Monday, September 14, 2009

DTN News: Royal Air Force ~ First Production Nimrod MRA4 Takes To The Skies

DTN News: Royal Air Force ~ First Production Nimrod MRA4 Takes To The Skies
*Source: DTN News / BAE Systems
(NSI News Source Info) WOODFORD, UK - September 14, 2009: The first production Nimrod MRA4 has made its maiden flight from the BAE Systems facility at Woodford in Cheshire. On September 10 the aircraft, designated PA04, flew a successful 1 hour 40 minute sortie during which it performed a variety of manoeuvres to test handling, and the operation of the engines and systems, before arriving at Norwich, where the aircraft will be painted in RAF livery. Steve Timms, BAE Systems' Managing Director of the Nimrod MRA4 programme said: "It's just wonderful to see this aircraft take to the skies. The MRA4 programme has been through some difficult times in the past, and many people doubted this day would ever come. "Over the last couple of years, through the hard work and dedication of all those involved, we've really started to build confidence in our ability to deliver this aircraft. It's been a tremendous achievement by the entire team to fly the first production aircraft and shows that the MRA4 programme is on track." Following the successful first flight, the aircraft will undergo a number of production test flights to prove that all the aircraft systems are working as they should. PA04 is the first of nine production standard aircraft that is to be built, and one of four that will be delivered to the MRA4s future main operating base at RAF Kinloss before the aircraft is formally declared in service at the end of next year. PA04 is the fourth MRA4 to fly, joining the three design and development aircraft that have contributed to the flight trials programme, providing the evidence for the formal Release to Service for the platform. Steve Timms said: "We're just one flight away from completing the test flying needed to provide the initial clearance that will allow the RAF to operate the aircraft, and have agreed the approach to supporting the MRA4 when it enters service, so we are making excellent progress on all fronts. "The MRA4 will provide the Royal Air Force with at least 30 years of adaptable capability in maritime reconnaissance and attack operations. This is a hugely capable platform with a flexible mission system, excellent and secure communications capability, advanced defensive aids and the potential to carry a whole range of modern weapons." Equipped with more than 90 antennae and sensors and containing over six million lines of software code, the MRA4 is able to fly 6,000 miles or 14 hours without refuelling and can scan an area the size of the UK every 10 seconds. About BAE Systems BAE Systems is the premier global defence, 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: Lockheed Martin Achieves ISO 20000 Certification For ITA Program

DTN News: Lockheed Martin Achieves ISO 20000 Certification For ITA Program *Source: DTN News / Defense News (Click here for link) (NSI News Source Info) ARLINGTON, Va.,- September 14, 2009: Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT] has achieved International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 20000 certification for the Information Technology Agency (ITA) program based in the Pentagon. The ISO auditors reviewed more than 70 Lockheed Martin standard operating procedures, providing the customer with the satisfaction and advantage of a third party verification that Lockheed Martin uses the best IT practices in the world to support their mission. This new certification is fully IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) compliant. As the most widely accepted approach to IT Service management in the world, ITIL provides a cohesive set of best practices, drawn from the public and private sectors internationally, and supported by a comprehensive qualification scheme, accredited training organizations, and implementation and assessment tools. The ITA-Lockheed Martin program spent six rigorous months of procedure and documentation auditing and on-site compliance verification. “We are thrilled to have this expansive program accomplish this milestone,” said Ron Stefano, Vice President of Enterprise IT at Lockheed Martin Information Systems and Global Services-Defense. “This achievement is a testament that our employees and partners are committed to supporting the ITA’s mission and have worked tirelessly to ensure the best practices and solutions are provided to our customer.” Lockheed Martin’s ITA program provides network operations maintenance, management, and security support for all security levels of data networks within the Pentagon and the National Capital Region. The program provides constant, round-the-clock support through the Network Operations Security Center. Before achieving ISO 20000, the program had been ISO 9001 certified since October 9, 2003. ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is the world's largest developer and publisher of International Standards. ISO is a network of the national standards institutes of 161 countries, one member per country, with a Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, that coordinates the system. 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: Raytheon-Led Littoral Warfare Weapons Team Demonstrates Successful Underwater Launch

DTN News: Raytheon-Led Littoral Warfare Weapons Team Demonstrates Successful Underwater Launch
*Source: DTN News / Raytheon
(NSI News Source Info) TEWKSBURY, Mass., - September 14, 2009: Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) marked a developmental milestone when it successfully demonstrated the underwater launch of a Raytheon AIM-9X air-to-air test missile shape from a submerged Tomahawk Capsule Launching System. This successful test is a significant step in demonstrating payload flexibility for submarines. Conducted at the U.S. Army's Aberdeen Test Center, Aberdeen, Md., the test marked the first time an AIM-9X test missile shape has been launched from underwater. It is part of the Littoral Warfare Weapon (LWW) program managed by the Department of the Navy's Program Executive Office of Submarines. "The Littoral Warfare Weapon program will test and develop increased capabilities as the U.S. Navy continues to expand undersea warfare in the littoral arena," said Michael Del Checcolo, vice president of Engineering, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. "This successful launch demonstrates a new degree of submarine self-defense capability against threats our warfighters may encounter from the air, land and sea." Raytheon's LWW approach leverages the technologies and expertise of a team of industry and military partners, including Northrop Grumman and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, R.I. 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 Starts Developmental Testing of Upgraded Laser-Guided Maverick Missile

DTN News: Raytheon Starts Developmental Testing of Upgraded Laser-Guided Maverick Missile *Source: DTN News / Raytheon (NSI News Source Info) TUCSON, Ariz., - September 14, 2009: Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) began developmental testing of the U.S. Air Force's newest variant of the laser-guided Maverick missile, the AGM-65E2. The laser-guided Maverick missile is a direct-attack, air-to-ground precision munition used extensively by the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps in current combat operations. The AGM-65E2 employs the latest in digital semi-active laser sensor technology, which reduces the risk of collateral damage and enables aircraft to use onboard lasers to designate a target. "The newest variant of the laser-guided Maverick is perfectly suited for urban combat and high-speed maneuvering targets," said Harry Schulte, vice president of Air Warfare Systems. "Because of its accuracy and standoff range, the U.S. warfighter and our international partners can use this weapon against a variety of targets." The AGM-65 Maverick family of precision-attack missiles is used by the air, naval and marine forces of 33 countries. More than 69,000 missiles have been produced to date, and more than 6,000 have been used in combat with a 93 percent success rate. "Raytheon's developmental testing program will ensure the latest Maverick missile provides the warfighter with the ideal, near-term solution for urban close-air support," said Darryl Kreitman, Raytheon's Maverick missile program director. "The combat-proven Maverick is integrated on more than 25 aircraft and offers a best-value solution for the warfighter who needs a direct-attack weapon." 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: Boeing Delivers Qatar's 2nd C-17 Globemaster III

DTN News: Boeing Delivers Qatar's 2nd C-17 Globemaster III
*Source: DTN News / Boeing
(NSI News Source Info) LONG BEACH, Calif., - September 14, 2009: Boeing [NYSE: BA] on Sept 10, delivered the Qatar Emiri Air Force's second C-17 Globemaster III during a ceremony at the company's C-17 final assembly facility in Long Beach, completing Qatar's initial order for the world's most advanced airlifter. LONG BEACH, Calif., Sept. 10, 2009 -- The Qatar Emiri Air Force's second C-17 Globemaster III takes off from the Boeing final assembly facility in Long Beach following a delivery ceremony, completing Qatar's initial order for the world's most advanced airlifter. "On behalf of the Qatar Emiri Air Force, I want to thank Boeing's C-17 work force and suppliers for a job well done," said Brig. Gen. Ahmed Al-Malki, head of Qatar's airlift selection committee. "The C-17s you built for Qatar will help us extend our reach when supporting humanitarian aid, disaster relief and peacekeeping missions." The aircraft, designated Qatar 02, is registered as a military aircraft yet bears the same gray, maroon and white livery seen on government-owned Qatar Airways commercial jetliners. This unique C-17 paint scheme -- the first of its kind -- is intended to build awareness of Qatar's participation in operations around the world, Al-Malki said. Qatar 02 will make a brief stop at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., before heading to its new home at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. "As you leave Long Beach today with the second C-17 to join your fleet, we offer you our best wishes with each and every mission," said Bob Ciesla, Boeing director of Follow-On Programs, Global Mobility Systems. "As an extended member of our C-17 family, always remember that you will have Boeing's support wherever you go, whatever the mission." Boeing will provide operational support, including material management and depot maintenance support, under the C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership. Qatar, the first Middle East nation to order the C-17, signed an agreement with Boeing on July 21, 2008, for two advanced airlifters and associated equipment and services, with an option for two additional aircraft. Boeing delivered Qatar's first C-17 on Aug. 11. "As a tactical and strategic airlifter, the C-17 is a perfect fit for the requirements of the Qatar Emiri Air Force," said Tommy Dunehew, Boeing Global Mobility Systems vice president of Business Development. "In addition to being able to land and take off on short, unimproved runways, it has the highest mission capability rate of any airlifter, which means it is ready to fly roughly 90 percent of the time." There are currently 206 C-17s in service worldwide. With today's delivery, 17 have been placed with international customers. The U.S. Air Force, including active Guard and Reserve units, has 189. International customers include Qatar, the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force, the Canadian Forces, the Royal Australian Air Force and the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability consortium of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations. The United Arab Emirates announced on Feb. 24 that it also will acquire four C-17s. A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.

DTN News: Boeing FAB-T Satellite Communications Program Completes 1st Flight Tests

DTN News: Boeing FAB-T Satellite Communications Program Completes 1st Flight Tests *Source: DTN News / Boeing (NSI News Source Info) HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., - September 14, 2009: Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that its Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) program successfully conducted its first series of flight tests. The tests were the first demonstration of FAB-T's network-centric ability to connect satellite, airborne and ground assets in a realistic flight environment. Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) ~ Achieving information superiority requires assured, secure, universal and interoperable information exchange provided by the Global Information Grid (GIG). Networked communication and communications systems provide a competitive edge to commanders and military personnel. Boeing's Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) provide the information exchange necessary to achieve information superiority. Boeing is the prime contractor for Increment 1 of FAB-T, which will provide protected beyond line-of-sight communications for the B-2, B-52 and RC-135 aircraft via a system of secure satellites. During the flight tests, a FAB-T Increment 1 terminal on a Boeing 707 test aircraft connected with a Military Strategic, Tactical and Relay (Milstar) satellite. The U.S. Air Force and Lincoln Laboratories flight test crew communicated with testers on the ground via the satellite, validating the integration of the FAB-T hardware and software. "Flying FAB-T for the first time is a tremendous milestone for this important capability," said Col. Bill Harding, vice commander of the Military Satellite Communications Wing at the Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. "When operational, FAB-T Increment 1 terminals will connect strategic ground and air forces like never before." Flight testing will continue for the rest of the year as the program collects data from a variety of mission scenarios. "The successful flight tests validate the incremental development approach of the Air Force and Boeing teams," said Ron Mason, director of the 653rd Electronic Systems Wing at the Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass. "We will deliver FAB-T terminals that are compatible with satellites on orbit today, as well as those that have yet to launch." John Lunardi, vice president of Networks and Communication Systems in Boeing's C3 Networks division, described the flight tests as a "culmination of development work done in labs up to this point, and now we’re testing FAB-T's satellite communications where the system is meant to be used: in the sky." A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.

DTN News: Oshkosh Defense Awarded Additional 352 M-ATVs Worth $189 Million

DTN News: Oshkosh Defense Awarded Additional 352 M-ATVs Worth $189 Million *Source: DTN News / Oshkosh Corporation (NSI News Source Info) OSHKOSH, Wis. - September 14, 2009: Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) announced today it has received an additional $189 million award from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC) to deliver an additional 352 MRAP All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV) to the U.S. Armed Forces by March 2010. The award also includes aftermarket parts packages. This is the third award under the delivery order first awarded in June 2009. To date, TACOM LCMC has ordered a total of 4,296 M-ATVs from Oshkosh. The aggregate amount of the three awards is valued at $2.3 billion. “Oshkosh is committed to meeting our customer’s urgent need for this highly mobile vehicle and helping our Armed Forces serving in Afghanistan to better operate on the country’s challenging terrain,” said Robert G. Bohn, Oshkosh Corporation chairman and chief executive officer. “We have delivered more than 100 M-ATVs through August, meeting our planned delivery requirements, and we continue to increase vehicle output at our manufacturing facilities to remain on schedule and meet our customer’s requirements.” Oshkosh expects to meet the government’s accelerated delivery schedule without impacting other programs, with production ramping up to 1,000 vehicles a month in December, and continuing at that level through the end of March 2010. The company is leveraging its pre-contract M-ATV production and engineering efforts, robust manufacturing capabilities, a highly skilled workforce, and decades of experience in producing more than 67,000 military-class vehicles. The Oshkosh® M-ATV’s superior mobility, which includes a 70 percent off-road profile capability, is achieved through the incorporation of the Oshkosh TAK-4® independent suspension system. The system is featured on more than 10,000 Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacements (MTVR) used by the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy Seabees, and is being retrofitted on more than 2,000 legacy MRAPs for improved mobility in Afghanistan. The TAK-4 system, which has undergone more than 400,000 miles of government testing, also is used on the Army’s next-generation Palletized Load System (PLS) and the Marine Corps’ Logistics Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR). Oshkosh Defense teamed with Plasan North America to provide an advanced armor solution for the M-ATV. Plasan also developed the armor system used on more than 5,000 legacy MRAPs and thousands of Oshkosh Armored Cab MTVRs already in theater. 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. ®, ™ All brand names referred to in this news release are trademarks of Oshkosh Corporation or its subsidiary companies.

DTN News: The "Global War On Terror" Fifty Questions On 9/11 That Still Needs To Be Answered

DTN News: The "Global War On Terror" Fifty Questions On 9/11 That Still Needs To Be Answered
*Source: DTN News / Asia Times ~ THE ROVING EYE by Pepe Escobar
(NSI News Source Info) - September 14, 2009: It's September 11 all over again - eight years on. The George W Bush administration is out. The "global war on terror" is still on, renamed "overseas contingency operations" by the Barack Obama administration. Obama's "new strategy" - a war escalation - is in play in AfPak. Osama bin Laden may be dead or not. "Al-Qaeda" remains a catch-all ghost entity. September 11 - the neo-cons' "new Pearl Harbor" - remains the darkest jigsaw puzzle of the young 21st century.
It's useless to expect US corporate media and the ruling elites' political operatives to call for a true, in-depth investigation into the attacks on the US on September 11, 2001. Whitewash has been the norm. But even establishment highlight Dr Zbig "Grand Chessboard" Brzezinski, a former national security advisor, has admitted to the US Senate that the post-9/11 "war on terror" is a "mythical historical narrative".
The following questions, some multi-part - and most totally ignored by the 9/11 Commission - are just the tip of the immense 9/11 iceberg. A hat tip goes to the indefatigable work of 911truth.org; whatreallyhappened.com; architects and engineers for 9/11 truth; the Italian documentary Zero: an investigation into 9/11; and Asia Times Online readers' e-mails.
None of these questions has been convincingly answered - according to the official narrative. It's up to US civil society to keep up the pressure. Eight years after the fact, one fundamental conclusion is imperative. The official narrative edifice of 9/11 is simply not acceptable.
Fifty questions
1) How come dead or not dead Osama bin Laden has not been formally indicted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as responsible for 9/11? Is it because the US government - as acknowledged by the FBI itself - has not produced a single conclusive piece of evidence?
2) How could all the alleged 19 razor-blade box cutter-equipped Muslim perpetrators have been identified in less than 72 hours - without even a crime scene investigation?
3) How come none of the 19's names appeared on the passenger lists released the same day by both United Airlines and American Airlines?
4) How come eight names on the "original" FBI list happened to be found alive and living in different countries?
5) Why would pious jihadi Mohammed Atta leave a how-to-fly video manual, a uniform and his last will inside his bag knowing he was on a suicide mission?
6) Why did Mohammed Atta study flight simulation at Opa Locka, a hub of no less than six US Navy training bases?
7) How could Mohammed Atta's passport have been magically found buried among the Word Trade Center (WTC)'s debris when not a single flight recorder was found?
8) Who is in the possession of the "disappeared" eight indestructible black boxes on those four flights?
9) Considering multiple international red alerts about a possible terrorist attack inside the US - including former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice's infamous August 6, 2001, memo - how come four hijacked planes deviating from their computerized flight paths and disappearing from radar are allowed to fly around US airspace for more than an hour and a half - not to mention disabling all the elaborate Pentagon's defense systems in the process?
10) Why the secretary of the US Air Force James Roche did not try to intercept both planes hitting the WTC (only seven minutes away from McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey) as well as the Pentagon (only 10 minutes away from McGuire)? Roche had no less than 75 minutes to respond to the plane hitting the Pentagon.
11) Why did George W Bush continue to recite "My Pet Goat" in his Florida school and was not instantly absconded by the secret service?
12) How could Bush have seen the first plane crashing on WTC live - as he admitted? Did he have previous knowledge - or is he psychic?
13) Bush said that he and Andrew Card initially thought the first hit on the WTC was an accident with a small plane. How is that possible when the FAA as well as NORAD already knew this was about a hijacked plane?
14) What are the odds of transponders in four different planes be turned off almost simultaneously, in the same geographical area, very close to the nation's seat of power in Washington, and no one scrambles to contact the Pentagon or the media?
15) Could defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld explain why initial media reports said that there were no fighter jets available at Andrews Air Force Base and then change the reports that there were, but not on high alert?
16) Why was the DC Air National Guard in Washington AWOL on 9/11?
17) Why did combat jet fighters of the 305th Air Wing, McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey not intercept the second hijacked plane hitting the WTC, when they could have done it within seven minutes?
18) Why did none of the combat jet fighters of the 459th Aircraft Squadron at Andrews Air Force Base intercept the plane that hit the Pentagon, only 16 kilometers away? And since we're at it, why the Pentagon did not release the full video of the hit?
19) A number of very experienced airline pilots - including US ally Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, a former fighter jet pilot - revealed that, well, only crack pilots could have performed such complex maneuvers on the hijacked jets, while others insisted they could only have been accomplished by remote control. Is it remotely believable that the hijackers were up to the task? 20) How come a substantial number of witnesses did swear seeing and hearing multiple explosions in both towers of the WTC?
21) How come a substantial number of reputed architects and engineers are adamant that the official narrative simply does not explain the largest structural collapse in recorded history (the Twin Towers) as well as the collapse of WTC building 7, which was not even hit by a jet?
22) According to Frank de Martini, WTC's construction manager, "We designed the building to resist the impact of one or more jetliners." The second plane nearly missed tower 1; most of the fuel burned in an explosion outside the tower. Yet this tower collapsed first, long before tower 2 that was "perforated" by the first hit. Jet fuel burned up fast - and by far did not reach the 2000-degree heat necessary to hurt the six tubular steel columns in the center of the tower - designed specifically to keep the towers from collapsing even if hit by a Boeing 707. A Boeing 707 used to carry more fuel than the Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 that actually hit the towers.
23) Why did Mayor Rudolph Giuliani instantly authorized the shipment of WTC rubble to China and India for recycling?
24) Why was metallic debris found no less than 13 kilometers from the crash site of the plane that went down in Pennsylvania? Was the plane in fact shot down - under vice president Dick Cheney's orders?
25) The Pipelineistan question. What did US ambassador Wendy Chamberlain talk about over the phone on October 10, 2001, with the oil minister of Pakistan? Was it to tell him that the 1990s-planned Unocal gas pipeline project, TAP (Turkmenistan/Afghanistan/ Pakistan), abandoned because of Taliban demands on transit fees, was now back in business? (Two months later, an agreement to build the pipeline was signed between the leaders of the three countries). 26) What is former Unocal lobbyist and former Bush pet Afghan Zalmay Khalilzad up to in Afghanistan?
27) How come former Pakistani foreign minister Niaz Niak said in mid-July 2001 that the US had already decided to strike against Osama bin Laden and the Taliban by October? The topic was discussed secretly at the July Group of Eight summit in Genoa, Italy, according to Pakistani diplomats.
28) How come US ambassador to Yemen Barbara Bodine told FBI agent John O'Neill in July 2001 to stop investigating al-Qaeda's financial operations - with O'Neill instantly moved to a security job at the WTC, where he died on 9/11?
29) Considering the very intimate relationship between the Taliban and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and the ISI and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), is Bin Laden alive, dead or still a valuable asset of the ISI, the CIA or both?
30) Was Bin Laden admitted at the American hospital in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on July 4, 2001, after flying from Quetta, Pakistan, and staying for treatment until July 11?
31) Did the Bin Laden group build the caves of Tora Bora in close cooperation with the CIA during the 1980s' anti-Soviet jihad?
32) How come General Tommy Franks knew for sure that Bin Laden was hiding in Tora Bora in late November 2001?
33) Why did president Bill Clinton abort a hit on Bin Laden in October 1999? Why did then-Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf abort a covert ops in the same date? And why did Musharraf do the same thing again in August 2001?
34) Why did George W Bush dissolve the Bin Laden Task Force nine months before 9/11?
35) How come the (fake) Bin Laden home video - in which he "confesses" to being the perpetrator of 9/11 - released by the US on December 13, 2001, was found only two weeks after it was produced (on November 9); was it really found in Jalalabad (considering Northern Alliance and US troops had not even arrived there at the time); by whom; and how come the Pentagon was forced to release a new translation after the first (botched) one?
36) Why was ISI chief Lieutenant General Mahmud Ahmad abruptly "retired" on October 8, 2001, the day the US started bombing Afghanistan?
37) What was Ahmad up to in Washington exactly on the week of 9/11 (he arrived on September 4)? On the morning of 9/11, Ahmad was having breakfast on Capitol Hill with Bob Graham and Porter Goss, both later part of the 9/11 Commission, which simply refused to investigate two of its members. Ahmad had breakfast with Richard Armitage of the State Department on September 12 and 13 (when Pakistan negotiated its "cooperation" with the "war on terror") and met all the CIA and Pentagon top brass. On September 13, Musharraf announced he would send Ahmad to Afghanistan to demand to the Taliban the extradition of Bin Laden.
38) Who inside the ISI transferred US$100,000 to Mohammed Atta in the summer of 2001 - under orders of Ahmad himself, as Indian intelligence insists? Was it really ISI asset Omar Sheikh, Bin Laden's information technology specialist who later organized the slaying of American journalist Daniel Pearl in Karachi? So was the ISI directly linked to 9/11?
39) Did the FBI investigate the two shady characters who met Mohammed Atta and Marwan al-Shehhi in Harry's Bar at the Helmsley Hotel in New York City on September 8, 2001?
40) What did director of Asian affairs at the State Department Christina Rocca and the Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Salam Zaeef discuss in their meeting in Islamabad in August 2001?
41) Did Washington know in advance that an "al-Qaeda" connection would kill Afghan nationalist commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, aka "The Lion of the Panjshir", only two days before 9/11? Massoud was fighting the Taliban and al-Qaeda - helped by Russia and Iran. According to the Northern Alliance, Massoud was killed by an ISI-Taliban-al Qaeda axis. If still alive, he would never have allowed the US to rig a loya jirga (grand council) in Afghanistan and install a puppet, former CIA asset Hamid Karzai, as leader of the country.
42) Why did it take no less than four months before the name of Ramzi Binalshibh surfaced in the 9/11 context, considering the Yemeni was a roommate of Mohammed Atta in his apartment cell in Hamburg?
43) Is pathetic shoe-bomber Richard Reid an ISI asset?
44) Did then-Russian president Vladimir Putin and Russian intelligence tell the CIA in 2001 that 25 terrorist pilots had been training for suicide missions?
45) When did the head of German intelligence, August Hanning, tell the CIA that terrorists were "planning to hijack commercial aircraft?"
46) When did Egyptian President Mubarak tell the CIA about an attack on the US with an "airplane stuffed with explosives?"
47) When did Israel's Mossad director Efraim Halevy tell the CIA about a possible attack on the US by "200 terrorists?"
48) Were the Taliban aware of the warning by a Bush administration official as early as February 2001 - "Either you accept our offer of a carpet of gold, or we bury you under a carpet of bombs?" 49) Has Northrop-Grumman used Global Hawk technology - which allows to remotely control unmanned planes - in the war in Afghanistan since October 2001? Did it install Global Hawk in a commercial plane? Is Global Hawk available at all for commercial planes?
50) Would Cheney stand up and volunteer the detailed timeline of what he was really up to during the whole day on 9/11?
Pepe Escobar is the author of Globalistan: How the Globalized World is Dissolving into Liquid War (Nimble Books, 2007) and Red Zone Blues: a snapshot of Baghdad during the surge. His new book, just out, is Obama does Globalistan (Nimble Books, 2009). He may be reached at pepeasia@yahoo.com.

DTN News: U.S. Army Awards $1.9 Billion IDIQ Contract To DRS Technologies For Infrared Driver's Vision Enhancers

DTN News: U.S. Army Awards $1.9 Billion IDIQ Contract To DRS Technologies For Infrared Driver's Vision Enhancers
*Source: DTN News / DRS Technologies
(NSI News Source Info) PARSIPPANY, NJ - September 14, 2009: DRS Technologies, Inc. announced today that it is one of only two suppliers chosen for a $1.9 billion Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for Driver's Vision Enhancers (DVEs). The contract, awarded by the U.S. Army Communications and Electronics Command (CECOM) at Fort Monmouth, NJ, covers orders from the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Special Operations Command. (Image: DRS Technologies' Driver's Vision Enhancer (DVE) atop an MRAP Vehicle.) DVEs provide operators of combat and tactical-wheeled vehicles with the ability to maneuver in severely degraded visual conditions resulting from smoke, fog, sand and other battlefield obscurants. Using advanced infrared-imaging and display technologies, the units provide unparalleled situational awareness under any conditions, helping users detect and navigate possible threats -- Day or Night. "Our selection for this IDIQ contract is an acknowledgement that DRS demonstrated a high level of reliability coupled with expertise in applications," said Terry Murphy, president of DRS Technologies' Reconnaissance, Surveillance & Target Acquisition (RSTA) business group. "In 2004, we were awarded our first DVE contract. Since then, we have delivered more than 40,000 units for deployment on a full range of combat and tactical-wheeled vehicles, including the Abrams tank and Bradley Fighting Vehicle, Stryker, MRAP, Amphibious Assault Vehicle, HMMWV and other heavy and medium tactical-wheeled vehicles. We were also selected to deliver the first 150 FADS (Forward Activity Detection System) to provide the enhanced situational awareness of the narrow field of view Observer Sensor Module, and we completed delivery of those systems within 100 days of receipt of the order." Under the new DVE "Family of Systems" (FOS) contract, DRS expects to deliver four versions of this important technology: the DVE Lite for line-haul truck and tactical vehicle application to promote vehicle safety and hazard avoidance in supply chain operations; the DVE CV for combat vehicles; the DVE TWV with Electronic Pan and Tilt Modules (EPTMs) for tactical wheeled vehicles; and the DVE TWV with Forward Activity Detection System (FADS), for detection or surveillance at unprecedented distances to monitor suspicious activities such as those associated with planting potentially deadly improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Although the DRS RSTA group is the lead on DVE programs, it has been from the start a cross-corporation effort, relying on the respective expertise of several DRS units. The infrared detectors are manufactured by DRS RSTA's Dallas, Texas operation; the sensor modules, by DRS RSTA's Melbourne, Florida operations; the display control modules, by DRS Tactical Systems in Melbourne, Florida, and the EPTMs, by DRS C3 in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. "Our DVE technology has proven its value repeatedly on the battlefield," said Murphy, "helping our warfighters navigate confidently under any conditions, avoid hazards, and detect potential threats from safe distances. As we continue to drive down the cost of this technology, we expect these lifesaving benefits to make our DVEs as common in military vehicles as headlights are in automobiles." DRS Technologies, headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, is a leading supplier of integrated products, services and support to military forces, intelligence agencies and prime contractors worldwide. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Finmeccanica S.p.A. (FNC.IM) which employs more than 73,000 people worldwide. For more information about DRS Technologies, please visit the company's website at www.drs.com.

DTN News: Pakistan TODAY September 14 2009 ~ Security Developments in Pakistan, Sept. 13

DTN News: Pakistan TODAY September 14 2009 ~ Security Developments in Pakistan, Sept. 13
*Source: DTN News / Reuters
(NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - September 14, 2009: Following are security developments in Pakistan at 0730 GMT on Sunday. KHYBER - A roadside bomb planted by militants blew up as a paramilitary force patrol was passing in the Khyber ethnic Pashtun tribal region on the Afghan border, killing three soldiers and wounding four, government and paramilitary force officials said. Security forces pass a check point in Bara, located in Pakistan's Khyber Agency, September 13, 2009. A roadside bomb planted by militants blew up as a paramilitary force patrol was passing in the Khyber ethnic Pashtun tribal region on the Afghan border, killing three soldiers and wounding four, government and paramilitary force officials said. SWAT - A suicide bomber detonated his explosive-laden vehicle when security forces at a checkpost outside Mingora, the main town in the Swat valley, opened fire at him, the military said. There were no reports of casualties. A Pakistan army soldier stands guard close to the site of suicide bombing at a checkpoint near Batkhela, a town of Pakistan's Malakand district, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009. A suicide bomber attempted to attack a checkpoint close to a fuel station in the region, but security forces fired on his vehicle from a distance and it exploded, killing him, said Maj. Mohammad Mushtaq of the Swat media center. BAJAUR - A roadside bomb wounded three soldiers in the Bajaur region on the Afghan border, while a bridge was destroyed in a separate bomb blast, government officials said.
(Editing by Jerry Norton) (For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/afghanistanpakistan) (Compiled by Islamabad Bureau; Editing by Robert Birsel)

DTN News: Pakistan Navy Receives First Of Three Chinese F-22P Frigates

DTN News: Pakistan Navy Receives First Of Three Chinese F-22P Frigates
*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media
(NSI News Source Info) KARACHI, Pakistan - September 14, 2009: Pakistan Navy's surface warfare capabilities got a boost as it received first of the three missile carrying Chinese F-22P frigates.
The F-22P or Zulfiquar class frigate, an improved version of the Chinese Type 053H3 frigate, is a general purpose frigate being built by China and Pakistan for the Pakistan Navy (PN). The first ship, PNS Zulfiquar, was handed over to the PN on 30 July 2009. A second is almost complete and undergoing sea trials, while the third and fourth are under construction.
The new Frigate, christened PNS Zulfiqar, armed with ship-to-ship and ship-to-air missiles and is the first of the three ordered from China, arrived at this southern port city. Under the $750 million contract for the frigates, China will also supply four to six Harbin Z9EC anti-submarine warfare helicopters to Pakistan. The two other frigates are expected to be handed over to Pakistan by the end of 2010. Islamabad will build the fourth warship of the same class in Karachi which is expected to be commissioned by mid-2013, Naval spokesman Commander Mubeen Bajwa said here. The new frigates will enhance the Pakistan Navy's surface warfare capabilities. They will also be used to escort oil supplies from the Gulf in the event of any hostilities, Bajwa told a TV news channel. The collaboration with the Chinese for building the fourth F-22P frigate in Karachi had helped modernise Pakistan's shipbuilding capabilities, Bajwa said. The country will move from building smaller vessels to frigate-size warships, he added.

DTN News: Afghan Commission Says 30 Civilians Killed In NATO Strike

DTN News: Afghan Commission Says 30 Civilians Killed In NATO Strike
*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media
(NSI News Source Info) BRUSSELS, Belgium - September 14, 2009: An Afghan government-appointed commission says 30 Afghan civilians were killed and nine wounded in a NATO air strike earlier this month in the northern province of Kunduz.
German ISAF soldiers gather after returning back to their base in Feyzabad, east of Kunduz, Afghanistan, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009.
One investigator in the commission, Mohammadullah Baktash, says 69 Taliban also were killed when a German commander ordered the strike on Taliban militants who had seized two fuel trucks.
Initial NATO investigations had already indicated that civilians were among the victims. The commander of the NATO mission, U.S. General Stanley McChrystal, has appointed a board to conduct a thorough investigation into the events that led to the strike.
In related news, Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says his goal during the next four years is to lay the foundations to withdraw foreign forces from Afghanistan.
German media Sunday quoted Steinmeier as saying he is developing an exit strategy. He did not provide details or dates for withdrawal. Germans go to the polls to select a new government September 27.

DTN News: Airlines News TODAY September 14, 2009 ~ PAL Boosts Fleet With 2 Leased Boeing Jets

DTN News: Airlines News TODAY September 14, 2009 ~ PAL Boosts Fleet With 2 Leased Boeing Jets *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) MANILA, Philippine - September 14, 2009: Philippine Airlines Inc. (PAL), the country's largest airline by fleet and revenue, said Friday it expects to take delivery of two leased Boeing 777-300ERs from November. On December 6, 2006, PAL signed an agreement with Boeing for two Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, with a purchase agreement for two more aircraft. A separate agreement to lease two additional 777-300ERs from General Electric Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) was signed as well. Delivery of the four 777-300ERs will commence in 2009. In May 2007, PAL exercised its rights to purchase an additional two 777-300ERs for delivery in 2011. However, the recent downgrading of the Philippines' air safety standards by the FAA may delay the deliveries of the new aircraft, as conceded by PAL management. The first 777-300ER is now schedule for November 2009.The second is due January 2010. Those planes are leased. The four 777 purchased will be delivered 2012 and 2013. The 777 will have 42 business seats and 328 economy seats. Slightly less that the 747 capacity. Vice President for Financing Cesar Chong said the first aircraft is scheduled for delivery in November while the second one is due to arrive in January. Delivery of the two leased aircraft had been delayed due to Boeing's labor problems, he said. In a news briefing, Chong said the airline also working to acquire another four Boeing 777-300ERs for delivery between June 2012 and November 2013. By that time, PAL is hoping airline safety standards in the Philippines would have improved, to enable the company to expand its service routes, Chong said. A few years ago, the US Federal Aviation Authority downgraded the country's air travel safety to Category 2 from Category 1 after it failed to comply with the required aviation standards as prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organization. Chong added that the US Export-Import Bank has committed to provide financing assistance for the acquisition. One jet is estimated to cost around $250 million. (Dow Jones, EVA reports)

DTN News: Venezuelan Leader Hugo Chávez Deepens Petroleum And Military Ties With Russia

DTN News: Venezuelan Leader Hugo Chávez Deepens Petroleum And Military Ties With Russia
*Venezuelan leader recognizes Georgia breakaway states, South Ossetia and Abkhazia as added bonus during Moscow visit.
*Source: DTN News / The Christian Science Monitor By Fred Weir
(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW, Russia - September 14, 2009: Eight visits in eight years. Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez has been here so often that the Moscow media calls him "Russia's comrade-in-arms-and-oil," a phrase that neatly summarizes the growing politicization of a relationship whose profitable core is trade in weapons and energy. On this occasion, Mr. Chávez presented a special gift to his Russian hosts, by declaring at a meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev that Venezuela will extend official recognition to the breakaway statelets of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, over whose survival Russia fought a brief but bloody war with Georgia last year. Until now, only the tiny Central American state of Nicaragua has joined Moscow in recognizing the independence of the two republics, a fact that appears to underscore Russia's deep diplomatic isolation on the world stage. "Venezuela from today is joining in the recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia," Chávez said. "We soon will begin actions to establish diplomatic relations with these countries." Both of the tiny, mountainous statelets remain virtual Russian dependencies with little trade or access to the outside world. "Thank you, Hugo," responded Mr. Medvedev. "Russia has always supported a country's sovereign right to recognize or not recognize a state's independence. But of course we are not indifferent to the fate of these two states. We are very grateful," he added. Russian experts say Chávez gesture may have cost him little, but it was just what the Kremlin wanted to hear. "Venezuela is an important South American state, and for it to take this step matters a lot to us, because it shows that we are not alone," says Andrei Klimov, deputy chair of the Russian State Duma's foreign affairs committee. "It's yet another signal that our strategic partnership with Venezuela is growing. For us, this is a new part of the world where we can do business and find cooperative relationships. It's not directed against the US or anyone else." As he usually does on these visits, Chávez gave a speech filled with inflammatory political rhetoric, this time to students at Patrice Lumumba, a Moscow university attended largely by students from Third World countries. Amid cheers and applause, he told the students that the days of a "unipolar world" dominated by Washington are numbered. "The US wants to own the entire world, but the Yankee empire is falling," he said. And he praised his Russian hosts, Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, saying "I believe Putin and Medvedev will leave behind a great legacy not only for Russia but for the entire world." Shopping for tanks and subs Chávez has spent over $4-billion on Russian arms since 2005, including jet fighters, helicopters, and 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles. The official RIA-Novosti said he would likely sign deals for up to $1-billion more, including 100 main battle tanks, three diesel-powered Kilo-class submarines, 10 Mi-28 helicopters, and several land-based anti-ship missiles. Experts say Chávez's search for more sophisticated weaponry may be due to growing tensions with his neighbor, Colombia. But it also reflects a deeper strategic affinity with Russia, which last year held its first naval war games in the Western Hemisphere – together with the Venezuelan navy – since the cold war ended. Last year, there was talk about Russian bombers using bases in Venezuela and Cuba. "Russian cooperation with Venezuela is growing, and it's part of a larger Russian opening to Latin America," says Vladimir Davydov, director of the official Institute of Latin America in Moscow. "We are expecting a number of visits by Latin American leaders in the near future, including Ecuador, Uruguay, and Brazil. The centers of world economic activity are changing, and they want to reach dynamic markets," in Russia and the former Soviet Union, he says. Russia-Venezuela oil deal soon A consortium of Russian oil companies is expected to soon finalize a deal with Venezuelan national oil company Petroleos to develop part of a huge oil field in the Orinoco River Basin, which is thought to be the world's single largest oil deposit with as much as 1.2 trillion barrels of extra-heavy crude. Experts say that politics plays a role here too, because Chávez finds it easier to do business with Russian state-dominated companies, which provides them a boost into a new and potentially lucrative market. But political payoffs, such as Chávez' surprise recognition of the breakaway statelets, may be the only profit Russia sees, says Mikhail Krutikhin, an analyst with RusEnergy, an independent Moscow-based consultancy. "Russian companies that do business abroad do not typically repatriate their profits to Russia, so the nation isn't going to benefit from this," he says. "But it's good publicity for Russia, and for Putin and Medvedev, it may be good news for domestic consumption." Chávez isn't relying on Russia alone for investment. To read about how China is investing heavily in Venezuela's petroleum industry, too

DTN News: General Commander Talks About National Day Military Parade In 1999

DTN News: General Commander Talks About National Day Military Parade In 1999 *Source: DTN News / China View (NSI News Source Info) BEIJING, China - September 14, 2009: As the 60th National Day of the People's Republic of China (PRC) draws near and the preparations for a military parade enter the final stage, Li Xinliang, general commander of the 1999 parade, spoke to Xinhua about the country's last military parade a decade ago. Photo taken on Sept. 5, 2009 shows a giant parterre in the shape of a flying dragon, at the intersection of business downtown of Xidan, in Beijing. Beijing Municipality is setting up a total of 22 large-scale solid parterres with over 3.3 million flowers along the Chang'an Avenue, the east-west axis of Beijing, in a move to beef up the happy festival atmosphere for the upcoming National Day Celebration on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. "We selected the participating troops based on three standards," said Li, also former commander of the Beijing Military Area Command. "They had to be competent militarily and qualified politically; they had big military exploits and won numerous awards; they were well-equipped. "Those who joined the parade were all picked troops among the whole People's Liberation Army (PLA)," Li said. China is to hold grand celebrations on and around Oct. 1 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, including a military parade. It will be the 14th parade since 1949. From 1949 to 1959, National Day military parades were an annual event. It was later suspended for 24 years until 1984. The latest massive parade was in 1999 when the PRC marked its 50th birthday. The decision for a military review on the 50th National Day in 1999 was made at the beginning of 1998, which allowed enough time for thorough preparations, Li said. Photo taken on Aug. 21, 2009 shows Chinese soldiers take part in the parade training in Beijing, capital of China. Participants are busy doing exercises to prepare for the scheduled military parade at the Tian'anmen square in Beijing to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Oct. 1. "First, the Central Military Commission set up a leading team for the parade, headed by Fu Quanyou, then chief of the general staff of the PLA," Li said. Li and several other PLA leaders were appointed as deputy heads of the team. Li said the leading team had the first meeting in March, 1998, and decided to select troops mainly from the Beijing Military Area Command, which was also in charge of setting up the command office of the parade. The lineup of the 1999 parade surpassed all the previous parades, with 42 ground phalanxes and 10 flying phalanxes composed of more than 11,000 soldiers and 409 units of heavy equipment. Of the 42 varieties of large equipment, more than 95 percent had never joined a parade before, Li said. Most of the equipment was developed and made by China. The parade saw the debut of China's third-generation tanks, new strategic nuclear missiles and supersonic fighter bombers.
The participating troops included all segments of China's armed forces. The parade also included more armed branches of the PLA than any of the 13 previous events. It was the first time for units such as army aviation, marine corps, special armed police corps and reserve-duty forces, to join National Day parades. The display also saw the largest number of missiles presented by the PLA Second Artillery Corps. The missile phalanxes consisted of conventional ground-to-ground missiles, medium-range ground-to-ground nuclear missiles, and long-range ground-to-ground nuclear missiles.