DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Lockheed Martin Names Orlando Carvalho Executive Vice President, Aeronautics; Lorraine Martin To Lead F-35 Program

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Lockheed Martin Names Orlando Carvalho Executive Vice President, Aeronautics; Lorraine Martin To Lead F-35 Program
**Larry Lawson to Retire

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Lockheed Martin
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 18, 2013:  Lockheed Martin Corporation [NYSE:  LMT] announced that its board of directors has approved the appointment of Orlando Carvalho, 54, to executive vice president of the Aeronautics business area, and Lorraine Martin, 50, as vice president and general manager of the F-35 Lightning II program.  The board also elected Martin a corporate officer.  Both appointments are effective immediately and follow the retirement of Larry Lawson, 55, on April 5 after 26 years with Lockheed Martin. 

“I’d like to thank Larry for the many contributions he’s made to our success in his 26-years of dedicated service,” said Marillyn Hewson, Lockheed Martin chief executive officer and president.  “He has had a distinguished career at Lockheed Martin and we wish him the best in his retirement.” 

“Orlando and Lorraine are impressive leaders who have consistently demonstrated their ability to build strong customer relationships, successfully manage complex programs, and inspire our teams,” continued Hewson.  “These appointments are examples of our deep bench of talent and demonstrate the value of our robust succession planning efforts.”          
“Orlando is a proven leader with nearly 33 years of experience with Lockheed Martin, a strong record of achievement, and a keen understanding of our customers and their mission.” 

Since joining Aeronautics in 2011, Carvalho has been responsible for the performance of all aspects of the F-35 Lightning II program, the U.S. government’s largest and most complex development and production program.  Under his leadership, the F-35 program has delivered impressive results, including consistently exceeding the flight test plans; significantly improving on-schedule delivery of the Mission Systems and Autonomic Logistics Information System software releases; delivering 30 aircraft in 2012 while increasing affordability; and supporting the launch of training operations at Eglin AFB and the stand up of the first Marine Corps and Air Force operational F-35 bases. 

Prior to joining Aeronautics, Carvalho led Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems & Sensors, a business with more than $6 billion in sales and 15,000 employees delivering systems engineering, software development and program management in support of the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, Army and Marine Corps, and  customers in 50 nations.  Throughout his career, Carvalho has held a series of increasingly responsible positions in the company’s Electronic Systems and Aeronautics business areas.  He holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Fairfield University.

“As a seasoned leader with nearly 25 years of Lockheed Martin experience, Lorraine has a proven track record of driving operational excellence and has been instrumental in improving the F-35 program performance and delivering outstanding results for our customers,” continued Hewson. 

 As Vice President and Deputy of the F-35 program, Martin has been responsible for partnering with Carvalho to oversee the F-35 system development and demonstration program, transition from development to production, flight testing, and global deployment and sustainment for 13 military services in nine partner countries. 

Since joining the Aeronautics business area in 2008, Martin has led the C-130 and C-5 programs, where she was responsible for all aspects of the design, delivery and sustainment of these successful aircraft programs.  She also led the Flight Solutions business, where she was responsible for developing and delivering U.S. and international military aircrew training programs, including the F-35 training system.  Martin began her Lockheed Martin career in 1988, after serving five years as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, and has held a number of leadership positions of increasing responsibility in the company’s Electronic Systems, Information Systems & Global Solutions and Aeronautics business areas.  She holds a master’s degree in Computer Science from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree in Computational Mathematics from DePauw University.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 120,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services.  The Corporation’s net sales for 2012 were $47.2 billion.

Media Contacts:
Andrea Greenan, 301-897-6210,
andrea.m.greenan@lmco.com

Joe LaMarca, 817-777-6736,
joseph.lamarca@lmco.com

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Lockheed Martin
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - KOREAN PENINSULA NEWS: Satellite Images Suggest 'Looming' N.Korea Missile Test

DTN News - KOREAN PENINSULA NEWS: Satellite Images Suggest 'Looming' N.Korea Missile Test

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources AFP
(NSI News Source Info) SINGAPORE - November 28, 2012: North Korea could carry out a long-range missile test in the next three weeks, with new satellite images showing increased launch site activity, according to satellite operator DigitalGlobe Inc.


The global provider of commercial high-resolution earth imagery said Monday that the new pictures showed significant movement at North Korea's Sohae (West Sea) Satellite Launch Station.

"Given the observed level of activity noted, of a new tent, trucks, people and numerous portable fuel/oxidizer tanks, should North Korea desire -- it could possibly conduct its fifth satellite launch event during the next three weeks," it said.

DigitalGlobe said the type of activity was consistent with preparations observed before North Korea's failed launch of its Unha-3 missile in April.

Pyongyang insisted the April launch bid was aimed at putting a satellite in orbit, but the United States and United Nations denounced the mission as a disguised ballistic missile test.

The test put a halt to international efforts to engage the isolated nation, with the United States calling off plans to deliver badly needed food assistance.

The North is in the final stage of preparations for a launch after missile parts were transported to the launch site early this month, an unnamed senior military official told Yonhap news agency.

"(The South Korean military) is judging that there is high possibility of (the North's) firing off the missile between December and January of next year," the official was quoted as saying.

Any test in the next three weeks would cast a heavy cloud over South Korea's presidential election on December 19.

There have been widespread concerns in Seoul that the North would seek to influence the ballot by conducting a missile launch or provoking a border clash.

The Japanese Asahi Shimbun newspaper had reported last week that the US government had already warned Japan and South Korea that an imminent test was possible.

Last month, the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University said satellite images showed North Korea had conducted motor tests at the Sohae site to improve its long-range missiles.

Some analysts believe that a North Korean rocket, if successfully developed, could eventually reach the range to hit the United States.

North Korea is known to have an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) in development -- the Taepodong-2 -- but it has never been tested successfully.

Days after the failed April test, North Korea raised eyebrows by displaying what appeared to be a new set of ICBMs at a military parade to mark the 100th birthday of the North's late founder Kim Il-Sung.

But Western military analysts and UN sanctions experts concluded that the display models were simply mock-ups.

Full coverage

Second North Korean missile launch would be unprecedented CNN (blog) - ‎3 hours ago‎ While new satellite images show preparations for what is believed to be a coming long-range missile launch by North Korea, a second attempt in 2012 would be unprecedented, a top satellite image analyst told CNN. There have been four launches of this ... Images suggest DPRK to test missile China Daily - ‎5 hours ago‎ A new satellite image shows a marked increase in activity at a missile launch site of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, pointing to a possible long-range ballistic missile test by Pyongyang in the next three weeks. The imagery taken by satellite ... North Korea's Illegal Weapons Pipeline Flows On Wall Street Journal - ‎5 hours ago‎ Illegal shipments of missile technology and weapons from North Korea have flowed unabated under the leadership of Kim Jong Eun, dashing Western hopes that Pyongyang's new leader might moderate his country's aggressive proliferation activities. US analysts detect 'activity' at North Korea missile site Irish Times - ‎5 hours ago‎ A new satellite image shows a marked increase in activity at a North Korean missile launch site, pointing to a possible long-range ballistic missile test by Pyongyang in the next three weeks, according to satellite operator DigitalGlobe Inc. The imagery was ... Images suggest looming North Korea missile test Business Recorder (blog) - ‎6 hours ago‎ North Korea could carry out a long-range missile test in the next three weeks, with new satellite images showing increased launch site activity, according to satellite operator DigitalGlobe Inc. The global provider of commercial high-resolution earth imagery ... North Korea Missile Test Likely In Next 3 Weeks, Satellite Photo Suggests Huffington Post - ‎10 hours ago‎ A newly released satellite photo of North Korea indicates the country may be preparing for a long-range missile test in the next several weeks. The photo, taken by DigitalGlobe, a satellite operator that provides imagery for U.S. intelligence officials, shows ... South Korea says North may be preparing for new rocket launch Washington Post - ‎13 hours ago‎ SEOUL — Fresh satellite images show increasing activity at North Korea's launch site, an indication that it could be ready to fire a long-range rocket within several weeks, South Korean officials said Tuesday. “There is a high possibility” of a launch in ... S. Korean church scraps border Christmas lights plan Bangkok Post - ‎14 hours ago‎ A South Korean church group has scrapped plans to display Christmas lights near the border with North Korea after residents voiced fears Pyongyang might shell the illuminations, officials said Tuesday. A North Korean (right) looks across the demilitarized ... Photo shows more activity at N.Korean launch site NBCNews.com - ‎14 hours ago‎ A satellite image of the Sohae launch facility on November 23, showing increased activity at the North Korean missile launch site. By Andrea Shalal-Esa. updated 11/26/2012 9:00:05 PM ET 2012-11-27T02:00:05. Print; Font: +; -. A new satellite image shows a ... Seoul warns of N Korean rocket launch plan Financial Times - ‎14 hours ago‎ Seoul believes North Korea is preparing to launch a ballistic missile, posing a possible new threat to stability on the peninsula ahead of South Korea's presidential election in December. “It's clear that they're in preparation for a possible launch,” a senior ... North Korean Car Maker Seems Set to Shut Down Wall Street Journal (blog) - ‎15 hours ago‎ An experiment in building cars in North Korea appears about to end, though it will do little to ease the world's oversupply of auto manufacturing capacity. Pyeonghwa Motors Corp., a company started by the South Korea-based Unification Church in 1999 that ... North Korean assassin captured with Bond kill-kit The Sun - ‎16 hours ago‎ A CAPTURED North Korean assassin was found with a cache of secret James Bond style-weapons. The hidden "kill-kit" included a device that appeared to be a torch - but was actually a gun that was capable of firing a bullet. The sneaky hitman was arrested ... Satellite images hint at North Korean missile test The Australian - ‎17 hours ago‎ SATELLITE images released yesterday show a flurry of recent activity at North Korea's Sohae rocket launch station, suggesting the rogue state could be eyeing a missile test as South Korea embarks on presidential elections. Reports in Japanese newspapers ... Seoul reveals poisoned pen plot The Australian - ‎17 hours ago‎ WHEN the elegantly suited Mr An was arrested in Seoul last year, the contents of his pockets seemed innocuous enough: two ballpoint pens and a small, cheap-looking torch. Beneath the items' innocent casings, however, were the precision tools of a North ... South Korean church to end car venture with North: source AsiaOne - ‎17 hours ago‎ SEOUL - One of the more bizarre joint ventures in car-making is set to come to an end following the death of the head of South Korea's Unification Church which it is to give its stake in the Pyeonghwa Motors operation to North Korea. Pyeonghwa, which ... New Satellite Images Suggest N. Korea Missile Activity Voice of America - ‎18 hours ago‎ A satellite imagery company is reporting increased activity at a North Korean launch site, suggesting a long-range missile test could take place in just weeks. The image released Monday by DigitalGlobe shows an increased level of personnel, trucks and other ... Images suggest looming N Korea missile test: DigitalGlobe Hindu Business Line - ‎20 hours ago‎ North Korea could carry out a long-range missile test in the next three weeks, suggest new images released by satellite operator DigitalGlobe Inc showing increased launch site activity. The global provider of commercial high-resolution satellite imagery said ... `Increased activity at North Korean missile launch site` Zee News - ‎21 hours ago‎ `Increased activity at North Korean missile launch site` Pyongyang: A new satellite image has shown a marked increase in activity at a North Korean missile launch site, suggesting a new launch could be possible in the next few weeks. The image at North ... James Bond-style weapons used by a would-be North Korean assassin ... Daily Mail - ‎22 hours ago‎ It may look like an innocuous ballpoint, but despite being disguised to look like a Parker pen it is actually a deadly weapon employed by a North Korean spy in an assassination attempt last year. Like something straight out of a James Bond film, the pen ... Japan, North Korea officials to meet again in Beijing Channel News Asia - ‎22 hours ago‎ TOKYO: Senior Japanese and North Korean diplomats will meet in Beijing in December following rare talks earlier this month, Tokyo's top spokesman said on Tuesday. The talks will be held on December 5-6, Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said. North Korea preparing for missile test, satellite photos suggest The Guardian - ‎22 hours ago‎ North Korea may conduct a long-range ballistic missile test in the next three weeks, according to a satellite company that has analysed images of the launch site. The images were released days after a Japanese newspaper, the Asahi Shimbun, reported that ... North Korea May Be Planning Rocket Test, Satellite Operator Says New York Times - ‎22 hours ago‎ SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea has stepped up what could be preparations to launch a new rocket from its northwestern launching station in defiance of a United Nations ban, the satellite operator DigitalGlobe said Tuesday, citing recent satellite imagery ... Bond-style weapons carried by North Korean assassin unveiled Telegraph.co.uk - ‎Nov 26, 2012‎ Footage of three weapons that were found on a North Korean assassin when he was arrested on the platform of a subway in Seoul in September 2011 were shown on CNN on Monday. The weapons, which would not be out of place in a James Bond film, ... Newly released document contradicts Seoul's claim on Mt. Kumkang tourism The Hankyoreh - ‎Nov 26, 2012‎ North Korea provided a written guarantee for the safety of tourists at Mt. Kumkang during 2010 working level talks with the South Korean government. The draft of the inter-Korean working level agreement to resume tourism at Mt. Kumgang and Kaesong, ... Japan to Hold Talks With North Korea Dec. 5-6 in China Businessweek - ‎Nov 26, 2012‎ Japan and North Korea will hold a second round of working level talks next month in China after meeting earlier this month, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said. Shinsuke Sugiyama, director-general of the Foreign Ministry's Asia-Pacific ... North Korean assassin found with Bond-like weapons Ninemsn - ‎Nov 26, 2012‎ Officials demonstrate a poison pen and gun disguised as a torch that were found on a spy who made an assassination attempt in South Korea. When South Korean authorities intercepted a spy on his way to assassinate a political activist, they found deadly ... It really is that bad: A powerful speech on North Korea Washington Post (blog) - ‎Nov 26, 2012‎ It's not easy to talk to people about North Korea. The story is so awful, and so static, what more is there to do, or even to say? This speech by Adrian Hong, a strategic consultant who also co-founded a U.S.-based NGO that assists North Korean escapees, ... Poison pen is mightier than the sword for North Korea's assassins The Independent - ‎Nov 26, 2012‎ The first weapon looks like an innocuous electric torch, except it is able to fire three bullets. The second is a ballpoint pen with a poisoned needle. The third is another "poison pen", containing a bullet that both punctures the skin and releases a deadly toxin. Govt to boost N. Korea missile info gathering The Daily Yomiuri - ‎Nov 26, 2012‎ The government will make greater efforts to gather information on a possible North Korean missile launch, Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said Monday. In a press conference, Fujimura referred to recent indications that North Korea may be ... Murderous pens found on North Korean assassin The Independent - ‎Nov 26, 2012‎ Q might have fashioned 007 tools like these, but in the hands of real-life North Korean assassins they look a whole lot less retro-cute. Three weapons - all indistinguishable from everyday objects - have been seen by CNN after a bust in South Korea stopped a ...

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources AFP
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
©COPYRIGHT (C) DTN NEWS DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS

DTN News: Funding al-Qaeda

DTN News: Funding al-Qaeda

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) LONDON, UK - October 14, 2009: A senior US government official says al-Qaeda is in severe financial trouble. David Cohen, who monitors terrorist funding at the US Treasury Department, said al-Qaeda's influence was waning because of a lack of funds. The US government says al-Qaeda is struggling financially. He said the US and its allies had successfully cut off the group's sources of funding by targeting its donors and interfering with its ability to move money. But the claim has been refuted by the head of a leading US think tank. Dr Rachel Ehrenfeld, director of the American Center for Democracy said ''it's unlikely that their funding is being reduced''. She said she did not see any reduction in al-Qaeda's activities in illegal drug trading which she said generated most of the network's funding. She also said the US government had not done enough to 'choke off' the network's funding sources.

Related BBC links....for full stories click on the links below ~ Investigating al-Qaeda ~ More from BBC World Service News Programmes Related external links....for full stories click on the links below ~ US Treasury Department ~ The American Center for Democracy

DTN News: Japan TODAY September 3, 2009 ~ Change Of Power In Japan Presents New U.S. Diplomatic Concern

DTN News: Japan TODAY September 3, 2009 ~ Change Of Power In Japan Presents New U.S. Diplomatic Concern

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) TOKYO, Japan - September 3, 2009: Japan’s landmark shift in administration added diplomatic headaches for the U.S. government, raising concerns that Tokyo may distance itself from key U.S. policies like the war in Afghanistan, the New York Times reported on Wednesday in its online edition. Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) leader Yukio Hatoyama leaves his office at the DPJ headquarters in Tokyo on September 2, 2009. Japan's incoming leaders met the outgoing government to start a power transition after their landslide election win, as a poll showed three-quarters of people have high expectations of them.

‘‘Inside the administration, the historic change in Tokyo is raising concerns that Japan may back away from supporting key American priorities like the war in Afghanistan or the redeployment of American troops in Asia,’’ the newspaper reported, citing U.S. senior officials.

The victory of the Democratic Party of Japan in Sunday’s lower house election ‘‘means the White House must deal, for the first time in decades, with a Japanese government that is a complete stranger, and one that has expressed blunt criticism of the United States.’’

‘‘The party’s leader and presumptive prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, recently spoke out against U.S.-led globalization and called for a greater Japanese focus on Asia,’’ the New York Times said of the DPJ head’s recent essay carried by U.S. media.

The election results in Japan create ‘‘a new set of imponderables for a White House already burdened by foreign policy headaches in Afghanistan, Iran and North Korea,’’ it said, referring to a possible end to a mission to refuel U.S. warships near Afghanistan under a DPJ-led government.

DTN News: Technology TODAY August 15, 2009 ~ US Testing System To Beat Web Censorship In China And Iran

DTN News: Technology TODAY August 15, 2009 ~ US Testing System To Beat Web Censorship In China And Iran

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) BOSTON, USA - August 15, 2009: The US government is covertly testing technology in China and Iran that will allow citizens to by-pass internet censorship set up by their governments.

The Telegraph quoted a senior official at the Broadcasting Board of Governors, an independent US government agency, as saying :

"We have people testing it in China and Iran." Ken Berman, the Board's IT chief, however,provided few details on the new system, which is in the early stages of testing.

He said some secrecy was important to avoid detection by the two governments.

The Internet has become a powerful tool for citizens in countries where governments regularly censor news media, enabling them to learn about and react to major social and political events.

"We don't make any political statement about what people visit. We are trying to impart the value. The more you know, the better. People can look for themselves," Berman said.

In addition to China and Iran, targets for the FOE technology include Myanmar, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, he said.

Berman, however, said there would be modest filtering of pornography on the system. "There is a limit to how much (U.S.) taxpayers should have to pay for," he said.

DTN News: US Has Contracted To Supply UAE With 362 HELLFIRE Missiles

DTN News: US Has Contracted To Supply UAE With 362 HELLFIRE Missiles *Source: DTN News / Defense Security Cooperation Agency

(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, USA - August 5, 2009: The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress on August 4, of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the United Arab Emirates of 362 HELLFIRE Missiles, 15 Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS) four radar-warning receivers, and related equipment and services. The estimated cost is $526 million. The Hellfire Air-to-Ground Missile System (AGMS) provides heavy anti-armor capability for attack helicopters. The first three generations of HELLFIRE missiles use a laser seeker. The fourth generation, Longbow HELLFIRE, uses a radar frequency seeker. The first generation of Laser HELLFIRE presently is used as the main armament of the U.S. Army's AH-64 Apache and U.S. Marine Corps' AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters. The second generation currently is available for deployment. Laser HELLFIRE homes on a laser spot that can be projected from ground observers, other aircraft, or the launching aircraft itself. This enables the system to be employed in a variety of modes: autonomous, air or ground, direct or indirect, single shot, rapid, or ripple fire. The AGM-114A Basic HELLFIRE tactical missile is the originally designed Hellfire missile, which is no longer purchased by the Army. A total of 31,616 were produced by both Martin Marietta and Rockwell International since 1982. AGM-114As in the inventory are released for live-fire training when they are replaced with AGM-114Cs. The Government of the United Arab Emirates has requested a possible sale of 362 AGM-114N3 HELLFIRE Missiles, 15 AAR-57 CMWS, 21 AN/APR-39A (V) four Radar Warning Receivers, eight AN/APX-118 Transponders, 19 AN/PRC-117 Radios, 15 AN/ASN-128D Doppler Radars, six AN/ARC-231 Radios, 15 Data Transfer Modules/Cartridges. Also included are engineering and installation, transportation, engineering change proposals, depot maintenance, communications equipment, repair and return, support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, contractor technical and logistics support services, and other related support elements.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that has been and continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East. The proposed sale of the weapons will allow the United Arab Emirates to deploy aircraft to materially assist the U.S. in overseas contingency operations. The support equipment will strengthen the effectiveness and interoperability of a potential coalition partner, reduce the dependence on U.S. forces in the region, and enhance any coalition operations the U.S. may undertake. The United Arab Emirates will have no difficulty absorbing this support into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this weapon system will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractors will be: - Science and Engineering Services, Inc (SES-I) Columbia, Md. - British Aerospace Engineering (BAE) Rockville, Md. - L3 Corporation Canton, Mass. - Boeing Aircraft Corporation Mesa, Ariz. - Lockheed Martin Corporation Orlando, Fla - Northrop Grumman Baltimore, Md - Lockheed Martin Systems Integration Owego, N.Y. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to the UAE. There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

DTN News: Raytheon Corporation To Supply Jordan With 85 AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM Missiles

DTN News: Raytheon Corporation To Supply Jordan With 85 AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM Missiles

*Source: DTN News / Defense Security Cooperation Agency (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, USA - August 5, 2009: On Aug. 3, 2009 the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible foreign military sale to the Government of Jordan of 85 AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and associated equipment, parts and logistical support at an estimated cost of $131 million. The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM, is a modern Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile (AAM) capable of all weather day and night performance. It is also commonly known as the Slammer in USAF service. When an AMRAAM missile is being launched, NATO pilots use the brevity code Fox Three. The Government of Jordan has requested a possible sale of 85 AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), 6 120C Captive Air Training Missiles, missile containers, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support. The estimated cost is $131 million. The proposed sale will enhance the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a key regional partner who has proven to be a vital force for political stability and peace in the Middle East. The proposed sale will improve Jordan’s capability to meet current and future threats of enemy air-to-air weapons. Jordan will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense. Jordan will have no difficulty absorbing these additional missiles. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The prime contractor will be the Raytheon Corporation of Tucson, Arizona. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will require bi-annual trips to Jordan involving up to six U.S. Government and four contractor representatives for one-week intervals for program management reviews. There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. This notice of a potential sale is required by law. It does not mean that the sale has been concluded.

DTN News: US Government Lacks Tech Talent For Cyber Defense ~ Analysis

DTN News: US Government Lacks Tech Talent For Cyber Defense ~ Analysis

*Source: DTN News / Defense Media

(NSI News Source Info) SAN FRANCISCO, USA - July 25, 2009: Bureaucracy and a shortage of employees with technology prowess have left the US government without the talent it needs to defend against cyber attacks, a study warned Wednesday. "The results of this research are troubling and, in many ways, familiar," said the authors of the report, which is intended to check the status of the federal cybersecurity workforce. "The overriding finding of our analysis is that our federal government will be unable to combat these threats without a more coordinated, sustained effort to increase cybersecurity expertise in the federal workforce." The "pipeline of potential new talent" are inadequate, while complicated processes and rules hamper efforts to recruit and retain federal workers with needed technology skills for cybersecurity, according to the study, titled "Cyber IN-Security." It also found that there are conflicting views inside government regarding what technology talents are sought in new hires. The study surveyed 18 federal agencies and experts both inside and outside government, said the Partnership for Public Service, a non-profit group based in Washington that authored the study with consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. "Numerous factors hamper government's ability to build a top-notch cybersecurity workforce, making it difficult to fill critical talent gaps," the study concluded. US leaders, it suggested, need to vastly improve the way government hires, manages, and cultivates employees with technology talent. Congress and the White House should also promote and support students learning math and science skills to bolster the future pool of cyber security workers, the study concluded.

DTN News: Australia ~ USAF C-17 Globemaster Sustainment Partnership

DTN News: Australia ~ USAF C-17 Globemaster Sustainment Partnership

*Source: DTN News / US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - July 25, 2009: On July 17, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the Government of Australia’s request to continue participation in the USAF/Boeing Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership (GSP), which consists of support for four Boeing C-17A aircraft.

The estimated cost is $300 million.

The Government of Australia has requested to continue participation in the USAF/Boeing Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership (GSP) which consists of support for Australia’s fleet of four Boeing C-17A Globemaster III cargo aircraft, contractor technical and logistics personnel services, support equipment, spare and repair parts, and other related elements of logistics support.

Australia is one of our most important allies in the Western Pacific. The strategic location of this political and economic power contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the region. Australia’s efforts in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations in Iraq and in Afghanistan have had a significant impact on regional, political, and economic stability and have served U.S. national security interests. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives and facilitates burden-sharing with our allies.

This program will ensure Australia can effectively maintain its current force projection capability that enhances interoperability with U.S. forces. Australia is a staunch supporter of the U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan. Australia’s troops are deployed in support of Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, where U.S. assets currently provide this proposed capability.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractor will be Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in St. Louis, Mo. There are no known offset agreements in connection with this proposed sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of ten U.S. Government and contractor representatives to participate in program management and technical reviews for two-week intervals annually. Additionally, up to ten contractor representatives will be required to provide in-country services throughout the life of this case.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

DTN News: U.S. ~ Reaction To the CIA Assassination Program

DTN News: U.S. ~ Reaction To the CIA Assassination Program

*Source: By Scott Stewart and Fred Burton STRATFOR

(NSI News Source Info) July 16, 2009: On June 23, 2009, Director of Central Intelligence Leon Panetta learned of a highly compartmentalized program to assassinate al Qaeda operatives that was launched by the CIA in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. When Panetta found out that the covert program had not been disclosed to Congress, he canceled it and then called an emergency meeting June 24 to brief congressional oversight committees on the program. Over the past week, many details of the program have been leaked to the press and the issue has received extensive media coverage. That a program existed to assassinate al Qaeda leaders should certainly come as no surprise to anyone. It has been well-publicized that the Clinton administration had launched military operations and attempted to use covert programs to strike the al Qaeda leadership in the wake of the 1998 East Africa embassy bombings. In fact, the Clinton administration has come under strong criticism for not doing more to decapitate al Qaeda prior to 2001. Furthermore, since 2002, the CIA has conducted scores of strikes against al Qaeda targets in Pakistan using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like the MQ-1 Predator and the larger MQ-9 Reaper. These strikes have dramatically increased over the past two years and the pace did not slacken when the Obama administration came to power in January. So far in 2009 there have been more than two dozen UAV strikes in Pakistan alone. In November 2002, the CIA also employed a UAV to kill Abu Ali al-Harithi, a senior al Qaeda leader suspected of planning the October 2000 attack against the USS Cole. The U.S. government has also attacked al Qaeda leaders at other times and in other places, such as the May 1, 2008, attack against al Qaeda-linked figures in Somalia using an AC-130 gunship. As early as Oct. 28, 2001, The Washington Post ran a story discussing the Clinton-era presidential finding authorizing operations to capture or kill al Qaeda targets. The Oct. 28 Washington Post story also provided details of a finding signed by President George W. Bush following the 9/11 attacks that reportedly provided authorization to strike a larger cross section of al Qaeda targets, including those who are not in the Afghan theater of operations. Such presidential findings are used to authorize covert actions, but in this case the finding would also provide permission to contravene Executive Order 12333, which prohibits assassinations. In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Bush and the members of his administration were very clear that they sought to capture or kill Osama bin Laden and the members of the al Qaeda organization. During the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections in the United States, every major candidate, including Barack Obama, stated that they would seek to kill bin Laden and destroy al Qaeda. Indeed, on the campaign trail, Obama was quite vocal in his criticism of the Bush administration for not doing more to go after al Qaeda’s leadership in Pakistan. This means that, regardless of who is in the White House, it is U.S. policy to go after individual al Qaeda members as well as the al Qaeda organization. In light of these facts, it would appear that there was nothing particularly controversial about the covert assassination program itself, and the controversy that has arisen over it has more to do with the failure to report covert activities to Congress. The political uproar and the manner in which the program was canceled, however, will likely have a negative impact on CIA morale and U.S. counterterrorism efforts. Program Details As noted above, that the U.S. government has attempted to locate and kill al Qaeda members is not shocking. Bush’s signing of a classified finding authorizing the assassination of al Qaeda members has been a poorly kept secret for many years now, and the U.S. government has succeeded in killing al Qaeda leaders in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. While Hellfire missiles are quite effective at hitting trucks in Yemen and AC-130 gunships are great for striking walled compounds in the Somali badlands, there are many places in the world where it is simply not possible to use such tools against militants. One cannot launch a hellfire from a UAV at a target in Milan or use an AC-130 to attack a target in Doha. Furthermore, there are certain parts of the world — including some countries considered to be U.S. allies — where it is very difficult for the United States to conduct counterterrorism operations at all. These difficulties have been seen in past cases where the governments have refused U.S. requests to detain terrorist suspects or have alerted the suspects to the U.S. interest in them, compromising U.S. intelligence efforts and allowing the suspects to flee. A prime example of this occurred in 1996, when the United States asked the government of Qatar for assistance in capturing al Qaeda operational mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was living openly in Qatar and even working for the Qatari government as a project engineer. Mohammed was tipped off to American intentions by the Qatari authorities and fled to Pakistan. According to the 9/11 commission report, Mohammed was closely associated with Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalid al-Thani, who was then the Qatari minister of religious affairs. After fleeing Doha, Mohammed went on to plan several al Qaeda attacks against the United States, including the 9/11 operation. Given these realities, it appears that the recently disclosed assassination program was intended to provide the United States with a far more subtle and surgical tool to use in attacks against al Qaeda leaders in locations where Hellfire missiles are not appropriate and where host government assistance is unlikely to be provided. Some media reports indicate that the program was never fully developed and deployed; others indicate that it may have conducted a limited number of operations. Unlike UAV strikes, where pilots fly the vehicles by satellite link and can actually be located a half a world away, or the very tough and resilient airframe of an AC-130, which can fly thousands of feet above a target, a surgical assassination capability means that the CIA would have to put boots on the ground in hostile territory where operatives, by their very presence, would be violating the laws of the sovereign country in which they were operating. Such operatives, under nonofficial cover by necessity, would be at risk of arrest if they were detected. Also, because of the nature of such a program, a higher level of operational security is required than in the program to strike al Qaeda targets using UAVs. It is far more complex to move officers and weapons into hostile territory in a stealthy manner to strike a target without warning and with plausible deniability. Once a target is struck with a barrage of Hellfire missiles, it is fairly hard to deny what happened. There is ample physical evidence tying the attack to American UAVs. When a person is struck by a sniper’s bullet or a small IED, the perpetrator and sponsor have far more deniability. By its very nature, and by operational necessity, such a program must be extremely covert. Even with the cooperation of the host government, conducting an extraordinary rendition in a friendly country like Italy has proved to be politically controversial and personally risky for CIA officers, who can be threatened with arrest and trial. Conducting assassination operations in a country that is not so friendly is a far riskier undertaking. As seen by the Russian officers arrested in Doha after the February 2004 assassination of former Chechen President Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, such operations can generate blowback. The Russian officers responsible for the Yandarbiyev hit were arrested, tortured, tried and sentenced to life in prison (though after several months they were released into Russian custody to serve the remainder of their sentences). Because of the physical risk to the officers involved in such operations, and the political blowback such operations can cause, it is not surprising that the details of such a program would be strictly compartmentalized inside the CIA and not widely disseminated beyond the gates of Langley. In fact, it is highly doubtful that the details of such a program were even widely known inside the CIA’s counterterrorism center (CTC) — though almost certainly some of the CTC staff suspected that such a covert program existed somewhere. The details regarding such a program were undoubtedly guarded carefully within the clandestine service, with the officer in charge most likely reporting directly to the deputy director of operations, who reports personally to the director of the CIA. Loose Lips Sink Ships As trite as this old saying may sound, it is painfully true. In the counterterrorism realm, leaks destroy counterterrorism cases and often allow terrorist suspects to escape and kill again. There have been several leaks of “sources and methods” by congressional sources over the past decade that have disclosed details of sensitive U.S. government programs designed to do things such as intercept al Qaeda satellite phone signals and track al Qaeda financing. A classified appendix to the report of the 2005 Robb-Silberman Commission on Intelligence Capabilities (which incidentally was leaked to the press) discussed several such leaks, noted the costs they impose on the American taxpayers and highlighted the damage they do to intelligence programs. The fear that details of a sensitive program designed to assassinate al Qaeda operatives in foreign countries could be leaked was probably the reason for the Bush administration’s decision to withhold knowledge of the program from the U.S. Congress, even though amendments to the National Security Act of 1947 mandate the reporting of most covert intelligence programs to Congress. Given the imaginative legal guidance provided by Bush administration lawyers regarding subjects such as enhanced interrogation, it would not be surprising to find that White House lawyers focused on loopholes in the National Security Act reporting requirements. The validity of such legal opinions may soon be tested. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, recently said he was considering an investigation into the failure to report the program to Congress, and House Democrats have announced that they want to change the reporting requirements to make them even more inclusive. Under the current version of the National Security Act, with very few exceptions, the administration is required to report the most sensitive covert activities to, at the very least, the so-called “gang of eight” that includes the chairmen and ranking minority members of the congressional intelligence committees, the speaker and minority leader of the House of Representatives and the majority and minority leaders of the Senate. In the wake of the program’s disclosure, some Democrats would like to expand this minimum reporting requirement to include the entire membership of the congressional intelligence committees, which would increase the absolute minimum number of people to be briefed from eight to 40. Some congressmen argue that presidents, prompted by the CIA, are too loose in their invocation of the “extraordinary circumstances” that allow them to report only to the gang of eight and not the full committees. Yet ironically, the existence of the covert CIA program stayed secret for over seven and a half years, and yet here we are writing about it less than a month after the congressional committees were briefed. The addition of that many additional lips to briefings pertaining to covert actions is not the only thing that will cause great consternation at the CIA. While legally mandated, disclosing covert programs to Congress has been very problematic. The angst felt at Langley over potential increases in the number of people to be briefed will be compounded by the recent reports that Attorney General Eric Holder may appoint a special prosecutor to investigate CIA interrogations and ethics reporting. In April we discussed how some of the early actions of the Obama administration were having a chilling effect on U.S. counterterrorism programs and personnel. Expanding the minimum reporting requirements under the National Security Act will serve to turn the thermostat down several additional notches, as did Panetta’s overt killing of the covert program. It is one thing to quietly kill a controversial program; it is quite another to repudiate the CIA in public. In addition to damaging the already low morale at the agency, Panetta has announced in a very public manner that the United States has taken one important tool entirely out of the counterterrorism toolbox: Al Qaeda no longer has to fear the possibility of clandestine American assassination teams.