DTN News: Pakistan TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ Curbs On Nuclear Scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan Lifted

DTN News: Pakistan TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ Curbs On Nuclear Scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan Lifted

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - August 28, 2009: A court in Pakistan has lifted the final restrictions on controversial nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, allowing him total freedom of movement. Dr Khan, whose work helped Pakistan become a nuclear state, spent years under house arrest after he admitted selling off nuclear weapons secrets. Pakistan nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, surrounded by security officials, waves to journalists from the front door of his house in Islamabad August 28, 2009. Abdul Qadeer Khan has been under house arrest since 2004. In February 2009 most restrictions on him were lifted, but he still had to notify authorities of his movements. He subsequently filed a petition arguing for further freedoms. Dr Khan confessed to transferring nuclear weapons technology to Libya, North Korea and Iran in 2004 but was later pardoned by former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. He has since said that the charges against him were false and that his confession was "forced". The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan in Islamabad says that despite his confession and detention, Dr Khan remains very popular among many Pakistanis who regard him as a national hero. But the "father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb" was placed under house arrest and not allowed to meet anyone. This included US and IAEA experts who wanted to investigate the extent of his proliferation activities, our correspondent says. The US has repeatedly said it wants to question Dr Khan, but Pakistan has always refused access. 'No limitations' "Dr Khan can come and go anywhere as he pleases, and no one should prevent him from doing this," Justice Ejaz Ahmed, the presiding judge at Lahore high court, said in his remarks in court. "We must implement the Islamabad high court's decision in spirit and letter. "There should be no limitations on Dr Khan's movements and meetings." In his petition to Lahore's high court, Dr Khan argued, "I continue to be a prisoner despite having been released on court orders. "The government has used the judgement of the Islamabad high court by limiting my movement under the guise of providing me security," he said. The Lahore court is the highest judicial body of Pakistan's Punjab province. It is not clear whether the authorities will heed the court's decision.

DTN News: China TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ Stop The Military Surveillance, China Tells U.S.

DTN News: China TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ Stop The Military Surveillance, China Tells U.S. *China Tells US To End Contentious Military Air-and-sea Surveillance Missions Off Chinese Coast

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) BEIJING, China - August 28, 2009: China demanded Thursday that the U.S. military cease its surveillance missions off the Chinese coast, reviving a dispute that continues to upset relations between the sides.

In this photo released by the U.S. Navy, the military Sealift Command ocean surveillance ship USNS Impeccable is seen underway on Monday, August 24, 2009. The ship is one of five ocean surveillance ships that are part of the 25 ships in the Military Sealift Command Special Mission Ships Program. Impeccable directly supports the Navy by using both passive and active low frequency sonar arrays to detect and track undersea threats. The White House said Monday, August 24, that U.S. Navy ships will continue to operate in the South China Sea, where five Chinese vessels shadowed and maneuvered dangerously close to a Navy surveillance ship, prompting an American protest.

Bilateral ties have been repeatedly roiled this year by standoffs between Chinese vessels and U.S. Navy surveillance ships operating inside China's exclusive economic zone.

China insists it has a right to restrict foreign military surveillance within its zone, but the U.S. says international agreements permit it to carry out such missions.

"China believes the constant U.S. military air and sea surveillance and survey operations in China's exclusive economic zone had led to military confrontations between the two sides," the official Xinhua News Agency said, quoting a Defense Ministry statement.

"The way to resolve China-U.S. maritime incidents is for the U.S. to change its surveillance and survey operations policies against China, decrease and eventually stop such operations," the statement said.

The demand came at the close of a two-day meeting Thursday in Beijing, conducted under the 1998 China-U.S. Military Maritime Consultative Agreement, which was supposed to provide a framework for resolving incidents between their forces.

China, however, has chosen to largely ignore the agreement during subsequent confrontations, including a 2001 aerial collision between a U.S. surveillance plane and a Chinese fighter jet over the South China Sea.

The incident led to the death of the Chinese pilot and the brief detention of the U.S. crew after landing the damaged plane at a Chinese naval air base.

No immediate information was available on how the U.S. side responded to China's demand.

Run-ins between the two militaries have become more frequent as the Chinese navy, after years of expansion, undertakes more missions, encountering a U.S. Navy used to maneuvering unchallenged.

As its power grows, China has also pressed claims to the entire South China Sea and coastal waters and asserted that surveillance by the U.S. military there was illegal.

The U.S. doesn't take a position on sovereignty claims to the sea subject to dispute among various Asian nations but insists on the U.S. Navy's right to transit the area and collect surveillance data.

Pentagon officials have said there were four incidents earlier this year where Chinese-flagged fishing vessels maneuvered close to unarmed U.S. ships crewed by civilians and used by the Pentagon to do underwater surveillance and submarine-hunting missions.

U.S. experts have urged the two sides to use the MMCA to reach a more comprehensive pact, similar to the 1972 U.S.-Soviet Incidents at Sea Agreement, under which violations are dealt with by senior Chinese and U.S. officials.

Thursday's Xinhua report made no mention of a discussion of any such agreement, although a top Chinese general said in June that the sides had agreed to work together to avoid future incidents.

DTN News: Iran TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ President Mamoud Ahmadinejad Demands Opposition Chiefs Punished

DTN News: Iran TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ President Mamoud Ahmadinejad Demands Opposition Chiefs Punished *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) TEHRAN, Iran - August 28, 2009: Iran's hardline President Mamoud Ahmadinejad called for the first time on Friday for the punishment of opposition leaders over the unrest unleashed by his disputed re-election. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, delivers a speech before Friday prayers at the Tehran University campus in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Aug. 28, 2009. Iran's president Friday called for the prosecution of opposition leaders over the post election turmoil, saying that senior activists currently on trial should not be the only ones punished. "Serious confrontation should take place with the leaders and main instigators of the incidents. Those who provoked, organised and implemented the enemy's line should be confronted firmly," Ahmadinejad said in a speech at Tehran Friday prayers carried live on state radio. It is the first time Ahmadinejad has made such a call against his political opponents, who have charged his re-election was fraudulent. "Those from lower ranks and the ones who were deceived should be treated with Islamic compassion," Ahmadinejad added, drawing chants of "riot leaders should be executed" from the worshippers. Iran faced its worst crisis since the establishment of the Islamic republic in 1979 when hundreds of thousands took to the streets in week-long protests against the June 12 poll results during which about 30 people -- and by opposition accounts 69 -- were killed. About 4,000 people were initially arrested and scores of senior reformists, journalists and opposition supporters have been put on trial on accusations of seeking a "soft" overthrow of the regime with foreign backing. Opposition leaders including presidential candidates Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi have condemned the "show trials", refused to recognise Ahmadinejad's presidency and vowed to continue protests. The Islamic republic has faced further embarrassment by allegations that detained protecters have been raped and tortured. Iran shut down Kahrizak prison south of Tehran after at least two detainees died of injuries reportedly sustained in custody. Iran jailed several prison guards and vowed to prosecute them but the hardline president on Friday pointed an accusing finger at Iran's foreign enemies and the "overthrowing movement" over attacks on university dormitories and prisoner abuse. "What happened in the dorms and detention centres was part of the enemy's scenario carried out by the dependants of the overthrowing movement," he charged. "Revolutionary forces are innocent of such shameful acts. "Our basijis were beaten up in the street as they were protecting people's rights," he said of Iran's hardline Islamist militia which played a key role in stifling street protests.

DTN News: Technology TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ China To Unveil Internet Addiction Treatment Standard By 2010

DTN News: Technology TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ China To Unveil Internet Addiction Treatment Standard By 2010 *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) BEIJING, China - August 28, 2009: The Chinese Health Ministry will announce standard treatment for Internet addiction by the first half of 2010. A doctor involved with the government's research project has dismissed media reports claiming that the treatment standard will list those who surf online for more than 40 hours per week as Internet addicts, China Daily reports. Tuesday's report has triggered a hot debate among Chinese Internet users. Tian Chenghua of the Institute for Psychiatric Research of Peking University clarified that University's Hospital had been commissioned to carry out the research and make the standard. Earlier reports said five experts from the Institute for Psychiatric Research of Central South University had been assigned by the Ministry to make the standard and announced the 40-hours-per-week as the treatment standard.

DTN News: US Strike Kills Eight Taliban In Pakistan ~ Officials

DTN News: US Strike Kills Eight Taliban In Pakistan ~ Officials

*Source: DTN News / AFP

(NSI News Source Info) PESHAWAR, Pakistan - August 28, 2009: A US missile strike from a drone aircraft killed at least eight Taliban militants in a tribal area of north-west Pakistan bordering Afghanistan, Pakistani officials said. The strike was followed hours later by a suicide attack in the north-western tribal region of Khyber that officials said killed 21 policemen. The US strike "targeted a Taliban compound in Kaniguram village of South Waziristan, killing eight militants and wounding six others," a senior security official said. Another official confirmed the casualties and said that the US drone fired two missiles, but added it was not immediately clear whether there was any high-value target present in the area at the time. He said: "Militants were using the compound of local tribesman Azam Khan Mehsud for their activities in the area. "Nationalities of all the militants killed in the strike were not immediately known but some of them were Uzbek nationals." He added that the village was known to contain hideouts belonging to fighters loyal to slain Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud. Mehsud was killed in a US drone attack on August 5, although his death was only confirmed by Taliban commanders on Tuesday. The US military does not, as a rule, confirm drone attacks, but its armed forces and the Central Intelligence Agency operating in Afghanistan are the only forces that deploy drones in the region. Hours after the drone attack, a suicide attacker blew himself up in the police residential barracks in Torkham, a town near the Afghan border. A senior administration official, Rehan Gul Khattak, said authorities had found "the head of the bomber" and a security official in the area also confirmed the attack and the number of casualties. Pakistan in April launched a punishing military offensive against the Taliban in the north-west, targeting the rebels in the districts of Swat, Buner and Lower Dir after militants advanced closer to the capital Islamabad. Last month the military claimed to have cleared the area of Taliban and vowed to turn their attention to the mountainous tribal belt along the border where Mehsud and his Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have thrived since 2007. Pakistan's previous government accused Mehsud of masterminding the 2007 assassination of ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto and a string of other attacks that have killed hundreds of people here over the last two years. Washington alleges Al Qaeda and Taliban rebels who fled Afghanistan after the 2001 US-led invasion are holed up in the semi-autonomous tribal belt. Islamabad publicly opposes suspected US missile strikes, saying they violate its territorial sovereignty and deepen resentment among the populace. Since August 2008, around 52 such strikes have killed more than 521 people. But many analysts and observers believe that the government tacitly supports the attacks, as it shares the US goal of eliminating Mehsud's network, which is blamed for scores of deadly attacks in nuclear-armed Pakistan. Meanwhile, Pakistani troops killed nine Taliban militants in the northwestern district of Buner and Swat valley on Thursday, officials said. "Army troops and police exchanged fire with militants after they attacked a police post in Buner, killing seven rebels," local administration official Yahya Akhundzada told AFP. A local police official also confirmed the incident and casualties and said troops arrested four militants after the gunfight. Troops killed two other rebels following a gunfight in Kabal village of Swat, a local security official said, adding that the firefight broke out after militants attacked an army checkpost.

DTN News: US Military Acknowledges Keeping Tabs On Reporters' Work

DTN News: US Military Acknowledges Keeping Tabs On Reporters' Work *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, USA - August 28, 2009: The US Army in Afghanistan admitted Thursday to keeping files on journalists and classifying reporting on the war as positive, negative and neutral, but insisted reporters had never been denied access on the basis of past reporting. The Pentagon distanced itself from the practices revealed by the newspaper Stars and Stripes. "A tool like this serves no purpose and for me doesn't provide any value," said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman. "As I've said before, the metric we use at the Department of Defense to rate a story is based on whether or not the story is accurate." US forces in Afghanistan acknowledged in a statement that it uses public relations group Rendon for "several analytic reports, to include characterization of specific topical stories/events as positive, negative or neutral, as well as whether media reporting is an accurate portrayal of the facts as we know them." "These reports do not 'rate' reporters or news outlets themselves, nor do we keep any reports on individual reporters other than personal information used in the accreditation process, i.e. name, passport or ID number, media outlet, etc....," a military statement said. Stars and Stripes, a publication funded by the Pentagon but with an independent editorial mandate, said the files on journalists were aimed at determining how to influence their reporting while embedded with a military unit. "We have used background information, which typically includes basic biographical information about the reporter and a snapshot of what they have been covering recently, to prepare leaders for interviews as any public affairs office might prepare for any media engagement," the army said. But it said the army "has never denied access to any reporter based upon their past stories." The news comes against the backdrop of an increasingly unpopular war in Afghanistan. A recent survey found that 51 percent of those Americans surveyed did not believe the war was worth fighting.

DTN News: Lockheed Martin Airborne Intelligence Test-Bed Completes Maiden Flight; Receives FAA Certification

DTN News: Lockheed Martin Airborne Intelligence Test-Bed Completes Maiden Flight; Receives FAA Certification *Flying Laboratory Will Accelerate Delivery of C4ISR Capabilities *Source: DTN News / Lockheed Martin (NSI News Source Info) DENVER, Colo., - August 28, 2009: Warfighters will receive critical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities sooner, now that the airborne test-bed developed by Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has received its Experimental Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration. This Airborne Multi-Intelligence Laboratory (AML) will be used to tailor advanced sensor combinations to resolve specific military, strategic intelligence and homeland security mission needs. “We’ve designed the AML so that we can easily test a myriad of sensors to advance the science and art of correlating diverse types of intelligence – with the goal of rapidly providing high-quality data,” said Jim Quinn, Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Services-Defense’s vice president of C4ISR Systems. A reconfigured Gulfstream III business jet, this multi-INT test-bed will be used for the development of new sensors and processing capabilities for both Lockheed Martin and its customers to expedite the flow of C4ISR capability to warfighters in theater. A wide array of features on board the aircraft will facilitate this experimentation, including a computing capability that supports most commercial operating systems, a radome on the belly of the aircraft with ample volume for a range of sensors, and four workstations. In addition, the AML can process data both onboard and on the ground to accommodate a variety of experiments. While the AML is equipped with a robust suite of sensors as well as wideband and narrowband data links, the intent is to rotate sensors as necessary to answer specific requirements. To achieve that goal, the AML incorporates an easily reconfigurable architecture designed to allow different sensors and equipment to be rapidly integrated into the aircraft’s mission systems. This architecture also allows for future testing of innovative techniques for multi-INT mission planning, intelligence gathering, processing, exploitation and dissemination for a wide variety of missions across the spectrum of operations. Near-term experimentation includes participation in the U.S. Army's upcoming C4ISR On-the-Move exercise, slated for the end of August at Fort Dix, N.J. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

DTN News: Israeli Firm Makes UAVs For U.S.

DTN News: Israeli Firm Makes UAVs For U.S. *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) TEL AVIV, Israel - August 28, 2009: Israel-based Aeronautics Defense Systems will build two additional demonstrators for the unmanned version of the two-engine, propeller-driven Diamond DA42 for the U.S. market, according to Flight Global. The Dominator 2, Israel’s ‘Strategic’ Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, has conducted a series of test flights ranging between 2 and 4 hours. The all composite aircraft is a derivative of the twin engine Diamond DA42 Twin Star general aviation aircraft. Codenamed ‘Oz’ and manufactured by Aeronautics Defense Systems, the UAV is 8.5 meters long, with a 13.5 meter wingspan and weighing two tons ( with a .4 ton payload). Speed varies from a minimum of 138 kilometers an hour to a maximum of 351. Maximum altitude is 30,000 feet. Endurance is 28 hours. The company's president, Avi Leumi, was quoted as saying that the decision followed a first string of test flights in July. "We will resume the test flights in September," Leumi said. But at the same time, he added, "we will prepare a marketing effort to potential customers, mainly in the USA." In July, the prototype of the Aeronautics Dominator-2 "Oz" unmanned air vehicle flew for the first time, according to Flight Global. The Israeli firm had converted the DA42 into a UAV powered by two Thielert diesel engines. It can be equipped with a variety of payloads. The Dominator-2 is built to carry a payload of 400 kilograms for 28 hours, with a line-of-sight range of 300 kilometers. Developed in less than a year by the Yavne-based Israeli firm, the Dominator is a light commercial aircraft converted into a strategic, multi-mission UAV. With a wingspan of 13.5 meters, it is designed to fly up to 190 knots per hour at altitudes of up to 30,000 feet. "We are very careful to work within the limitations of MTCR (the Missile Technology Control Regime)," said Itay Sherman, director for marketing and communications. "This way, the Dominator we are able to offer high performance on a proven, existing airframe to as many customers as a possible around the world." Sherman said the size, quality and endurance of the system "is designed from the outset to operate safely and in coordination with civil aviation authorities on a full spectrum of missions." He estimated that over the next decade, the Dominator could generate "sums of $1 billion and above." Leumi said the UAV was an important addition to the company's swelling portfolio of UAVs, which now span the spectrum of tactical support to long-endurance, strategic missions, according to Defense News. In recent weeks the company has also unveiled another non-flying prototype based on a commercial helicopter by Dynali SA Helicopters of Belgium. Called Picador, the prototype is aimed at the ground and maritime defense market, Sherman said.

DTN News: U.S. To Relocate Missile Defense System

DTN News: U.S. To Relocate Missile Defense System *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) WARSAW, Poland, - August 28, 2009: Washington may relocate the controversial missile defense system planned for Eastern Europe to the Balkans, Turkey or Israel, a Polish newspaper reports. The U.S. plan included 10 long-range interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic. That plan will almost certainly be scrapped, Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza reports. Washington is now looking for alternative locations including in the Balkans, Israel and Turkey, the daily says, citing U.S. administration officials and lobbyists based in Washington. "The signals that the generals in the Pentagon are sending are absolutely clear: as far as missile defense is concerned, the current U.S. administration is searching for other solutions than the previously bases in Poland and the Czech Republic," Riki Ellison, chairman of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, a Washington-based lobby group, told the newspaper. The system, meant to be ready by 2013, was aimed at defending the United States and its allies in Europe against nuclear attacks from rogue states such as Iran. The Kremlin, however, says the planned location in Eastern Europe is compromising Russia's national security and a further sign of NATO's eastward expansion. Russia believes the alliance has turned from a security coalition into a geopolitical tool used by the United States to increase its political and economic clout in Eastern Europe. Washington had promised to alleviate Russia's concerns and integrate Moscow in the system as much as possible, with proposals having included stationing Russian officers at the sites to monitor them. However, no cooperation ever materialized. U.S. President Barack Obama has shaken up foreign policy and tried to improve ties with the Kremlin. He has previously signaled a willingness to talk about the missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush, had already struck deals with Warsaw in 2008. U.S.-Russian relations were challenged on several other fronts over the past years, with differences over human rights, the independence of the former Serbian province of Kosovo and last year's Russian-Georgian war.

DTN News: Oshkosh Defense Selected To Produce U.S. Army’s FMTV, Receives First Delivery Order For $280.9 Million

DTN News: Oshkosh Defense Selected To Produce U.S. Army’s FMTV, Receives First Delivery Order For $280.9 Million *Source: DTN News / Oshkosh Corporation (NSI News Source Info) OSHKOSH, Wis. - August 28, 2009: Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK), has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC) for the U.S. Army’s Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) rebuy program. “We feel privileged that the U.S. Army has selected Oshkosh to produce the FMTV, an important element to the Warfighter’s tactical vehicle fleet,” said Robert G. Bohn, Oshkosh Corporation chairman and chief executive officer. “This was a highly competitive bid. We look forward to working closely with our customer on this project to meet the needs of our troops, just as we have with our other products and services." The FMTV rebuy program is a five-year, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract award for the production of up to 23,000 vehicles and trailers as well as support services and engineering. The FMTV is a series of up to 23 variant and 17 different models ranging from 2.5 ton to 5 ton payloads. The contract’s first delivery order is valued at $280.9 million for the production and delivery of 2,568 trucks and trailers. Initial test vehicle deliveries are planned for mid-2010, followed by production vehicle deliveries later in the year. About Oshkosh Defense Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, is an industry-leading global designer and manufacturer of tactical military trucks and armored wheeled vehicles, delivering a full product line of conventional and hybrid vehicles, advanced armor options, proprietary suspensions and vehicles with payloads that can exceed 70 tons. Oshkosh Defense provides a global service and supply network including full life-cycle support and remanufacturing, and its vehicles are recognized the world over for superior performance, reliability and protection. For more information, visit www.oshkoshdefense.com About Oshkosh Corporation Oshkosh Corporation is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of specialty access equipment, commercial, fire & emergency and military vehicles and vehicle bodies. Oshkosh Corp. manufactures, distributes and services products under the brands of Oshkosh®, JLG®, Pierce®, McNeilus®, Medtec®, Jerr-Dan®, BAI™, Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles, Frontline™, SMIT™, CON-E-CO®, London® and IMT®. Oshkosh products are valued worldwide in businesses where high quality, superior performance, rugged reliability and long-term value are paramount. For more information, log on to www.oshkoshcorporation.com

DTN News: BAE Systems Responds To U.S Department Of Defense Decision On FMTV

DTN News: BAE Systems Responds To U.S Department Of Defense Decision On FMTV

*Source: DTN News / BAE Systems

(NSI News Source Info) SEALY, Texas - August 28, 2009: BAE Systems has been notified by the US Department of Defense (DoD) that it has not been selected for a follow-on contract for production of vehicles under the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles programme. Linda Hudson, President of BAE Systems Land & Armaments said: “We delivered a strong proposal, which we believe met the best interests of the business, customer and our shareholders. While this news is disappointing, we are proud of what we have achieved in making the FMTV the medium tactical vehicle of choice for the Army during the past 17 years. We remain committed to implementing a global land systems strategy, particularly in the areas of readiness and sustainment and export activities.” The Company’s financial planning assumptions anticipate FMTV sales in each of 2009 and 2010 of approximately US$2 billion. It is not anticipated that this planned activity will be impacted by this decision. The Company had planned for FMTV sales to reduce to less than US$1 billion per year from 2011 onward. Over the past 17 years BAE Systems has delivered more than 56,000 FMTV trucks and trailers and developed a Long-Term Armored Strategy to make the FMTV the safest, most reliable medium tactical vehicle it can provide to the armed forces. The BAE Systems FMTV fleet has a 94 percent average operational readiness rate in both Iraq and Afghanistan. BAE Systems is under contract to deliver FMTVs through to the fourth quarter of 2010. In addition, the company continues to support the US Army’s FMTV programme through its public-private partnership with Red River Army Depot for the reset and support of FMTVs, and through its field support representatives deployed around the world. It will continue to fulfill these commitments and consider its options as it carefully reviews the Army’s latest decision regarding the FMTV rebuy programme. 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.

For further information, please contact: Mike Teegardin, BAE Systems

Tel: +1 281 616 6112 Mobile: +1 281 450 9652

michael.teegardin@baesystems.com John Neilson, BAE Systems

Tel: + 44 (0) 1252 384795 Mob: + 44 (0)7802 337704

john.neilson@baesystems.com Issued by: BAE Systems, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 6YU, UK

Tel: +44 (0) 1252 384719 Fax: +44 (0) 1252 38394724

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DTN News: Sudan TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ Sudan's Darfur No Longer At War Says Peacekeeping Chief Martin Luther Agwai

DTN News: Sudan TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ Sudan's Darfur No Longer At War Says Peacekeeping Chief Martin Luther Agwai

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) KHARTOUM, Sudan - August 28, 2009: Sudan's Darfur region is no longer in a state of war and only has one rebel group capable of mounting limited military campaigns, the head of the area's peacekeeping force said as he ended his tour of duty. UNAMID force commander Gen. Martin Agwai, center salutes his officers, unseen as he leaves after his visit to the Nertiti military base near the southern Darfur town of Nertiti, Sudan. Gen. Agwai conducted a one day field trip that included two of his operating UNAMID military units in the Darfur remote towns of Kas and Nertiti. The statement was quickly dismissed by Darfur insurgents on Thursday who said they were armed and preparing to launch new attacks on Sudan government troops in the near future. The commander of the joint U.N./African Union UNAMID peacekeeping force, Martin Luther Agwai, told reporters the conflict had now descended into banditry and "very low intensity" engagements that could still blight the remote western region for years without a peace deal. "As of today, I would not say there is a war going on in Darfur," he said in a briefing in Khartoum late on Wednesday. "Militarily there is not much. What you have is security issues more now. Banditry ... people trying to resolve issues over water and land at a local level. But real war as such, I think we are over that." The six-year Darfur conflict has pitted pro-government militias and troops against mostly non-Arab rebels, who took up arms in 2003, demanding better representation and accusing Khartoum of neglecting the development of the region. Khartoum says 10,000 have died in Darfur, while the United Nations puts the death count at up to 300,000. Agwai became the latest senior figure to appear to play down the level of violence in Darfur, where the conflict has mobilized activists who accuse Khartoum of genocide. Mostly Western campaigners and some diplomats were angered by comments in April by UNAMID's political leader Rodolphe Adada, who said Darfur had subsided into a "low-intensity conflict"; and by U.S. Sudan envoy Scott Gration in June who said he had seen the "remnants of genocide" in the region, stopping short, they said, of describing a current genocide. FACTIONS Agwai said the fierce fighting of the early years of the conflict had subsided as rebel groups split into rival groups. "Apart from JEM, I do not see any other group that can launch an attack on the ground," he said referring to the Justice and Equality Movement, a rebel force that launched an unprecedented attack on Khartoum last year. Agwai said JEM could still fight, but did not have the manpower to hold territory. The Nigerian general added there was still a chance full blown conflict would resume. JEM has clashed a number of times with the Sudanese army in the past months, and has said it withdrew voluntarily on two occasions to protect locals from government air attacks. JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim on Thursday told Reuters there had been a period of calm in Darfur. "But this is the quiet period before the storm. In the coming days he (Agwai) will find out he is wrong. He is just talking like a politician and trying to show he was a success in Darfur." Ibrahim said there were fewer battles now than in the early days of the conflict. "The quality of war has changed. The fighting is more intense. You don't say there is no war because there is no fighting for a week." Jerry Fowler, head of Save Darfur, a U.S.-based advocacy group, said, "Darfur remains a very dangerous place" -- above all for the millions of displaced people in camps. He said that as recently as February there was a major battle between JEM and Sudanese government forces around the town of Muhajiriya. Agwai, who is due to leave Sudan on Thursday after two years at the head of the peacekeeping force, said his main regret was the lack of progress in getting a peace deal. "I really didn't have any peace so I couldn't command a force that could really keep the peace," he said, adding that Darfur's localized insecurity could continue "for years" without a settlement. Negotiations between JEM and Khartoum in Doha are stalled and the founder of Darfur's rebel Sudan Liberation Movement is refusing to talk.

DTN News: Northrop Grumman Awarded $2.4 Billion Contract For USS Theodore Roosevelt Refueling And Complex Overhaul

DTN News: Northrop Grumman Awarded $2.4 Billion Contract For USS Theodore Roosevelt Refueling And Complex Overhaul *Source: DTN News / Northrop Grumman (NSI News Source Info) NEWPORT NEWS, Va., - August 28, 2009: The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a contract valued at approximately $2.4 billion for the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding a contract valued at approximately $2.4 billion for the refueling and complex overhaul of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Roosevelt is the fourth ship of the Nimitz class to undergo this major life-cycle milestone. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy. The work will be performed by the company's Shipbuilding sector in Newport News, Va. and will include the refueling of the ship's reactors, as well as extensive modernization work to more than 2,300 compartments, 600 tanks, and hundreds of systems. In addition, major upgrades will be made to the flight deck, catapults, combat systems and the island. The carrier is scheduled to arrive at the shipyard this month. "During this large and complex project, we'll touch almost every part of the ship," said Jim Hughes, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding's vice president of aircraft carrier overhaul and fleet support. "As in the past, we look forward to working with our Navy partner to meet quality, cost and schedule commitments as we increase and modernize Roosevelt's capabilities to return her to the fleet for another 25 years of service." Work is scheduled to last more than three years and will be the ship's one and only refueling and complex overhaul in a 50-year life span. USS Theodore Roosevelt is the fourth ship of the Nimitz class to undergo this major life-cycle milestone. More than 3,800 Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding employees will be working aboard the carrier during peak periods of the project. Launched in 1984 and delivered to the Navy in 1986, USS Theodore Roosevelt is the fourth Nimitz-class carrier built by Northrop Grumman, the nation's sole designer, builder and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. 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.

DTN News: NASA TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ Discovery Valve Working, Countdown To Resume

DTN News: NASA TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ Discovery Valve Working, Countdown To Resume *Source: DTN News / AFP (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, USA - August 28, 2009: Initial testing on a malfunctioning valve that grounded the space shuttle Discovery is encouraging and countdown will resume Thursday ahead of the next launch attempt, NASA said. The Space Shuttle Discovery stands on launch pad 39-A as it is prepared for launch after two earlier attempts were scrubbed on August 27, 2009 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launch of the shuttle to the international space station has been rescheduled for Friday morning. "There is no issue in the initial testing," Kennedy Space Center spokesman Allard Beutel told AFP late Wednesday. Engineers, he said, commanded the liquid hydrogen fill-and-drain valve in Discovery's main propulsion system to open and close five times, "and it worked." The tests seemed to indicate that the hydrogen fuel tank valve -- which scuttled a second launch attempt for Discovery that had been planned for early Wednesday -- was not broken. They suggested that the problems encountered when filling the shuttle's external fuel tank owed to false readings. Engineers had tested the function of the valve, which facilitates the flow of liquid hydrogen from the external fuel tank to the three main engines, and had not been able to close it. The valve must be closed for the launch and opened in order to drain the tank if a launch is delayed. Teams of engineers were also performing a pressure test of the propulsion system, and recording the leak rate of small amounts of liquid hydrogen, NASA said. The technical team will present the results of its tests and analysis to the mission management team at a meeting Thursday. NASA has targeted Discovery's third launch attempt for no earlier than Friday at 12:22 am (0422 GMT). But it cautioned that the decision depended "on the results of the testing and a review of the data by the mission management team." In another sign that the US space agency was optimistic about going ahead with the planned launch, countdown was set to begin again Thursday at 8:57 am (1257 GMT). And after thunderstorms led NASA officials to scrub the first lift-off attempt early Tuesday, the weather conditions also looked promising. The latest forecasts gave a 70-percent chance of favorable conditions at the shuttle's rescheduled take-off time from Cape Canaveral, Florida. But if the valve needed to be replaced, there would be no further launch attempts in August. The shuttle has until Sunday to launch. After that, any further tries would have to be postponed until October 17 due to scheduling conflicts with rocket launches and tests, as well as upcoming launches to the International Space Station (ISS) from Japan and Russia. Discovery and its crew of seven astronauts were preparing for a 13-day mission to supply the orbiting station. A key task during the astronauts' three scheduled spacewalks will be to replace an old liquid ammonia coolant tank, which will be substituted with a new, 1,760-pound (800-kilogram) replacement brought aboard Discovery. The new freezer will store samples of blood, urine and other materials that will eventually be taken back for study on the effects of zero-gravity. The seven shuttle astronauts will also be retrieving experiment equipment from outside the ISS and returning it to Earth for processing. A treadmill named after popular US comedy talkshow host Stephen Colbert will be the second aboard the ISS. Exercise is important for astronauts spending long periods of time in space, because zero-gravity can result in muscle atrophy. Once the Discovery mission is complete, just six more shuttle flights remain before NASA's three shuttles are retired in September 2010. The ISS is a project jointly run by 16 countries at a cost of 100 billion dollars -- largely financed by the United States.

DTN News: Afghanistan TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ Delay Further Muddies Confused Afghan Poll Picture

DTN News: Afghanistan TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ Delay Further Muddies Confused Afghan Poll Picture *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) KABUL, Afghanistan - August 28, 2009: Afghan officials said on Thursday they had delayed releasing further results from the nation's disputed presidential poll, adding further confusion to a contest which appears headed for a second round. An Afghan stands in front of a poster of President Hamid Karzai on August 27, 2009 in Kabul, Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai extended his lead over his top challenger as new results slowly come out but he remains short of the 50 percent threshold that would allow him to avoid a Presidential runoff. An ongoing controversy over fraud threatens to discredit an election that the Obama administration considers a key step in a new strategy to turn back the Taliban insurgency. It could also delay formation of a new government and fuel growing doubts in the United States about whether its worth continuing to fight the war in Afghanistan. Votes from about 17 percent of 27,000 polling stations have been counted so far, meaning results could swing wildly in the coming days. Preliminary final results are due on September 3, with the final tally about two weeks later. Afghanistan has been in political limbo since the August 20 vote, with partial results released so far showing President Hamid Karzai leading his main rival, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, by about 43 percent to 34 percent. Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) said only votes from provincial council elections, held concurrently with the presidential poll a week ago, would be counted on Thursday. Adding to an already chaotic picture, computer software failures meant counting was going slower than expected, said IEC deputy head Zekria Barakzai. The election is a major test for Karzai after eight years in power and for U.S. President Barack Obama, who has poured in thousands of extra troops as part of his new regional strategy to defeat the Taliban and stabilize Afghanistan. The picture will not become any clearer for at least two days, with no counting planned for Friday, a Muslim holiday. "We will come up with new figures and information on Saturday," Barakzai told Reuters. To avoid a potentially destabilising second round run-off in October, a candidate must win more than 50 percent of the vote. The most likely outcome that can be gleaned from the partial election results released so far is that a run-off is likely, election observers say. FOREIGN TROOP DEATHS HIT 300 Security in Afghanistan has deteriorated rapidly this year, with attacks reaching their worst levels since the austere Islamist Taliban were ousted by U.S.-led Afghan forces in 2001. Violence spiked further in the weeks leading up to the poll, which the Taliban vowed to disrupt, testing Obama's new strategy and softening support for the war in the United States, but the election went ahead with relatively few attacks. However, at least 43 people were killed in a huge truck bomb blast on Tuesday in southern Kandahar city, the worst incident of its kind in more than a year. The Taliban denied responsibility for the blast. With civilian and military casualties at record levels, 2009 has become the deadliest year of the war for foreign troops. Three hundred have been killed so far this year compared with 294 in 2008, the previous worst year of the war. Another five members of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) had been killed in separate incidents over the past three days, ISAF and the U.S. military said. ISAF said in a statement 12 Taliban fighters had been killed during a raid, backed by attack helicopters, on a clinic in southeastern Paktika province on Wednesday during which a Taliban commander was detained. The Taliban commander, known as Mullah Muslim, was being treated for wounds suffered in a gunbattle with Afghan forces on election day, it said. One ISAF soldier was killed during the raid, the statement said. Two U.S. service members were killed on Wednesday, one in the east and the other in the violent south, home of the Taliban-led insurgency. One was killed by a roadside bomb, the deadliest weapon used by insurgents, and the other in a gunbattle, ISAF said in a separate statement. Another U.S. soldier was killed during an firefight with insurgents after a patrol was hit by a roadside bomb in the south earlier on Thursday, ISAF said. Another ISAF service member whose nationality was not released died on Tuesday of wounds suffered in a roadside bomb blast almost two weeks ago. More than 30,000 extra U.S. troops have landed in Afghanistan this year, most part of a package of reinforcements ordered by Obama in May. More than 100,000 Western troops are now in the country, 63,000 of them Americans.

DTN News: Myanmar TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ Ethnic Guerrillas In Northern Myanmar Reported To Have Broken Cease-Fire With Government

DTN News: Myanmar TODAY August 28, 2009 ~ Ethnic Guerrillas In Northern Myanmar Reported To Have Broken Cease-Fire With Government

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) BANGKOK, Thailand - August 28, 2009: Fighting between an ethnic militia and government security forces broke out Thursday in northeastern Myanmar, breaching a two-decade cease-fire, according to several unconfirmed reports originating from the area. Refugees from Kokang in Myanmar's Shan State arrive with their luggage at Nansan town in Zhenkang County in Yunnan province August 25, 2009. Tension between Myanmar government troops and an armed ethnic group has sparked an exodus of thousands of people into China from northeastern Myanmar, activists and witnesses said on Wednesday. Picture taken August 25, 2009. Several minorities living in military-ruled Myanmar's border areas have for decades struggled for autonomy. The military regime that seized power in 1988 agreed to cease-fires with more than a dozen groups, decreasing - though not eliminating - fighting that had long wracked the country. Several of the groups have been deeply involved in the production of heroin and other illicit drugs, though they claim to have gotten out of the trade. Troops belonging to the Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army - representing the Kokang minority - staged a morning attack Thursday on a police post along the border with China near the Myanmar town of Laogai, according to the U.S. Campaign for Burma, a Washington-based group lobbying for democracy in the country. It said several police officers were killed and the rebels temporarily occupied the post. The Kachin News Group, an online news agency reporting on the Kachin minority that also resides in northern Myanmar, reported the attack as well as several other clashes. Tensions between the Kokang and the government have increased lately with the ethnic group's defiance of an order to have its guerrillas incorporated into a border guard force under command of the army. The ruling junta plans a landmark election next year, the first since 1990's abortive polls, the result of which were ignored by the military when the National League for Democracy party won a landslide victory. The military has been anxious to assure stability ahead of the polls, and has begun tightening up control on the so-called cease-fire groups, most of which have an uneasy relationship at best with the central government. On Wednesday, Myanmar ethnic groups and Chinese media reported that thousands of people fled the area into China this month after tensions between the Kokang and government started to surge. Some 10,000 fled the Kokang area in Myanmar's northeastern Shan state between Aug. 7 and Aug. 12 following a military confrontation, The Chongqing Evening Post reported Wednesday. The immediate trigger to the current confrontation was an Aug. 8 raid on the home of Kokang leader Peng Jiashen - also known as Phon Kyar Shin - ostensibly to look for illegal drugs. Peng's troops in the Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army began to mobilize, but were forced out of Laogai on Tuesday by government soldiers and members of a breakaway Kokang faction. According to the U.S. Committee for Burma, Peng on Thursday issued a statement calling for talks with the government and a withdrawal from the area of newly deployed government forces. He was also said to have denounced the breakaway faction.

DTN News: U.S. Army Awards General Dynamics $100 Million To Produce M2 Flex Machine Guns

DTN News: U.S. Army Awards General Dynamics $100 Million To Produce M2 Flex Machine Guns *Source: DTN News / General Dynamics (NSI News Source Info) CHARLOTTE, N.C. - August 28, 2009: The U.S. Army TACOM-Rock Island, Ill., has awarded General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products a four-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for the production of M2 flex machine guns. The US Army has awarded a four-year contract to General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products to produce M2 flex machine guns. The production contract under initial delivery orders amounts to approximately $100m. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products gun systems senior programme manager Dean Gagnon said the M2 flex is a belt-fed, recoil-operated, air-cooled, crew-served weapon, capable of right or left-hand feed. "The weapon's accuracy, durability and versatility make it ideal for offensive and defensive operations," he said. General Dynamics will manufacture the machine guns at its Saco, Maine, facility, which has supplied over 35,000 M2 machine guns to the government since 1979. The programme management will be carried out at Burlington, Vermont, technology centre. The indefinite delivery / indefinite quantity contract for M2 flex machine guns is expected to be completed by April 2012. Production under initial delivery orders valued at approximately $100 million is scheduled to be completed by April 2012. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD). Dean Gagnon, General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products gun systems senior program manager, said, “The M2 flex is a belt-fed, recoil-operated, air-cooled, crew-served weapon capable of right- or left-hand feed. The weapon’s accuracy, durability and versatility make it ideal for offensive and defensive operations.” The guns will be produced at General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products’ Saco, Maine, facility, which has delivered more than 35,000 M2 machine guns to the U.S. government since 1979. Program management will be performed at the company’s Burlington, Vt.-based 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. This site, along with the Burlington, Vt. location, provides complete production capabilities, from design and development to manufacturing, testing and integration. General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 92,000 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.generaldynamics.com

DTN News: Raytheon Awarded $7 Million Phase 2 Contract From The Office of Naval Research

DTN News: Raytheon Awarded $7 Million Phase 2 Contract From The Office of Naval Research

*Source: DTN News / Raytheon

(NSI News Source Info) TEWKSBURY, Mass., - August 28, 2009: Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) was awarded a $7 million follow-on contract from the Office of Naval Research for work on the Compound Semiconductor Materials on Silicon (COSMOS) program. Funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, this phase two contract will focus on improving the yield and integration density of compound semiconductor and silicon complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors fabricated on the same silicon wafer. "The COSMOS program focuses on integrating high-performance compound semiconductors, such as Indium phosphide or Gallium arsenide, with low-cost silicon transistors to achieve superior cost benefits and performance than what is available today," said Michael Del Checcolo, vice president of Engineering for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS). "These technological advances allow us to provide more complex and highly sophisticated solutions for our warfighters." During phase one, the Raytheon-led team demonstrated that high performance compound semiconductor devices (InP HBTs) can be directly grown and fabricated on silicon substrates and monolithically integrated with Silicon CMOS transistors on the same substrate. The team will use these findings in phase two to design and fabricate high speed, low power consumption digital-to- analog converters whose performance cannot be realized with today's existing semiconductor technology. Using its OpenAIR™ business model for assembling talent and capabilities, Raytheon IDS is partnering with Raytheon Systems Limited, Glenrothes, Scotland; Soitec, Bernin, France; Teledyne Scientific Imaging Company, Thousand Oaks, Calif.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.; Paradigm Research LLC, Windham, N.H.; IQE, Bethlehem, Penn.; and Silicon Valley Technology Center, San Jose, Calif. 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.

Contact: Michele Lemos 978.858.5850 Web site: http://www.raytheon.com/

DTN News: Boeing Announces New 787 Schedule And Third-Quarter Charge

DTN News: Boeing Announces New 787 Schedule And Third-Quarter Charge *Source: DTN News / Boeing (NSI News Source Info) CHICAGO, USA - August 28, 2009: The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) yesterday Aug 27., announced that the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner is expected by the end of 2009 and first delivery is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2010. The new schedule reflects the previously announced need to reinforce an area within the side-of-body section of the aircraft, along with the addition of several weeks of schedule margin to reduce flight test and certification risk. The company projects achieving a production rate of 10 airplanes per month in late 2013. "This new schedule provides us the time needed to complete the remaining work necessary to put the 787's game-changing capability in the hands of our customers," said Boeing Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jim McNerney. "The design details and implementation plan are nearly complete, and the team is preparing airplanes for modification and testing." Based on the revised schedule and other assumption updates, the company has determined that the 787 program is not in a forward-loss position. However, separate from the updated program profitability assessment, the company has concluded that the initial flight-test airplanes have no commercial market value beyond the development effort due to the inordinate amount of rework and unique and extensive modifications made to those aircraft. Therefore, costs previously recorded for the first three flight-test airplanes will be reclassified from program inventory to research and development expense, resulting in an estimated non-cash charge of $2.5 billion pre-tax, or $2.21 per share, against third-quarter results. This charge will have no impact on the company's cash outlook going forward. The 787 team working the side-of-body reinforcement has completed initial testing and is finalizing design details of new fittings that are expected to ensure full structural integrity of the joint. The static test procedure that uncovered the issue will be repeated and the results fully analyzed before first flight is conducted. Fatigue testing also will be performed on stringer components to validate the long-term durability of the modification. The first 787 test airplane and static test unit have been prepared for the new fittings. Installation is expected to begin within the next few weeks. Boeing will discuss this announcement during a webcast starting at 10:00 a.m. EDT today. That webcast is accessible through http://www.boeing.com/. The company will update its 2009 financial guidance in October when it reports third-quarter results. Forward-Looking Information Is Subject to Risk and Uncertainty Certain statements in this report may be "forward-looking" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "estimates," "targets," "anticipates," and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions about future events that may not prove to be accurate. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in these forward-looking statements. As a result, these statements speak to events only as of the date they are made and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by federal securities laws. Specific factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those set forth below and other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission: the effect of economic conditions in the United States and globally; the impact on our accounts receivable, customer financing portfolios and allowance for losses of customer defaults and changes in customer credit ratings, credit default rates and collateral values; the impact on our revenues and operating results of changes to indices included in indexed price escalation clauses included in our contracts with commercial airplane and defense customers; the successful execution of our Commercial Airplanes and Integrated Defense Systems backlog; the effects of customers canceling, modifying and/or rescheduling contractual orders; the timing and effects of any decisions to increase or decrease the rate of commercial airplane production; the timing and effects of decisions to complete or launch a Commercial Airplanes program; the ability to successfully develop and timely produce the 787 and 747-8 aircraft; the ability of our suppliers and, as applicable, subcontractors to successfully and timely perform their obligations; the effect on our revenues of political and legal processes; changing defense priorities; and associated budget reductions by U.S. and international government customers affecting Boeing defense programs; our relationship with our union-represented workforce and the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements; the continuation of long-term trends in passenger and cargo traffic and revenue yields in the airline industry; the impact of volatile fuel prices and the airline industry's response; the effect of declines in aircraft valuations; the impact on our revenues or operating results of airline bankruptcies; the availability of commercial and government financing and the extent to which we are called upon to fund outstanding financing commitments or satisfy other financing requests, and our ability to satisfy those requirements; the continuation of historical costs for fleet support services; the receipt of estimated award and incentive fees on U.S. government contracts; the future demand for commercial satellites and projections of future order flow; the potential for technical or quality issues on development programs, including the Airborne Early Warning and Control program, International KC-767 Tanker, other fixed-price development programs, or commercial satellite programs, to affect schedule and cost estimates, or cause us to incur a material charge or experience a termination for default; the outcome of any litigation and/or government investigation in which we are a party, and other contingencies; returns on pension fund assets, impacts of future interest rate changes on pension obligations and rising healthcare costs; our ability to access external capital resources to fund our operations; the amounts and effects of underinsured operations, including satellite launches; our ability to recover the proportionate amounts owed to us from the other Sea Launch partners; and the scope, nature or impact of acquisition or disposition activity and investment in any joint ventures/strategic alliances, including Sea Launch and United Launch Alliance, and indemnifications and guarantees related thereto. Contact: 787 Program Communications: Yvonne Leach (206) 854-5027 Communications: Todd Blecher (312) 544-2002 Investor Relations: Diana Sands or Rob Young (312) 544-2140