DTN News: Data Security in the Cloud a Top Concern for Government According to Lockheed Martin Cyber Security Alliance Survey

DTN News: Data Security in the Cloud a Top Concern for Government According to Lockheed Martin Cyber Security Alliance Survey *White Paper Reveals Awareness, Trust and Security to Shape Cloud Adoption Source: DTN News / Lockheed Martin (NSI News Source Info) GAITHERSBURG, Md.,- April 22, 2010: Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and its Cyber Security Alliance partners April 20., announced the results of a collaborative cloud computing and cyber security survey in a new white paper titled “Awareness, Trust, and Security to Shape Cloud Adoption.” The survey found that 70% of government technology decision makers in federal, defense/military and intelligence agencies were most concerned about data security, privacy and integrity in the cloud. The white paper documents and outlines the following: *Presents a snapshot view of cloud computing adoption in U.S. federal government, defense/military and intelligence agencies *Documents trust levels related to cloud computing, outsourcing and different delivery models *Identifies specific cloud computing and cyber security concerns *Highlights governance issues *Presents recommendations to help government agencies prepare to adopt, secure and manage cloud computing “Seamless security is critical to protecting our customers’ information in the cloud. Collaboration with industry partners and government will accelerate innovation and adoption while enabling successful cloud implementations in the public sector,” said Rick Johnson, Chief Technology Officer and Vice President, Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Services. The Lockheed Martin Cyber Security Alliance commissioned Market Connections, Inc. to conduct an online survey of U.S. federal government, defense/military, and intelligence agency technology decision makers. The survey measured awareness and attitudes about cloud computing and cyber security topics. Survey results reflect input from 198 respondents from all military branches and a variety of federal government agencies. The Cyber Alliance was established in 2009 and announced with the opening of Lockheed Martin’s NexGen Cyber Innovation and Technology Center. The Alliance’s mission is to address cyber security challenges through innovation and consists of the following technology companies: APC by Schneider Electric, CA, Cisco, Dell, EMC Corporation and its RSA Security Division, HP, Intel, Juniper Networks, McAfee, Microsoft, NetApp, Symantec and VMware. 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 2009 sales of $45.2 billion.

DTN News: Israel Builds Up Deep-Sea Navy

DTN News: Israel Builds Up Deep-Sea Navy Source: DTN News / UPI (NSI News Source Info) TEL AVIV, Israel,- April 22, 2010: Israel is building up its navy and it's looking to Germany to provide the warships, most notably two advanced corvettes and two, possibly three, more Dolphin-class attack submarines, that will transform it from a coastal force to a deep-water navy. Until now, the navy has been largely confined to the Mediterranean countering the naval forces of Syria, Egypt and the Maghreb states further east, with occasional forays into the Red Sea. The objective of the expansion program clearly seems to be to increase the navy's reach to counter Iran, which Israel views as its primary adversary because of its buildup of ballistic missiles and its alleged drive to develop nuclear weapons. The main focus of the naval expansion program is negotiations with Germany to buy two MEKO A-100 corvettes from the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg. Jane's Defense Weekly says the 2,500-ton, 280-foot MEKOs would be adapted to carry Israeli-made systems. The warships, which carry crews of 94, have a range of 4,635 miles, a top speed of 30 knots and advanced radar-evading capability. They carry one medium-size helicopter and 24 weapons systems -- 16 ship-to-shore and eight anti-ship missile launchers adapted to U.S. weapons as well as air-defense missiles and automatic cannon. The Israeli navy had shown interest in Lockheed Martin's Littoral Combat Ship to fit its requirement for a new missile ship to be categorized as Saar 5.5. But the U.S. vessel was considered too expensive at $600 million. The MEKO variant sought by Israel costs an estimated $300 million. Negotiations with the Germans began in October 2007 when Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi visited Berlin. The Israelis want a discount on the proposed MEKO deal of 20-30 percent, said Jane's. The Germans are already funding one-third of the total cost, estimated at $1.4 billion, of two 1,900-ton Dolphin submarines, based on Germany's Type 212A boat currently on order. These were ordered in 2006 and are scheduled for delivery starting in 2012 to the submarine base at Haifa. That will bolster the Israeli navy's sub strength to five. The subs, the most expensive weapons platforms in Israel's arsenal, have a range of 2,810 miles. However there were reports in October 2009 that their fuel capacity had been increased to keep the vessels at sea for 50 days without refueling. German opposition parties, including the Social Democrats, have expressed misgivings about exporting weapons to crisis zones. But the 2006 order for two Dolphins was approved while the Democrats were part of a coalition government. Germany has provided hefty discounts on arms sales to Israel because it is morally committed to the Jewish state's security in reparation for the Holocaust. Talks are under way on Israel acquiring a sixth Dolphin built by the Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft in Kiel and the Thyssen Nordseewerke in Emden. The Israeli subs' four 650mm torpedo tubes have been reportedly modified to launch cruise missiles armed with nuclear warheads. Each Dolphin is believed to carry 10 U.S.-built Harpoon missiles but these have a range of only 135 miles. Still, that gives these boats a limited strategic first- or second-strike capability. With six Dolphins, the Israelis would be able to maintain at least two or three deployed in the Arabian Sea off Iran's southern coast at any one time or at their Red Sea naval base at Eilat on the Gulf of Aqaba ready for swift deployment against the Islamic Republic. Israel has threatened to launch pre-emptive strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities if it fails to halt its alleged weapons program. One Israeli source noted that the navy would like even more Dolphins. "Our ideal number would be nine -- enough to ensure we have the necessary assets at sea to cover all relevant threats and targets," he said.

DTN News: Goodrich To Supply Sail Cusps For Eight Virginia-Class Submarines

DTN News: Goodrich To Supply Sail Cusps For Eight Virginia-Class Submarines Source: DTN News / Goodrich Corporation (NSI News Source Info) CHARLOTTE, N.C.,- April 22, 2010: Goodrich Corporation (NYSE:GR - News) has been awarded a firm fixed price contract from Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding to manufacture lightweight, composite sail cusps for the next eight Virginia-class nuclear fast attack submarines, collectively referred to as Block III. The scope of the award includes tooling design, production, and fabrication of eight sail cusps at Goodrich's Engineered Polymer Products facility in Jacksonville, Fla. Delivery of the first sail cusp is scheduled for the second quarter 2011. The Virginia class submarine is the newest addition to the fast attack fleet. This new class was designed to be a cheaper alternative to the Seawolf class and ultimately replace the aging Los Angeles class submarines. There are currently 4 commissioned Virginia class submarines with a total of a 17 planned fleet of Virginia class submarines. These submarines are using a new approach to cost effective building, Commercial of the Shelf (COTS). This approach utilizes more equipment that isn't specifically built for a submarine reducing overall equipment costs. The sail cusp is a single-piece composite structure attached to the submarine sail and hull. The complex shape of this lightweight fairing allows for smooth laminar flow of water over its surface, thereby improving hydrodynamic performance of the submarine. "This award represents an opportunity to demonstrate our capability to manufacture a large, complex-shaped multi-material structure," said Jim Pollock, vice president, Engineered Polymer Products. "Our dedicated team of engineers and manufacturing experts is committed to delivering the first production composite sail cusp that is an affordable, lightweight, and low maintenance alternative to steel." The Virginia-class submarine is the U.S. Navy's newest nuclear fast-attack submarine class. It was designed from the keel up for the full range of mission requirements in the post-Cold War era, including anti-submarine and surface ship warfare; delivering special operation forces; strike; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; irregular warfare; and mine warfare. Goodrich provides a wide range of composite product content for the Virginia-class submarines, involving nearly a dozen different composites and advanced material systems. The company announced in January that it had received a contract from Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding to provide composite components for the next eight Virginia-class submarines in Block III, with deliveries scheduled through 2013. Goodrich's Engineered Polymer Products team specializes in developing, manufacturing, testing and servicing acoustic and structural composite products. The division's technology is in use in both military and commercial applications. For more information visit http://www.goodrich.com/epp

Goodrich Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a global supplier of systems and services to aerospace, defense and homeland security markets. With one of the most strategically diversified portfolios of products in the industry, Goodrich serves a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and service facilities. For more information visit http://www.goodrich.com/. Goodrich Corporation operates through its divisions and as a parent company for its subsidiaries, one or more of which may be referred to as "Goodrich Corporation" in this press release.

DTN News: Camber Corporation Announces First Flight of the Modified T-1A Combat Systems Officer (CSO) Aircraft

DTN News: Camber Corporation Announces First Flight of the Modified T-1A Combat Systems Officer (CSO) Aircraft Source: DTN News / Camber Corporation (NSI News Source Info) HUNTSVILLE, Ala.,- April 22, 2010: Camber Corporation announced today that the T-1A aircraft with the modification to support CSO training had its first flight today, April 21, 2010. The aircraft took off at 11:16 Eastern Standard Time from Dayton International Airport and flew for 1 hour and 55 minutes. The purpose of the flight was to confirm operation of basic aircraft systems in preparation for future test flights which will concentrate on the newly added CSO training systems. The T-1A Jayhawk is a medium-range, twin-engine jet trainer, a version of the Beech 400A. It is was the first new training aircraft procured by the Air Force in 30 years. The first aircraft was delivered to Reese Air Force Base, Texas in January 1992. It is used to train student pilots to fly airlift or tanker aircraft. Student training in the T-1A began at Reese in 1993. The Jayhawk has cockpit seating for an instructor and two students and is powered by twin turbofan engines capable of an operating speed of Mach .73. The T-1A differs from its commercial counterpart by having a single-point refueling system and increased bird strike protection in the windshield and leading edges for sustained low-level operation. The T-1A is used at all undergraduate pilot training bases: Columbus AFB, Miss.; Laughlin AFB, Texas; and Vance AFB, Okla. It is also used at Randolph AFB, Texas, to train instructor pilots. "I want to congratulate the Camber Team on a job well done! Camber, Stevens Aviation and Government personnel have worked well together. After a fast-paced year of system design, design reviews, and aircraft modifications, the first T-1A CSO aircraft completed its first flight today. We are excited about the first flight and look forward to the installation of the completed CSO software onto the aircraft so that we can test the CSO Training System," said Albert Ojeda, USAF Program Manager. The T-1A CSO Modification contract was awarded to Camber on March 31, 2009 and the aircraft have been upgraded with a suite of simulated sensors (Radar, Radar Warning Receiver, Electronic Support Measures), countermeasures (flares, chaff), and weapon systems for two students in order to support CSO training. Provisions for two instructors are also provided, allowing them to oversee the student actions, and insert tactical and weather scenarios into the simulated environment. A debrief capability is also included and allow instructors to review the flight with the student in a classroom or office environment. The modified T-1A aircraft with the CSO training station is part of the USAF's Air Education and Training Command (AETC) redesign of the current Navigator, Electronic Warfare Officer, and Weapon System Officer training pipeline in order to produce aviator's skilled in advance navigation systems, electronic warfare, weapons deployment, and able to operate the complex systems critical to the Air Force mission. "The successful, on schedule, initial flight paves the way for formal testing and the installation of the training system at Naval Air Station Pensacola," said Mike Pafford, Camber T-1A Program Manager. Camber is teamed with Stevens Aviation, a leading aviation services company, who modified the T-1A aircraft at their facility in Dayton, OH, from where the modified T-1A aircraft was launched last week. According to Ron Tennyson, Stevens Aviation Program Manager, the aircraft has been fitted with an Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast system that provides the training system with air traffic information and aircraft to aircraft data that can be used for air to air training missions. Camber Corporation has its corporate headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama, U.S.A. Camber is a pioneer in the development of innovative training and simulation solutions for military and civil flight simulation and mission trainers. The Sensor Systems Division that is based in Dallas, Texas has been providing simulated sensor systems since 1985 and supports over 200 radar simulation systems worldwide. Their market leading Commercial-Off-the-Shelf Radar Toolkit® product serves as the basis for their reliable and cost efficient radar simulations.

DTN News: Japan Sticks To Key Missile-Shield Deal Says US General

DTN News: Japan Sticks To Key Missile-Shield Deal Says US General * Project is vital to U.S. plans to defend Europe * Exports could face hurdle from pacifist elements * U.S. general eyes $37 bln in contract competition Source: DTN News / Reuters By Jim Wolf (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON,- April 22, 2010: Japan remains fully committed to building a linchpin multibillion-dollar missile interceptor with the United States, the head of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency told Congress, even as U.S.-Japanese ties adjust to a new era. Army Lieutenant General Patrick O'Reilly said on Wednesday he had held several high-level program reviews with Japanese government officials since the Democratic Party of Japan's victory in the Aug. 30, 2009, elections for the legislature's lower house. "They have indicated that they are in full support and their commitments are solid," he told the Senate Appropriations Defense subcommittee, referring to a Standard Missile-3 upgrade program in its fifth year of development. Published reports from Japan have said the coalition government of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama that took power in September plans to reduce overall missile-defense spending. Japan has spent just over $1 billion to help build a more capable SM-3 version, said Richard Lehner, a Missile Defense Agency spokesman. It is being co-developed with Waltham, Massachusetts-based Raytheon Co (RTN.N), the world's biggest missile maker. The new version, dubbed SM-3 Block IIA, is key to U.S. plans to be able to defend all of NATO's European territory from a perceived Iranian ballistic-missile threat as soon as about 2018. It is designed to improve the antimissile's velocity, range and ability to discriminate among a missile target and decoys and would be deployed on land as well as at sea. A follow-on version, called Block IIB, with yet higher velocity, is planned to help protect the U.S. East Coast starting in about 2020 from potential long-range Iranian missiles. O'Reilly said the United States and the Hatoyama government had identified all steps necessary to successfully integrate the upgraded Block IIA SM-3 interceptor. Its first flight test should be in 2014 and the first intercept test in 2015, he said. "Within the next year, we will begin our discussions on production arrangements between the United States and Japan," O'Reilly added. Left unmentioned by O'Reilly was potential opposition from pacifist elements in the coalition government to Japan's export of the interceptor to countries other than the United States. Poland and Rumania have agreed in principle to host land-based SM-3 interceptor sites. These are known as "Aegis ashore" units after a Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) mobile defense system initially used only at sea. Responding to Sen. Richard Shelby, an Alabama Republican, O'Reilly said contractors could compete for "Aegis ashore" work after the projected Rumanian installation that he described as on a tight deadline. "We are reviewing over $37 billion in new contracts for competition over the next two years," O'Reilly said in an opening statement, referring to the range of missile-shield work. By 2015, the Obama administration plans to buy 436 early-generation SM-3 interceptors and 431 Lockheed-built Terminal High Altitude Area Defense systems, the building blocks of regional antimissile shields. It also plans to have 38 ballistic-missile-defense ships available. Since the Democratic Party of Japan's victory, bilateral tensions have risen over the desire of some Hatoyama government members to change a 2006 U.S.-Japan deal to relocate a controversial U.S. Marine air station, Futenma, to a less densely populated spot on Okinawa. Japan has acquired from the United States a layered shield against ballistic missiles that could be fired by North Korea and tipped with chemical, biological or nuclear warheads. The SM-3 co-development program represents "not only an area of significant technical cooperation, but also the basis for enhanced operational cooperation to strengthen regional security," Bradley Roberts, a deputy assistant secretary of defense, told a House of Representatives Armed Services subcommittee on April 15. (Reporting by Jim Wolf; editing by Gerald E. McCormick and Andre Grenon)

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated April 21, 2010

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated April 21, 2010 Source: U.S. DoD issued April 21, 2010 (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - April 22, 2010: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued April 21, 2010 are undermentioned; CONTRACTS ARMY ~Federal Program Integrators, LLC, Indian Island, Maine, was awarded on April 16 a $73,999,215 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for one transmission test system to test systems and gearboxes on AH-1, AH-64, CH-47, OH-58, UH-1N, and UH-60 aircraft. Work is to be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas (80 percent), and Indian Island, Maine (20 percent), with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2013. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Corpus Christi Army Depot, Corpus Christi, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912NW-10-C-0015). ~Rizzani de Eccher USA, Inc., Bay Harbor Island, Fla., was awarded on April 19 a $50,454,230 firm-fixed-price contract for the design and construction of facility replacement at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Work is to be performed in Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, with an estimated completion date of April 23, 2012. Thirty-two bids were solicited with eight bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Middle East District, CETAM-CT-M, Winchester, Va., is the contracting activity (W912ER-10-C-0026). ~Smith’s Detection, Edgewood, Md., was awarded on April 16 a $24,499,555 firm-fixed-price contract to purchase 5,353 joint chemical agent detectors with warranties. Work is to be performed in Edgewood, Md., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2010. One bid was solicited with one bid received. U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command Acquisition Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground Contracting Division, Edgewood Division, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W911SR-07-C-0054). ~Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Carson, Calif., was awarded on April 16 an $18,254,115 firm-fixed-price contract for Type 1 encryption provided by the programmable inline encryption device. The contract will have a period of performance of five years and a ceiling of $300,000,000. Work is to be performed in Rochester, N.Y., with an estimated completion date of April 16, 2015. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with two bids received. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-10-D-B205). ~CNH America LLC., Racine, Wis., was awarded on April 16 a $12,346,504 firm-fixed-price contract for the production of the skid-steer loaders Type II and Type III, and miscellaneous hardware and services. Work is to be performed in Racine, Wis., with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2012. Bids were solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities Web site with one bid received. TACOM-Warren, CCTA-ADEC, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-07-D-0173). ~Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., was awarded on April 19 an $11,051,827 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 1,037 Remote Weapon System / Crew Remote Operated Weapons System final production configuration for the Mine Resistant Ambush All Terrain Vehicle. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2010. Five bids were solicited with five bids received. TACOM, CCTA-ADC-A, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-D-0111). ~Norfolk Dredging Co., Chesapeake, Va., was awarded on April 16 a $6,943,200 firm-fixed-price contract for removal of shoaling from the entrance channel to Canaveral Harbor. Work is to be performed in Brevard County, Fla., with an estimated completion date of Oct. 13, 2010. Thirty-seven bids were solicited with four bids received. U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity (W912EP-10-C-0026). NAVY ~Tactical Air Operations*, Coronado, Calif., is being awarded a $49,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the acquisition of turn key training support for Navy static line and free fall parachute training in support of the Naval Special Warfare Advanced Training Command in Coronado, Calif. Work will be performed in Otay, Calif., and is expected to be completed in April 2015. Contract funds in the amount of $171,274 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured through an electronic request for proposals and two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity (N61339-10-D-0008). AIR FORCE ~Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga., was awarded a $12,784,439 contract which will provide for the purchase of C-130J peculiar spares for existing base requirements. The bases being supported in this modification include Dyess Air Force Base and Cannon Air Force Base. Additionally, C-130J readiness spares packages and C-130J support equipment for inventory control point are being acquired. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 657 AESS, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8625-06-C-6456). *Small business

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated April 20, 2010

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated April 20, 2010 Source: U.S. DoD issued April 20, 2010 (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - April 21, 2010: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued April 20, 2010 are undermentioned; CONTRACTS NAVY ~Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Orlando, Fla. is being awarded a $44,414,000 firm-fixed-price supply contract for production of 18 AN/AAQ-30 thermal sight system (TSS) and associated data. The AN/AAQ-30 TSS provides detection, identification, and targeting capability in day/night operations for the U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z Super Cobra helicopter. AN/AAQ-30 TSS is fully integrated into the AH-1Z fire control system, providing range and optical line-of-sight data for all weapons including the 20mm gun, Hellfire missile, 2.75 inch rockets, and sidewinder missile. TSS has an automatic video tracker and includes a laser rangefinder/designator which provides classified coded designation of targets for laser-guided munitions of the tri-service arsenal. Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla. (90 percent), and Ocala, Fla. (10 percent), and is expected to be completed by October 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-10-C-JQ84). ~Complex Solutions, Inc., Kailua, Hawaii, is being awarded an $18,947,160 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity time-and-material contract modification for technical and educational support services to the Naval Postgraduate School's Center for Civil Military Relations education and training program. Work will be performed in Kailua, Hawaii, or Huntsville, Ala. (4 percent); Monterey, Calif. (9 percent); Tampa, Fla. (2 percent); various locations inside the contiguous United States (17 percent); and various locations outside the contiguous United States (68 percent). Work is expected to be completed by March 2011. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the fiscal year. This announcement combines services for the U.S. Navy (99 percent) and the governments of Austria, Egypt, Indonesia, and Singapore (1 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. This contract was competitively awarded through Electronic Commerce Online Web site, with two offers received. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N00244-07-D-0035). ~Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Inc., Newport News, Va., is being awarded a $16,769,544 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-2116) for procurement of additional long lead time materials in support of the construction preparation efforts for the second aircraft carrier of the Gerald R Ford class (CVN 79). Work to be performed will provide all services and material in preparation for construction of CVN 79 including: necessary research studies; engineering; design; related development efforts; advanced planning; advanced procurement for detailed design and procurement of long lead material; logistics data; and other data to support the anticipated fiscal 2013 ship detail design and construction of CVN 79. Work will be performed in Newport News, Va., and is expected to be completed by March 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. ~Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Sensors, Moorestown, N.J., is being awarded a $15,000,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-03-C-5115) for management and engineering services to maintain and modify, as necessary, the design of DDG 51 class combat system compartments and topside arrangements, in support of the Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems. Work will be performed in Moorestown, N.J. (37 percent); Bath, Maine (25 percent); Pascagoula, Miss. (22 percent); San Diego, Calif. (6 percent); Washington, D.C. (5 percent); Norfolk, Va. (3 percent); Port Hueneme, Calif. (1 percent); and Syracuse, N.Y. (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity. ~Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Sensors, Moorestown, N.J., is being awarded a $15,000,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-03-C-5115) for engineering services for DDG 51 class and CG 47 class Aegis Combat System installation, integration and test, and fleet life-cycle engineering support in support of Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems. The required services for DDG 51 class ships and CG 47 class ships include program management and operation support; quality assurance; configuration management; ship design integration; fleet life cycle engineering support; installation support; firmware maintenance; combat system test and evaluation; Navy-furnished material support; special studies; and future-ship integration studies. Work will be performed in Moorestown, N.J. (50 percent); Baltimore, Md. (25 percent); Norfolk, Va. (8 percent); Washington, D.C. (5 percent); Akron, Ohio (5 percent); Mayport, Fla. (2 percent); San Diego, Calif. (1 percent); Oxnard, Calif. (1 percent); Bath, Maine (1 percent); Pascagoula, Miss. (1 percent); and Dahlgren, Va. (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity. ~Bristol Design Build Services, LLC*, Anchorage, Alaska, is being awarded a $14,834,512 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a multi-purpose machine gun (MPMG) range at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Work also includes relocation of an engineering training area (ETC) and explosive ordinance disposal site. The MPMG consists of 24 firing positions on an eight-lane raised firing line; 144 stationary infantry targets, 10 infantry moving targets; and 15 hostile flight simulators. Primary facilities for MPMG include: breakdown building, covered bleacher enclosure, target storage building, covered mess, vehicular holding areas, and bivouac area. Primary facilities for ETC include: administrative, classroom, sort and maintenance buildings, bleacher and mess areas, and magazine shelter. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, N.C., and is expected to be completed by November 2011. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured as an 8(a) set-aside via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online Web site with six proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N40085-10-C-5300). U. S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND ~FLIR Systems, Inc., North Billerica, Mass., was awarded an estimated $35,209,784 one-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the purchase of long range ground mobility visual augmentation system in support of U.S. Special Operations Command procurement division. The work will be performed in Billerica, Mass., and is expected to be completed by 2011. U. S. Special Operations Command is the contracting activity (H92222-10-D-0013). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY ~Porter Manufacturing Corp.*, Lubbock, Texas, is being awarded a maximum $9,155,256 firm-fixed-price contract for diesel engine blocks. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Army. There were originally two proposals solicited with three responses. The date of performance completion is April 20, 2011. The Defense Logistics Agency Warren, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (SPRDL1-10-C-0063). ~Buckeye Fire Equipment*, Kings Mountain, N.C., is being awarded a maximum $7,312,620 fixed-price with economic price adjustment, long-term, indefinite-quantity contract for support of Defense Logistics Agency direct deliveries only. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. There were originally seven proposals solicited with six responses. This contract has a two-year base period. The date of performance completion is April 20, 2012. The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM8EG-10-D-0004).

DTN News: Israel TODAY April 21, 2010 ~ 'Hizbullah Arms Real Danger To Israel'

DTN News: Israel TODAY April 21, 2010 ~ 'Hizbullah Arms Real Danger To Israel' Source: DTN News / By JPOST.COM STAFF AND AP (NSI News Source Info) JERUSALEM, Israel - April 21, 2010: Following last week's uncertainty surrounding a reported Syrian Scud missile delivery to Hizbullah, a senior US senator said Tuesday that the guerrilla group most likely obtained the weapons and that its missiles posed a real danger to Israel. "I believe there is a likelihood that there are Scuds that Hizbullah has in Lebanon. A high likelihood," Senate Intelligence Committee chair Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California, told AFP."The rockets and missiles in Lebanon are substantially increased and better technologically than they were and this is a real point of danger for Israel." Feinstein stressed that the tensions in the North would only subside with a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. "There's only one thing that's going to solve it, and that's a two-state solution," she said. Hizbullah sources confirmed last week that the group had received a shipment of Scud missiles from Syria, but Damascus denied the reports, saying Israel was trying to stoke tensions in the region. On Monday, the State Department summoned the senior Syrian diplomat in Washington to accuse his government of "provocative behavior" in supplying the arms. A department statement announcing the complaint was imprecise about the alleged arms deals by the Syrians. It alluded to the transfer to Hizbullah of Scud ballistic missiles but did not say explicitly that Syria was behind such a deal. The State Department said deputy chief of mission Zouheir Jabbour was called in to "review Syria's provocative behavior concerning the potential transfer of arms to Hizbullah." It went on to say that providing Hizbullah with Scud missiles risked escalating tensions in the volatile region. "The United States condemns in the strongest terms the transfer of any arms, and especially ballistic missile systems such as the Scud, from Syria to Hizbullah," the statement said. "The transfer of these arms can only have a destabilizing effect on the region and would pose an immediate threat to both the security of Israel and the sovereignty of Lebanon." Gordon Duguid, a State Department spokesman in whose name the statement was issued, said in a telephone interview that the department was not confirming that a Scud transfer to Hizbullah had taken place. He said the meeting with the Syrian diplomat was conducted to seek answers about Syrian arms deals and to reiterate US concerns. Last week White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that US concern about reports of Syrian Scud missile transfers to Hizbullah had been raised at the highest levels of the Syrian government. On April 1, during a visit to Damascus, Democratic Sen. John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, reiterated US misgivings about the flow of weapons through Syria to Hizbullah and told reporters the US view is that this is "something that must stop" for there to be peace. The State Department statement linked the issue of Syrian arms provisions for Hizbullah to the broader Middle East conflict. "The risk of miscalculation that could result from this type of escalation should make Syria reverse the ill-conceived policy it has pursued in providing arms to Hizbullah," it said. "Additionally, the heightened tension and increased potential for conflict this policy produces is an impediment to ongoing efforts to achieve a comprehensive peace in the Middle East." Related News; U.S. warns Syria after scud missile allegations

DTN News: BAE Systems In Talks To Supply 60 Hawk Jets To India

DTN News: BAE Systems In Talks To Supply 60 Hawk Jets To India Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) LONDON, U.K. - April 21, 2010: UK-based BAE Systems plans to sell 60 more Hawk trainer jets to India in a deal estimated to be worth Rs 3417 crore. Currently talks are on and a deal would probably see state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics place an order for the aircraft with the global defence, security and aerospace company. An agreement might be reached within the next few months, the Financial Times reported quoting industry sources. India had earlier ordered 66 Hawk jets from BAE in 2004 at a cost of about ?1bn. Of these, 24 were built by BAE at its Brough plant in the UK's north-east. The remaining 42 are being manufactured under licence by HAL in India with the first Hawks now in service. All the aircraft in the follow-up deal would also be built by HAL, the report said.

DTN News: Indonesian Market Proves Attractive For BAE Systems Regional Jets

DTN News: Indonesian Market Proves Attractive For BAE Systems Regional Jets Source: DTN News / BAE Systems (NSI News Source Info) KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - April 21, 2010: BAE Systems announced at the Defence Services Asia Exhibition and Conference in Kuala Lumpur (19-22 April) that it continues to enjoy success in the Indonesian domestic market with its BAe 146/Avro RJ family of regional jetliners. Over the past year BAE Systems has placed four of these aircraft into Indonesia and is underscoring the importance it attaches to this market by planning to hold its first Asian Operators' Conference in the country during May. The latest aircraft to be sold into Indonesia was delivered in November 2009 to PT Aviastar Mandiri, a certified air charter operator, which bought a BAe 146-200 which is being operated on behalf of Transnusa Air Services in a 98 seat all-economy layout. It is based at Denpasar Airport in Bali and operates to destinations in East Nusa Tenggara. Aviastar Mandiri bought another BAe 146-200 in June, while PT Nusantara Air Charter also bought a Series 200 passenger airliner from BAE Systems and a Series 200QT (Quiet Trader) freighter in a deal brokered by BAE Systems last summer. Mr Raj Singh, Director Sales and Leasing (Asia) for BAE Systems Regional Aircraft said: "Indonesia is a very receptive market for us at the moment and we are actively engaged in further discussions with a number of operators. The geography of the country means that regional air transport can often be the only reliable means of getting passengers and goods from one area to another. The BAe 146/Avro RJ family has the airfield performance, economics and price tag to make it a strong contender for these roles." There are three variants of the aircraft operating with six carriers in Indonesia - a total of nine aircraft so far. Scheduled and charter passenger operations are carried out by Aviastar Mandiri with two BAe 146-200s, by PT Manunggal Air with two BAe 146-100s, by PT Nusantara Air Charter with its Series 200 and by PT Air Maleo with a single BAe 146-100. Freighter operations are carried out by the BAe 146-200QT operated by PT Nusantara Air Charter. Two Avro Business Jet variants are operated by PT Pelita Air Service (one RJ85) and by PT Airfast Indonesia who fly a corporately-configured BAe 146-100 on behalf of Metro TV, Indonesia's first 24-hour news station. Elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific air transport market BAE Systems products are also proving popular. The ATP turboprop freighter is in service with PT Deraya Air of Indonesia, while the Jetstream 41 turboprop transport flies in its 29-seat airliner role with Agni Air and Yeti Airlines of Nepal, and as a corporate transport with the Royal Thai Army and Royal Star Aviation of the Philippines. The Hong Kong Government Flying Service also operates two special mission Jetstream 41s. The smaller 18/19 seat Jetstream 31/32 also features in operations with Royal Star Aviation and the Thai Directorate of Civil Aviation, while the older BAe 748 transport aircraft remains in service with commercial operators in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, as well as with air arms in Nepal, South Korea and Thailand. About BAE Systems BAE Systems is a global defence, security and aerospace company with approximately 107,000 employees worldwide. The Company delivers 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. In 2009 BAE Systems reported sales of £22.4 billion (US$ 36.2 billion).

DTN News: Baghdad Politics And The U.S.-Iranian Balance

DTN News: Baghdad Politics And The U.S.-Iranian Balance Source: By George Friedman STRATFOR (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 21, 2010: The status of Iraq has always framed the strategic challenge of Iran. Until 2003, regional stability — such as it was — was based on the Iran-Iraq balance of power. The United States invaded Iraq on the assumption that it could quickly defeat and dismantle the Iraqi government and armed forces and replace them with a cohesive and effective pro-American government and armed forces, thereby restoring the balance of power. When that expectation proved faulty, the United States was forced into two missions. The first was stabilizing Iraq. The second was providing the force for countering Iran. The United States and Iran both wanted to destroy Saddam Hussein’s Baathist regime, and they collaborated to some extent during the invasion. But from there, their goals diverged. The Iranians hoped to establish a Shiite regime in Baghdad that would be under Tehran’s influence. The United States wanted to establish a regime that would block the Iranians. The U.S. Challenge in Iraq In retrospect, U.S. strategy in Iraq was incoherent at base. On one hand, the American debaathification program drove the Sunni community into opposition and insurgency. Convinced that they faced catastrophe from the Americans on the one side and the pro-Iranian government forming in Baghdad on the other, the Iraqi Sunni Baathists united in resistance with foreign jihadists. At the same time the Americans were signaling hostility toward the Sunnis, they also moved to prevent the formation of a pro-Iranian government. This created a war between three factions (the Americans, the Shia and the Sunnis) that plunged Iraq into chaos, shattered the balance of power with Iran and made the United States the only counterweight to the Iranians. All of this turned what was intended to be a short-term operation into an extended war from which the United States could not extract itself. The United States could not leave because it had created a situation in which the Iranian military was the most powerful force in the Persian Gulf region. Absent the United States, the Iranians would dominate Iraq. They would not actually have to invade (Iran’s military has a limited ability to project force far from its borders in any case) to extract massive political and economic concessions from both Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula. An unchecked Iran, quite apart from its not-yet-extant nuclear capability, represents a profound strategic threat to the balance of power in the Persian Gulf. Assuming the nuclear issue was settled tomorrow either diplomatically or through attacks, the strategic problem would remain unchanged, as the central problem is conventional, not nuclear. The United States is set to complete the withdrawal of its combat forces from Iraq this summer, leaving behind a residual force of about 50,000 support personnel. This drawdown is according to a plan former U.S. President George W. Bush laid down in 2008, and that U.S. President Barack Obama has sped up only by a few months. Therefore, this is not a political issue but one on which there has been consensus. The reason for the withdrawal is that U.S. forces are needed in Afghanistan. Even more important, the United States has no strategic reserve for its ground forces. It has fought a two-theater, multidivisional war for seven years. The Army is stretched to the limit, and should another crisis develop elsewhere in the world, the United States would lack the land power to respond decisively. Avoiding this potential situation requires drawing down U.S. forces from Iraq. But simply abandoning the Persian Gulf to Iranian military and political power also represents a dangerous situation for the Americans. Therefore, the United States must balance two unacceptable realities. The only hope the United States has of attaining this balance would be to achieve some semblance of its expectations of 2003. This would mean creating a cohesive Iraqi government with sufficient military and security capabilities to enforce its will internally and to deter an attack by an Iranian force. At the very least, the Iraqis would have to be able to hold off an Iranian attack long enough to allow the United States to rush forces back into Iraq and to suppress insurgent elements from all Iraqi communities, both Sunni and Shiite. If Iraq could do the former, the Iranians likely would refrain from an attack. Iranian rhetoric may be extreme, but the Iranians are risk-averse in their actions. If Iraq could do the latter, then they eliminate Iran’s preferred mode of operations, which is covert subversion through proxies. The issue therefore boils down to how the United States answers this question: Can the Iraqis form a coherent government in Baghdad capable of making decisions and a force capable of achieving the goals laid out above? Both the government and the force have to exist; if either one is lacking, the other is meaningless. But alongside this question are others. Does Iraq have any strategic consensus whatsoever? If so, does it parallel American strategic interests? Assuming the Iraqis create a government and build a significant force, will they act as the Americans want them to? State vs. Faction The United States is a country that believes in training. It has devoted enormous efforts to building an Iraqi military and police force able to control Iraq. The Americans have tried to imbue Iraq’s security forces with “professionalism,” which in the U.S. context means a force fully capable of carrying out its mission and prepared to do so if its civilian masters issue the orders. As professionals, they are the technicians of warfare and policing. But perhaps the fundamental question of any military force, one that comes before training, is loyalty. In some militaries, the primary loyalty is to oneself. In such militaries, one joins to make a living, steal what one can and simply survive. In other militaries, the primary loyalty is not to the state, but some faction of the country, be it religious, ethnic or geographical. No one is going to give his life defending a state to which he is indifferent or even hostile, no matter how carefully trained in handling his weapon or how well-lectured he is on the question of professional responsibility. Neither of these conditions allows for a successful military in the end. A man in it for himself is not going to go into harm’s way if he can help it. A man in the military to protect his clan is not going to die to protect those to whom he has no loyalty. The U.S. Army has trained tens of thousands of Iraqis. And Americans are great trainers. But the problem isn’t training, it is loyalty. Professionalism doesn’t imbue anyone with self-sacrifice to something alien to him. And this is the challenge the United States faces in the Iraqi government, which like most governments, consists of many factions with diverging interests. In viable states, however, fundamental values shared by the overwhelming majority lie beneath the competing interests, be they a myth of country or of the moral principles of a constitution. It is simply not apparent that Iraqi factions have a core understanding of what Iraq should be, however, nor is it clear whether they owe their primary loyalty to the state or to some faction of Iraq. Saddam Hussein held the state together by a complex of benefits and terror. He became the center of Iraq, and in a sense became Iraq. Once he was destroyed, Iraq’s factions went to war with each other and with the United States, pursuing goals inimical to a united Iraq. Therefore Iraq’s reconstituted military and security forces, however intermixed or homogenized they may be, still owe their individual loyalties to their factions, which will call on them to serve their people, a subset of Iraq. The United States plans to withdraw its combat forces by the summer. Leaving aside how well-protected the remaining 50,000 noncombat troops will be, the question persists on who will hold the country together. The Iranians certainly are not eager to see the Iraqi situation resolved in favor of a government that can block Iran’s ambitions. The Iranians have longstanding relations with any number of Iraqi Shiite groups, and even with some Kurdish and Sunni groups. Iran would have every reason to do what it can to destabilize Iraq above and beyond any indigenous destabilization of Iraq in order to help shape a government it can dominate. In our view, Tehran has the tools to do this effectively. The American leadership is certainly aware of this. It may hope or even believe that a stable Iraqi government will emerge, and it will certainly not say anything publicly that would decrease confidence in the process. But at the same time, the American leadership must privately know that the probability of a cohesive Iraqi government commanding a capable and loyal security force is far from a slam dunk. In Search of a Plan B Therefore, logic tells us that the United States must have a Plan B. This could be a plan to halt withdrawals. The problem with that plan is that there is no assurance that in three months or a year the core divisions of Iraq could be solved. The United States could be left without forces for a strategic reserve without any guarantee that time would solve the problem. A strategy of delay calls for some clear idea of what delay would bring. Or the United States could complete the withdrawal on the assumption that the Iranians would not dare attack Iraq directly while the residual U.S. force remained. The problem with this strategy is that it is built on an assumption. This assumption is not unreasonable, but it is still an assumption, not a certainty. Moreover, Iran could covertly destabilize Iraq, putting U.S. forces without sufficient combat capability in harm’s way from Iranian-supplied forces. Finally, Iran’s major audience consists of the oil powers of the Arabian Peninsula. Tehran wants to show the Gulf Arabs that the United States will withdraw from Iraq regardless of potential consequences to them, reducing their confidence in the United States and forcing them to contemplate an accommodation with Iran. Halting the withdrawal therefore poses substantial challenges, and completing the withdrawal poses even more. This is particularly the case if the United States completes the withdrawal without reaching some accommodation with Iran. But negotiating with the Iranians from a position of weakness is not an attractive option. The Iranians’ price would be higher than the United States wants to pay. Therefore, the United States would have to make some show of power to the Iranians that will convince the Iranians that they are at risk. Bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities could fit the bill, but it has two drawbacks. First, the attacks might fail. Second, even if they succeeded, they would not have addressed the conventional problem. Washington’s way forward depends upon what the American government believes the probabilities are at this point for a viable Iraqi government and security force able to suppress insurgencies, including those fomented by Iran. If the Americans believe a viable Iraqi government is a possibility, they should roll the dice and withdraw. But it is not clear from our point of view what Washington is seeing. If it believes the probability is low, the United States not only will have to halt the withdrawal, it will have to reverse it to convince the Iranians that the Americans are hypercommitted to Iraq. This might cause Tehran to recalculate, opening the door for discussion. It is now April, meaning we are four months from the deadline for the completion of the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraq. In the balance is not only Iraq, but also the Iranian situation. What happens next all comes down to whether the mass of parties in Baghdad share a common foundation on which to build a nation — and whether the police and military would be loyal enough to this government to die for it. If not, then the entire edifice of U.S. policy in the region — going back to the surge — is not merely at risk, but untenable. If it is untenable, then the United States must craft a new strategy in the region, redefining relationships radically — beginning with Iran. As with many things in life, it is not a matter of what the United States might want, or what it might think to be fair. Power is like money — you either have it or you don’t. And if you don’t, you can’t afford to indulge your appetites. If things in Baghdad work themselves out, all of this is moot. If things don’t work out, the Obama administration will be forced to make its first truly difficult foreign policy decisions. This report may be forwarded or republished on your website with attribution to http://www.stratfor.com/ *This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com Disclaimer statement Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information supplied herein, DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Unless otherwise indicated, opinions expressed herein are those of the author of the page and do not necessarily represent the corporate views of DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News.

DTN News: Schiebel ~ Maker Of Camcopter S-100 UAVs Hovers Over New UAE Deals

DTN News: Schiebel ~ Maker Of Camcopter S-100 UAVs Hovers Over New UAE Deals Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) DUBAI, UAE - April 21, 2010: Schiebel, the Austrian defence company, is seeking more contracts in the Middle East for its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) after nearing the end of deliveries on its 60-aircraft deal with the UAE Armed Forces. The focus comes as military and national security planners around the world shift to unmanned systems to lower costs and expand coverage of aerial reconnaissance activities to include critical assets such as power plants, oil and gas pipelines and refineries. “There is a great deal of interest from a number of countries in the region – a couple are in the critical phases now, while others are in the early marketing phases,” said Neil Hunter, the managing director for sales and strategy for Schiebel. The Vienna-based company, which also produces mine detectors, said the UAE was its first major contract and proved its products were able to withstand the hot and high-altitude conditions of the Middle East. Schiebel has delivered 56 of 60 Camcopter S-100 UAVs to the Emirates, according to Wolfgang Steigberger, the regional sales manager at Schiebel. The company declined to give a cost for the aircraft but said it was 10 times cheaper than another well-known UAV, Northrop Grumman’s Fire Scout, which the military data provider Deagel.com says costs about US$15 million (Dh55m). Together, the two products have helped gain acceptance for helicopter-based UAVs, Mr Hunter said. “There has been a lot of scepticism and disbelief when it comes to unmanned helicopters but the likes of us and Northrop Grumman have proved they have a lot to offer.” Schiebel has formed a partnership with Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Investments to customise the platform with specific payload and operational characteristics into a system called Al Sber. There has been a significant growth of UAVs in active military theatres, Mr Hunter said. “There is a shift in emphasis to unmanned systems because they do the dull, the dangerous and the dirty tasks that you can avoid being done by humans,” he said. The US, which has the largest military budget in the world, said its army would move to operating mostly unmanned aircraft over the next 25 years. But Schiebel said civilian sector opportunities could be even larger. “This area is probably going to see the fastest growth before any of the other sectors,” Mr Hunter said. The rise of border protection agencies is likely to increase the civilian market. One could be the UAE’s Critical National Infrastructure Authority, which is tasked with protecting more than 24 facilities across the country and recently signed for 34 interceptor boats to protect offshore oil and gas installations. While the initial UAV contract with the Emirates is nearing its conclusion, Schiebel is optimistic it may lead to other opportunities, including a logistics, training and sustainment contract for the 60 aircraft, which have a lifespan of 15 years.

DTN News: UAE TODAY April 21, 2010 ~ Iran's Occupation Of Gulf Islands ‘Shameful', Says Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed

DTN News: UAE TODAY April 21, 2010 ~ Iran's Occupation Of Gulf Islands ‘Shameful', Says Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Source: DTN News / The National By Mahmoud Habboush (NSI News Source Info) ABU DHABI, UAE - April 21, 2010: Iranian control of three islands in the Gulf is a “shameful occupation” rather than a “misunderstanding”, the Foreign Minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, said yesterday. Iran occupied Abu Musa near the mouth of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, along with Greater and Lesser Tunb, on the eve of the UAE’s independence in December 1971. The issue has been a point of contention between the nations ever since. “They like to call it misunderstanding, but we call it occupation,” said Sheikh Abdullah, adding that the situation was made worse because hundreds of Emirati families on Abu Musa have been cut off from basic health and education services available to the rest of the Emirates’ citizens. “There are hundreds of families in Abu Musa under occupation,” Sheikh Abdullah told members of the FNC in his first appearance in the chamber since he was appointed Foreign Minister in 2006. “Communication between them and the rest of their compatriots is almost non-existent, delivering aid or construction materials is impossible. Iran refuses that we send teachers, doctors, and nurses to them. There are few who know the daily suffering of our citizens in Abu Musa,” Sheikh Abdullah said. “This is a burden that we should all deal with, not only as a Government but as a nation.” For two decades, Iran has pursued a policy of fait accompli in the three islands. In 1992, Iranian authorities forced Emiratis sailing to the islands to apply for Iranian visas. In 1996, Iran built an airport on Abu Musa and a power station on Greater Tunb. In August 2008, the official Iranian media reported the construction of a marine rescue centre and a registration office for ships and sailors on Abu Musa. “The occupation of any Arab land is only called occupation rather than misunderstanding, be it Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights, south Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza,” Sheikh Abdullah said. “I am not comparing Iran to Israel … but I should be sensitive about the occupation of my land more than about that of others.” UAE leaders, including the late Sheikh Zayed, the nation’s founder, have on many occasions urged successive Iranian governments to end the dispute through talks or international arbitration. These calls, however, have been consistently rejected by Iranian officials. Last month, Nasser Sudani, the deputy speaker of the Iranian parliament, declined an invitation by Abdul Aziz al Ghurair, the FNC Speaker, to form a joint parliamentary committee to discuss the islands. “We don’t see any dispute,” Mr Sudani told the FNC Speaker during a meeting at an international parliamentary conference in Bangkok. Yousef al Nuaimi, a member of the FNC from Ras al Khaimah, scoffed at the notion that it was a “misunderstanding”. “What kind of misunderstanding [is] initiated with a military offensive and followed by evicting the residents and teachers by fishing boats?” Mr al Nuaimi accused Iran of stealing oil from around the island in violation of a memorandum of understanding signed with the Government of Sharjah in 1971. “No matter how long this goes on, the Emirati rights will be retained,” Sheikh Abdullah said. “Not only the Emirati land but also the draining [of our resources] as pointed [out] by one of the members. We cannot allow this.” Sheikh Abdullah praised the FNC for drawing international attention to Iran’s occupation of the three islands.

DTN News: Boeing Team Delivers C-130H Aerial Refueling Tanker To Japan

DTN News: Boeing Team Delivers C-130H Aerial Refueling Tanker To Japan Source: DTN News / Boeing (NSI News Source Info) GIFU, Japan, - April 21, 2010: The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and partners Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) and Cobham Mission Systems today announced that they have delivered a C-130H aerial refueling tanker to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). The JASDF took delivery in late February at KHI Gifu Works after the aircraft completed modification and acceptance for testing at the KHI facility in Gifu. KHI modified the C-130H, originally designed as a transport aircraft, to incorporate Cobham air-to-air refueling pods and Boeing design modifications affecting the structure, wiring and fuel system. The tanker currently provides aerial refueling for the UH-60J, a search and rescue helicopter. It now will move into operational testing with the JASDF. "The Boeing Company has more than 80 years of experience in aerial refueling, and each member of our team feels great pride carrying on that tradition for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force," said Ken Hill, Boeing director of Special Operations Programs. "To work with people who have such dedication and commitment is an honor." A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security 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 Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

DTN News: Russia TODAY April 21, 2010 ~ Premier Putin Satisfied With Russian Fifth-Generation Fighter Tests

DTN News: Russia TODAY April 21, 2010 ~ Premier Putin Satisfied With Russian Fifth-Generation Fighter Tests Source: DTN News / RIA Novosti (NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW, Russia - April 21, 2010: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said he was satisfied with the tests of a Russian fifth-generation fighter jet. "Flight tests of the fifth-generation fighter are continuing successfully," Putin said. "Once again I want to thank everyone who worked on this machine, as well as those who are now putting it in the air," the premier continued. The first Russian fifth-generation fighter jet was delivered to Zhukovsky in the Moscow Region for a flight test on April 8. The fighter performed its maiden flight on January 29, when the jet spent 47 minutes in the air. The Sukhoi design bureau started project development of the aircraft after it received the tender in April 2002. Last summer, the fighter's design was approved, and the prototype blueprints were delivered to the KNAAPO aviation construction company based in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. The T-50 is the domestic name of the plane which had been developed as the Advanced Front-Line Aviation Complex (PAK FA) for Russia's Air Force. The PAK FA can carry either eight next-generation air-to-air R-77 missiles, or two large controllable anti-ship bombs weighing 1,500 kg each. It can also carry two long-range missiles developed by the Novator Bureau which can hit targets within a 400 kilometer range.

DTN News: Commander Stresses Iran's Capability To Overhaul, Optimize Fighter Jets

DTN News: Commander Stresses Iran's Capability To Overhaul, Optimize Fighter Jets Source: DTN News / FARS News Agency (NSI News Source Info) TEHRAN, Iran - April 21, 2010: An Iranian Air Force commander announced here on Tuesday that the country overhauls and optimizes different types of military aircraft, mentioning that Air Force has even installed Iran-made radar systems on the sophisticated F14 fighter jets. "Indeed, it can be said that most airplanes have the previous designs but all of their components, including systems and parts, are being optimized and upgraded on a continued and regular basis," Iranian Air Force Lieutenant Commander for Coordination General Aziz Nasirzadeh said in an interview with FNA on Tuesday. The commander stated that mounting optimized home-made 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) smart bombs, Qassed (Messenger), on Iranian bombers is an instance of the country's capability to upgrade its fighter jets. The Iranian Army's Air Force announced in September that it has successfully test-fired Qassed (Messenger) 1and 2, in aerial drills over the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. Referring to the promotion of the systems and capabilities of F14 fighter jets, Nasirzadeh said, "…today we have a new generation of F14 fighters at our service, and its radar system has been upgraded by our local experts." Reiterating that the new radar system has been built and installed on the F14 fighter jets by the Iranian personnel, the General added, "Therefore, we can enhance and upgrade it (radar) continuously. The commander also pointed out that his forces have even upgraded the jet engines of F14, and said considering the numerous alterations that Iran has made to the radar system and the engines of F14, it can be said that what Iranian Air Force now has is a new generation of the globally known version of F14. He further announced that Iran has already started a move to manufacture aircraft engines and has achieved acceptable results in this regard. Iran has recently made good progress in the air industry and succeeded in gaining the technical know-how for producing stealth aircraft and drones. In September 2009, Iran displayed the first squadron of Saeqeh (Thunderbolt) fighter jets produced by its defense industries in an air show staged during military parades at the beginning of the Week of Sacred Defense, marking Iranians' sacrifices during the 8 years of Iraqi imposed war on Iran in 1980s.