong capabilities in mission systems integration in defense, national security and commercial markets. RSL also designs, develops and manufactures a range of high technology electronic systems and software at its facilities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 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. Note to Editors: An ASTOR Sentinel R1 aircraft and a tactical ground station will be on static display at the Raytheon pavilion behind chalet A387. Members of 5 (Army Cooperation) Squadron, RAF, who have operated the system during deployment, will be showcasing the system's capabilities.

DTN News: Finland Selects Raytheon's Medium Range Air Defense Capability

DTN News: Finland Selects Raytheon's Medium Range Air Defense Capability *Source: Defense Media / Raytheon Company

(NSI News Source Info) PARIS, France - June 17, 2009: Raytheon Company in cooperation with KONGSBERG (Norway) has been selected to fulfill Finland's medium range air defense missile system requirements with the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS). The Finnish government said that it would buy a 340-million-euro air defence system from Norway's Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. Kongsberg's Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) is to replace a Russian-made air defence system. The purchase price excludes the missiles themselves, with the government expected to authorise a further spend of about 100 million euros on US-made Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) ordnance. The cabinet finance committee also showed green light to a 175-million-euro radar system. "We look forward to working with the Finnish Defense Forces to provide Finland with the finest medium range air defense system," said Pete Franklin, vice president, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems' National & Theater Security Programs. "I am confident that this relationship will be as fruitful and enduring as our relationship with KONGSBERG and the Norwegian Air Force." NASAMS is designed and built in transatlantic cooperation with KONGSBERG and Raytheon. NASAMS is robust, reliable and designed to excel in air defense operations, featuring state-of-the-art sensors, command, control and communication systems, and missile technology. The system is a network-enabled, distributed capability that uses the Raytheon MPQ-64F1 (Sentinel) radar and the AIM 120 AMRAAM missile in a surface-launched mode. The KONGSBERG-Raytheon team has more than 25 years' joint experience of delivering air defense systems to international customers. NASAMS was developed in Norway during the 1990s and has since then been contracted by the Netherlands, Spain and the U.S. In the latter case, the high-capacity system was operational in the National Capital Region in connection with the 2005 presidential inauguration and has been in continuous operation there ever since. The Surface Launched AMRAAM (SL-AMRAAM) configuration selected by Finland is NASAMS II, similar to the configuration fielded in Norway. NASAMS II is the most recent version of the system produced by Raytheon and KONGSBERG and delivered to Norway in 2007. Integrated Defense Systems is Raytheon's leader in Global Capabilities Integration providing affordable, integrated solutions to a broad international and domestic customer base, including the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the U.S. Armed Forces and the Department of Homeland Security. 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: Raytheon To Bid Prototype Multi-Control System For U.S. UAVs

DTN News: Raytheon To Bid Prototype Multi-Control System For U.S. UAVs *Source: Defense Media / Raytheon

(NSI News Source Info) PARIS, France - June 17, 2009: The U.S. Defense Department is expected to issue a request for proposals (RFP) late this year or early next for a prototype system that would be able to control three different unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) simultaneously. A new "cockpit" designed specifically for UAV pilots unveiled yesterday by Raytheon promises to improve operational efficiency and flight safety of unmanned aerial systems. The new cockpit, called Universal Control System (UCS) is designed to simplify control of multiple unmanned aerial systems, by improving situational awareness and ability to control multiple unmanned platforms. The system uses open architecture to control multiple platforms and sensors utilizing STANAG 4586 compliant systems, configured as a ground based "glass cockpit". Raytheon is confident that the new cockpit can improve the flight safety of unmanned systems, particularly of piloted UAVs such as the USAF Predator. Speaking June 16 at the Paris Air Show, Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems business development director Mark Bigham said the RFP, for which Raytheon intends to bid, had arisen out of a recent Pentagon directive that separates the air and ground components of unmanned systems. As a result, companies like General Atomics, which makes the Predator, Reaper and Sky Warrior UAVs, no longer can automatically provide their ground control systems. Bigham said the Pentagon is also seeking ground control systems based on open architectures rather than proprietary software systems. According to Bigham, a prototype system would be provided about 12 months from when the RFP is issued. He said he believed this would be the first phase; a second phase would extend the concept to other UAVs such as the Firescout, Global Hawk and Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) system.

DTN News: E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Program Wins $432M RIP Contract

DTN News: E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Program Wins $432M RIP Contract

*Source: Defense Media / Northrop Grumman

(NSI News Source Info) PARIS, France - June 17, 2009: The Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye program has signed a $432 million contract with the U.S. Navy to produce four Low Rate Initial Production aircraft, the firm said June 16 at the Paris Air Show. The latest version of the E-2, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, is currently under development and the first two aircraft, "Delta One" and "Delta Two" are in flight testing. The E-2D features an entirely new avionics suite, including the new APY-9 radar, radio suite, mission computer, integrated satellite communications capability, flight management system, improved engines, a new "glass" cockpit and the ability to refuel in-flight. The APY-9 features an Active Electronically Scanned Array (electronically steered) radar in its rotodome. The E-2D will include provisions for either pilot to act as a Tactical 4th Operator, and have access to the full range of mission functions available to the CIC crew. The E-2D's first flight occurred on 3 August 2007. The E-2D will undergo Initial Operational Test and Evaluation in 2011. On May 8, 2009, an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye used Cooperative Engagement Capability to engage an overland cruise missile with a Standard Missile 6 in an integrated fire control test. The contract follows the signing in 2003 of a development and design contract for the aircraft, an update of the E-2C that will fly with the AN/APY-9 electronically scanned radar built by Lockheed Martin. Northrop Grumman said the aircraft had passed an Operational Assessment test phase and flown 1,000 flight test hours. The decision to launch LRIP production coincided with the review and recertification of the program under the Nunn-McCurdy certification process, following a leap in costs on the program. In a statement, the U.S. Navy said that the review showed "the critical breach could be mitigated by programming the procurement of E-2D aircraft at a more efficient rate." The Navy will procure two aircraft each in fiscal year 2009 and 2010, the Navy added, with a total of 75 acquisitions planned. The program is on track for Initial Operational Test and Evaluation in 2011, it added.

DTN News: Investigation Discredits Turkey Army Coup Plot

DTN News: Investigation Discredits Turkey Army Coup Plot *Source: Defense Media

(NSI News Source Info) ANKARA, Turkey - June 17, 2009: A preliminary probe into an alleged army plot to discredit Turkey's Islamist-rooted government suggests that the document outlining the plan was a forgery, military prosecutors said June 15. Turkey's chief of staff, General Ilker Basbug, arrives for a meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on June 16, 2009. Erdogan met with Basbug as tensions rose in Ankara over an alleged military plot to discredit his Islamist-rooted government. Erdogan said his Justice and Development Party (AKP) would lodge a legal complaint over the purported plan, allegedly drawn up at the army headquarters and listing a series of actions to discredit the AKP and an influential religious community close to the government. "Drawing on the clues obtained so far ... we have reached the conclusion that the document was not drawn up in any of the general staff's departments," said the statement, carried by Anatolia news agency. The prosecutors said they were seeking to obtain the original copy of the document for a forensic examination to reach "a definite conclusion on whether it is forged or real." The Taraf daily, which often targets the army, reported last week it had obtained a copy of a colonel's plan "to break popular support" for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its influential supporter, the Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen. Gulen is the leader of the Gulen religious movement. The alleged plan envisioned a series of actions, mostly media propaganda, to discredit the AKP and create divisions among party ranks. Taraf quoted a section calling for raids on student houses run by the Gulen community in which "the discovery of weapons and munition[s] will be ensured" to secure the brotherhood's classification as "an armed terrorist organization." The Turkish military, which has significant political clout, has often chided the AKP for undermining Turkey's secular principles. Hardline Turkish secularists accuse the party of having a secret agenda to destroy the secular system and replace it with an Islamist regime, a charge the AKP fiercely rejects. Several retired generals were among dozens of suspects arrested as part of a controversial probe, under way since June 2007, into an alleged plot to spark political chaos in Turkey and prompt a military coup against the AKP.

DTN News: Boeing Pitches 777 Tanker; Labels New USAF Bid 7A7

DTN News: Boeing Pitches 777 Tanker; Labels New USAF Bid 7A7

*Source: Defense Media / Boeing (NSI News Source Info) PARIS, France - June 17, 2009: Boeing is preparing to offer either the 777 or the 767 airframes when it rebids the U.S. tanker contest, the company said June 15. Speaking at the Paris Air Show, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) president and CEO Jim Albaugh said he expected to see a request for proposals (RFP) this summer for the new U.S. Air Force tanker competition. Boeing held a dedicated tanker briefing Tuesday (June 16) to add detail to the announcement Monday by IDS President Jim Albaugh, who said the company’s tanker program has been remained KC-7A7. This designation reflects the ambiguity of what airplane Boeing will offer: a 767-based or a 777-based aircraft. "I expect it will not have nearly as many requirements as the last one," he said. Boeing lost out on the last hotly competed tanker contest to a joint bid by Northrop Grumman and EADS that was based on the Airbus A330 airframe. But Boeing protested that contest, and the following Government Accountability Office report lambasted the Air Force for how it ran the contest. As a result, the order was cancelled and a new competition is being run between the rival manufacturers. Albaugh said that Boeing would decide which aircraft to bid once it had seen the RFP. Meanwhile, it has renamed its tanker program the KC-7A7. Asked what the 'A' stood for, he was vague, but said that if the media wanted to pick a word, they could use "advanced."