DTN News: China TODAY September 18, 2009 ~ Beijing At High Security Alert For October 1 Celebrations

DTN News: China TODAY September 18, 2009 ~ Beijing At High Security Alert For October 1 Celebrations *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) BEIJING, China - September 18, 2009: China's leaders are marking 60 years of Communist Party rule with relentless security around Beijing in an effort to ensure nothing disrupts the parade on October 1 celebrating six decades of the People's Republic.

Cyclists stop to look at armed special forces paramilitary policemen as they stand guard near Beijing's Tiananmen Square September 18, 2009.

The General Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued a collection of slogans Friday for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. The collection of 50 catchphrases touches upon issues of political system, economic development, environmental protection, military modernization and national unification. On the top of the slogan list are "Warmly celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China!" and "Hail the great success of our country's reform and opening-up and socialist modernization!" Also on the list are "Put people first, realize, safeguard and develop the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people!" and "build a socialist harmonious society and promote social equity and justice!" One of the slogans also advocates the inheritance of fine military tradition that the armed forces should obey the command of the Party and serve the people. Slogans also include "Adhere to the one China policy and promote the country's great cause of peaceful reunification!" and "Adhere to the independent foreign policy of peace and unswervingly pursue the road of peaceful development!" and "Long live the great unity of all nationalities of China!" China has planned massive celebrations for the 60th founding anniversary of the people's republic on October 1. The celebrations in downtown Beijing will feature a mass pageant and a military review.

DTN News: Boeing Books 9 Orders, 737s For India Navy

DTN News: Boeing Books 9 Orders, 737s For India Navy

*Source: DTN News / Defense Media (NSI News Source Info) SEATTLE, USA - September 18, 2009: The Boeing Co. added nine new orders to its commercial airplanes backlog this week, including a request from India's Navy for 737s.

The Government of India has selected The Boeing Company to provide eight P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft to the Indian navy. The P-8I is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing is developing for the U.S. Navy. India is the first international customer for the P-8. Boeing will deliver the first P-8I within 48 months of the contract signing, and the remaining seven by 2015. "The men and women of The Boeing Company are pleased that India has selected the P-8I," said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS). "This aircraft will provide outstanding capabilities tailored to India's unique maritime-patrol requirements." The P-8I is a true multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) that features greater flexibility and a broader range of capabilities than MPAs currently in service. The P-8I can operate effectively over land or water while performing anti-submarine warfare missions; search and rescue; maritime interdiction; and long-range intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance. The P-8I provides India with speed, reliability, persistence and room for growth to satisfy the country's requirements now and well into the future. The aircraft features an open system architecture, advanced sensor and display technologies, and a worldwide base of suppliers, parts and support equipment.

India's Navy had announced in January that it would buy eight P8 long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft (a derivative of the 737) from Boeing. The orders were just added to Boeing's books this week.

Boeing also added an order for a 737 from an unidentified customer, according to the company's Orders and Deliveries Web page.The requests bring Boeing's net order total to 79. The company has won 170 gross orders but has received 91 order cancellations this year.

DTN News: Airbus Raises Long-Term Forecast For Aircraft Demand

DTN News: Airbus Raises Long-Term Forecast For Aircraft Demand

*Source: DTN News / EADS (NSI News Source Info) PARIS, France - September 18, 2009: European commercial aircraft builder Airbus Thursday raised its outlook for the global market for large commercial airliners over the next 20 years, with demand driven by emerging economies, expanding airline networks, growing low-cost carriers and the need to replace inefficient aircraft. The Toulouse, France-based unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. NV (EAD.FR) said it now estimates demand at some 25,000 aircraft worth $3.1 trillion through 2028. That's an increase of 2.9% compared to its projection in February, 2008, of a potential market of 24,300 planes worth $2.8 trillion. With households and companies trying to preserve cash amid the economic slowdown, Airbus expects airline passenger traffic measured in terms of revenue passenger kilometers, an industry measure of revenue per passenger for each kilometer flown, to contract 2% this year but to expand 4.6% in 2010. Longer term, airline passenger traffic will remain resilient to the cyclical effects of the airline sector and should grow at an average annual rate of 4.7% through 2029, requiring 24,100 new aircraft worth $2.9 trillion, Airbus said. That figure includes 10,000 jets to replace aging aircraft. Cargo traffic, depressed due to weak economic activity, is expected to grow 5.2% annually on average over the period, Airbus said. This will require 3,440 additional freighters, of which 850 will be new aircraft, the remainder conversions from passenger jets. In its 2008 long-term market outlook, Airbus had projected average annual passenger traffic growth of 4.9% and cargo traffic rising by 5.8% over 20 years. The latest long-term market forecast of U.S. rival Boeing Co. (BA) points to demand for 29,000 large commercial aircraft worth $3.22 billion through 2028, assuming a 3.1% average annual growth rate for the world economy. The airline business rises and falls in step with economic activity, and aircraft manufacturing is also cyclical. But with long development time for new aircraft and production runs that can last 30 years or more, both manufacturers need long-term visibility on their markets. Boeing and Airbus, which have a duopoly in the market for large commercial airplanes, have been hit by losses of existing orders or postponement of deliveries as airlines suffer faltering demand during the recession. The International Air Transport Association Tuesday raised its estimate of the aggregate net loss of the world's mainstream airlines in 2009 to $11 billion from $9 billion previously. In 2008 Airbus accounted for 54% of the market for planes with 100 seats or more, and the European company has extended its lead in 2009. So far this year, Airbus has booked 125 orders net of cancellations, compared to Boeing's 70. Airbus booked 147 gross orders between January and August, and is hoping to net up to 300 over the year. Airbus said the Asia-Pacific region and emerging markets will be the main engine of growth for its sector, with Asia accounting for 31% of sales, compared to 25% for Europe and 23% in North America. Airbus Chief Operating Officer for Customers John Leahy told journalists in London that Airbus remained confident that it could book 300 orders this year, excluding cancellations, and said the company was on track to deliver about 480 aircraft, about the same as in 2008. For 2010, he said, "the goal, of course, would be to try to stay flat if we could." But he said that "it's going to be a difficult winter" for airlines, with the risk of more order cancellations when airlines realize they can't put up the cash to take deliveries. "Airlines flew with not very high yields in the summer, and didn't build up the war chests they usually do" to get through the slack winter season, he said. Company Web sites:

http://www.airbus.com/

http://www.eads.com/

DTN News: US Authorities Impounded The Ukrainian IL78 For Pakistan Air Force

DTN News: US Authorities Impounded The Ukrainian IL78 For Pakistan Air Force *Source: DTN News / Asian Defence (NSI News Source Info) ST. LOUIS, USA - September 18, 2009: The US, far from the public perception and official claims of supplying Pakistan with substantive military hardware, is actually impeding Pakistan’s efforts to upgrade its capabilities especially in non-offensive systems. The IL-78 Midas tankers would provide aerial refueling for all PAF fighter aircraft excepttf the US manufactured F-16s. The F-16s can only refuel with a boom system, and the Midas will be equipped with a probe and drogue underwing pods system. First Midas delivery will commence early 2009. PAF is holding out hope that a KC-135 could be acquired from the US in the near future. According to inside sources, only recently, the PAF, which has an agreement with Ukraine for the purchase of air to air refuellers, asked Ukraine to send a trainee plane so that the PAF personnel could familiarise themselves with the systems that were expected later. The Ukraine agreed to send the required aircraft which happened to be in the US. However, before it could fly to Pakistan, the US authorities on learning of its destination, impounded the plane. Earlier, the US had tried unsuccessfully to block the deal itself. *Related Info: Russian cargo jet still grounded at Sawyer Our Viewers comments: A taxpayer said... explains that the aircraft's owners owed 62000 dollars to a company in Texas. The put on lean on the aircraft when the IL-78 attempted to leave without paying. K.I. SAWYER - Five people were arrested Friday at Sawyer International Airport for suspected violations of immigration laws. The Marquette County Sheriff's Office received information Friday from a Texas court that a Russian IL-78 tanker jet - which was refueling at the airport's general aviation terminal - and members of its crew were involved in a civil dispute in that state. Sheriff's officials, with help from federal agents with Immigration Customs Enforcement, discovered that four crew members and the plane's pilot, all Ukranian nationals, were believed to be in violation of immigration laws. The four crew members and pilot were arrested and transported by U.S. Custom and Border Protection agents to Sault Ste. Marie where they are being held pending immigration hearings, police said. The aircraft is not being held and is located at the general aviation terminal. Immigration Customs Enforcement officials are continuing the investigation. The defendants and plane owners owe the plaintiffs, Air One Flight Support, over $62,000.Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 4:23 p.m. SAWYER -- The Russian cargo jet that landed at Sawyer last week will not be going anywhere for at least a few more weeks. Circuit Court Judge Thomas Solka extended the temporary restraining order on the plane until August 10. The defendants and plane owners owe the plaintiffs, Air One Flight Support, over $62,000. Neither the plane owners nor their attorneys were in court. The judge also ruled that the barricades surrounding the plane would remain in place until a further decision has been made. "My client has an FAA lien against the aircraft in the amount that's owed," said Daniel Mead. "That's the whole entire hope is to gain a judgement according to what would be referred to as breach of contract, then execute that judgement against the collateral that's secured through that lien." Meanwhile, immigration officials told us the five Ukrainian crew members who were taken into custody when the plane landed at Sawyer voluntarily returned to Kiev Thursday by commercial plane.

DTN News: NATO Sees Closer Work With U.S. On Missile Defense

DTN News: NATO Sees Closer Work With U.S. On Missile Defense *Source: DTN News / Defense Media

(NSI News Source Info) BRUSSELS, Belgium - September 18, 2009: NATO said on Thursday it expected closer cooperation with Washington on developing anti-missile systems and that revamped U.S. plans had the potential to protect all of Europe if fully implemented. The United States briefed NATO allies Wednesday on the latest developments of its plan to station anti-missile defenses in Poland and the Czech Republic. Lt. Gen. Henry Obering III, head of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, was joined by senior State and Defense Department officials in a meeting with envoys from the 26 NATO allies. The talks come between visits to Washington by Czech and Polish leaders to discuss the plans. President Barack Obama announced on Thursday he was dropping a plan to deploy interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic. They were to form part of a missile shield intended to protect the United States and its European NATO allies against possible attack from Iran, but which had angered Russia. He promised instead stronger, swifter defense systems to protect U.S. allies against any threat from Iran. A NATO spokesman said U.S. officials briefed NATO ambassadors on the U.S. plans on Thursday. The spokesman said the defense ministers of the 28 alliance states would discuss how to move forward on missile defense in the light of U.S. plans at an October 22-23 meeting in Bratislava. "The U.S. has briefed on an approach which has a number of phases, which, if and when the final phase were to be put in place, based on circumstance and technological development, would provide full coverage for Europe," James Appathurai said. It also could include participation by any NATO ally, he said. NATO has been developing its own plans for defense against short- to medium-range missiles and has in the past cooperated with Russia to ensure such systems can work with each other. It had been considering moves to complement the scrapped U.S. system to extend the area it would have protected. NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said earlier the new U.S. approach would involve NATO to a much greater degree in establishment of missile defense. "I highly appreciate that. I think it is in full accordance with the principle of solidarity within the alliance and the indivisibility of security in Europe," he said. He said closer integration on missile defense would be a positive step and in the interests of "our eastern allies within the NATO alliance." Poland and the Czech Republic are among the states of eastern and central Europe which joined NATO after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and Russia had been angered by U.S. plans to station an anti-missile system in those countries. Dropping that plan should ease efforts by both NATO and the United States to boost security ties with Russia, which Rasmussen again said was a priority for the alliance.

The NATO chief is due to deliver a speech in Brussels on Friday in which he plans to propose concrete steps to improve NATO's ties with Moscow, which soured as a result of the alliance's eastward expansion and Moscow's military intervention into Georgia last year.

DTN News: Boeing Issues New Statement On Air Force Leading Tanker Bid

DTN News: Boeing Issues New Statement On Air Force Leading Tanker Bid

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) SEATTLE, USA - September 18, 2009: Bill Barksdale, spokesman for Boeing defense Global Mobility Systems, just put out a new statement about Defense Secretary Robert Gates' announcement Thursday that he's putting the Air Force in charge of the new competition to supply aerial refueling tankers. The Boeing 767 tanker transport aircraft, designated KC-767 for the US Air Force, is a high-performance version of the Boeing 767-200ER twin-aisle jetliner equipped for fully integrated tanker operations. It is fitted with either boom and receptacle refuelling, hose and drogue refuelling or both. Here it is: Boeing welcomes the Air Force's leadership in the effort to replace America's KC-135 refueling fleet, and anxiously awaits the release of the Request for Proposal. Our top priority will be to work with the Air Force to ensure that we understand the service's requirements and their relative priority. It's particularly important that the requirements for the new competition be crystal clear. Boeing is the only competitor offering the Air Force a choice between different refueling options, each of which delivers more capability at lower cost. The KC-767 is a wide-body tanker with a narrow footprint that has more agility and proven technological capability than any competitor. The KC-777 tanker can also double as a formidable cargo aircraft, providing more capacity at a similar size to Airbus' A330-based plane. As I told so many people at AFA, we're excited to work hand-in-hand with the Air Force to understand the service's needs, and look forward to building America's next tanker – one that meets all the warfighters' needs at the lowest cost to the taxpayer. Also, for those who missed the tanker presentation by Rick Lemaster, Boeing's tanker director and program manager, at the Air Force Association's 2009 Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition outside Washington, here are the slides he presented.

DTN News: Moroccan Air Force Asks For US F-16 Weapons And Equipment

DTN News: Moroccan Air Force Asks For US F-16 Weapons And Equipment

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, DC - September 18, 2009: The Moroccan Air Force has requested equipment and weapon systems for its F-16 C/D block 50/52 aircraft under a US foreign military sale. Morocco requested the sale of 24 F-16C/D block 50/52 aircraft. The deal includes the aircraft, mission equipment and a support package provided by Lockheed Martin and other US and international contractors. The Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) placed a $233.6m order in June 2008. Morocco is a major non-Nato ally of the US and the sale will enhance Morocco's interoperability with the US and other Nato nations. The procurement includes 20 AGM-65D Maverick missiles, four each of AGM-65D and AGM-65H Maverick training missiles and 60 enhanced GBU-12 Paveway II kits. Furthermore, 28 AN/ARC-238 single-channel ground and airborne radios with Havequick I/II or Saturn I/II, a ground-based simulator and 40 LAU-118A missile rails will also be provided under the contract. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has already approved a request for six AN/AAQ-33 Sniper targeting pods with ground station and 16 air combat manoeuvring instrumentation pods with four ground stations. the defence agency has also approved eight joint mission planning systems, two remote operated video enhanced receivers, 30 AN/ALR-93 radar warning receivers and 30 AN/AVS-9 night vision goggles. Under the proposed sale, support equipment and services will also be provided to the air force. The DSCA has identified about ten contractors for the sale including Lockheed, Northrop, Boeing and BAE Systems.

DTN News: Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez Says Moscow Has Offered Venezuela $2.2 Billion In Credit To Buy Russian Weapons

DTN News: Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez Says Moscow Has Offered Venezuela $2.2 Billion In Credit To Buy Russian Weapons *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW, Russia - September 18, 2009: Russia has opened a $2.2 billion line of credit for Venezuela to purchase weapons including armored vehicles and surface-to-air missiles, President Hugo Chavez said Sunday.

Venezuela is buying more arms because it feels threatened by Colombia's decision to give U.S. troops greater access to its military bases, Chavez said.

Repeating a frequent theme of his presidency, the socialist leader said the United States would like to invade Venezuela and seize the country's oil fields. He said the bases in Colombia could help the U.S. stage such an attack.

The arms deal was announced last week during Chavez's visit to Moscow, and he gave details Sunday. Chavez said the deal calls for Venezuela to buy 92 Russian-made T-72 tanks as well as Smerch anti-aircraft missile launching systems. He didn't say how many missile launchers Venezuela was buying.

"The Russian government approved financing for $2.2 billion. For what? For weapons, and we must thank them," Chavez said. "We've decided to install a powerful anti-air defense system."

Last week, Chavez said the deal also included the purchase of ground-to-ground missiles with a range of up to 186 miles (300 kilometers). He said they were needed to improve Venezuela's defenses.

Venezuela and Colombia have been feuding for months over the negotiations between Bogota and Washington that would allow the U.S. military to increase its presence at seven Colombian bases under a 10-year lease agreement. Colombian and U.S. officials say the agreement is necessary to more effectively help Colombia fight drug traffickers and leftist rebels.

Venezuela has already bought more than $4 billion worth of Russian arms since 2005, including 24 Sukhoi fighter jets, dozens of attack helicopters and 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles.Chavez said nobody should be alarmed by Venezuela's newest arms purchases. Venezuela "doesn't plan to invade anybody," he said.

DTN News: Airbus Says Airlines Will Buy A Lot Of Big Planes

DTN News: Airbus Says Airlines Will Buy A Lot Of Big Planes *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) PARIS, France - September 18, 2009: Airlines, particularly in the Asia Pacific region, will buy a lot of big airplanes in the next two decades, Airbus said Thursday. Airbus, which has pinned its hopes largely on the double-decker A380, said in its latest Global Market Forecast that airlines would need larger aircraft in all size categories to help ease congestion, accommodate growth on existing routes and do more with less. "Air traffic growth, increased frequencies, cost reduction, environmental responsibilities and airport congestion are increasingly influencing airlines to capitalize on the benefits of larger aircraft," Airbus wrote.

"In the last 10 years aircraft have increased in size by three percent and Airbus predicts that by 2028, the average aircraft will be 26 percent bigger than today." Airbus foresees demand over the next 20 years for more than 1,700 Very Large Aircraft -- those seating more than 400 passengers -- valued at $571 billion. It said airlines in the Asia Pacific region would operate more than half of the world's Very Large Aircraft by 2028. Overall, aircraft makers will deliver 24,097 new 100-plus-seat passenger planes, valued at $2.9 trillion, in the next two decades, Airbus said. It said another 6,078 regional jets Airbus would be delivered. "Air transportation is a growth industry, and an essential ingredient in the world economy," John Leahy, Airbus' chief operating officer, customers, said in a news release accompanying the report. "Technology and innovation are key drivers for an eco-efficient aviation sector, and Airbus is at the forefront of both." In it's latest forecast, released earlier this month, Boeing predicted Airlines would buy 26,900 passenger planes (not counting regional jets), making it slightly more optimistic than Airbus. Airbus' forecast pinned the new demand on emerging economies, evolving airline networks, expansion of low-cost carriers, the increasing number of mega-cities, traffic growth and replacement of older, less-efficient aircraft. Replacement of about 10,000 older passenger aircraft will double the world's fleet of aircraft with at least 100 seats, from about 14,000 today. Airbus sees the greatest demand for passenger aircraft -- 31 percent of total demand -- coming from airlines in Asia-Pacific and emerging markets, such as China and India. Boeing also said the Asia Pacific region would lead airplane demand. Airbus also said 2009's 2-percent decline in revenue passenger kilometers should be followed by a rise of 4.6 percent next year, then continue to increase by 4.7 percent per year, doubling in the next 15 years. Finally, it said airfreight tonne kilometers should rise by 5.2 percent a year, with the increased demand and fleet renewal creating demand for about 3,440 freighters, 850 of these would be new aircraft and the rest converted passenger planes.