DTN News: Russia Has No Plans To Deploy Weapons In Space - Official Report

DTN News: Russia Has No Plans To Deploy Weapons In Space - Official Report Source: DTN News / RIA Novosti (NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW, Russia - April 12, 2010: The commander of Russia's space forces said on Friday Russia had no plans to deploy weapons of any kind in space. Some analysts have suggested that Russia could deploy space weapons as part of measures to counter controversial U.S. plans to build missile shields in Europe. "We have no such plans," Maj. Gen. Oleg Ostapenko told a news conference in Moscow a day after Russia and the United States signed a new START treaty, which significantly cuts the nuclear arsenals of both countries and for the first time recognizes the interrelationship between strategic offensive arms and strategic defensive arms. Ostapenko said that the signing of the new treaty would not affect the activities and plans of the Russian Space Forces. "The plans and tasks set by the commander-in-chief [the president] have not changed and are being developed at a determined pace," the general said. He added that changes would only be made if "breakthrough technologies emerge that affect the plans and budgets." As of 2009, there are no known operative orbital weapons systems, but several were developed by the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Development of orbital weaponry was largely halted after the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and the 1979 SALT II Treaty came into force. These agreements prohibit weapons of mass destruction (but not other weapons) being placed in space. In 2008, Russia and China proposed a draft international treaty to ban the deployment of weapons of any kind in space and to prohibit the use of force against space objects.

DTN News: Bundeswehr Ordered 44 Mobile Workshops Of The Type DINGO 2 GSI At Krauss-Maffei Wegmann

DTN News: Bundeswehr Ordered 44 Mobile Workshops Of The Type DINGO 2 GSI At Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Source: DTN News / Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) (NSI News Source Info) BERLIN, Germany - April 12, 2010: The Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement (BWB) has Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) with the delivery of 44 highly protected vehicles repair-commissioned based on the DINGO 2nd The task of Gefechtsfeld-S-ChadInstandsetzungs squads (GSI-group) is to resolve to combat and wear and tear on vehicles as quickly as possible and restore its functionality. To each of three soldiers strong protect troops in foreign missions as well as in Afghanistan as possible, you will be equipped with the newly developed DINGO 2 GSI. The entire order will therefore be shipped by the end of 2010, the Bundeswehr. Ideal platform for transportation and logistics operations "With the DINGO 2 GSI receives the Force, a vehicle that represents the ideal platform for logistics operations, while at the high protection of the DINGO 2 is equipped, which has been proven repeatedly successful," says Frank Haun,

DTN News: Indian Army Braces For Cyber Attacks

DTN News: Indian Army Braces For Cyber Attacks Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - April 12, 2010: After the real world, the armed forces are on a red alert in the virtual world as well. Even as they tackle Chinese troop intrusions on the ground, they are grappling with a sharp increase in online espionage attacks from across the Line of Actual Control as well. Top sources say the Army-CERT (computer emergency response team) recently issued the high alert to all military formations and installations to guard against “focussed large-scale cyber attacks” that are being planned on “internet facing” government organisations, prominent brands and corporate groups. Quoting “reliable” information, the alert ominously warns the cyber-attacks are likely to be launched from this month onwards. The date mentioned, in fact, is March 31. Effective measures must be taken to protect networks from data-thefts, “distributed denial-of-service attacks”, paralysing computer viruses and the like, it says. Sources said several military establishments, including the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington, had even refrained from using computers directly connected to internet modems for three-four days over the last week as a precaution. Though the alert holds the cyber-attacks can originate from any country across the world, the suspicion is firmly on Chinese hackers. This comes even as a group of Canadian and American cyber-security researchers in the new report, `Shadows in the Cloud’, held that China-based online espionage gangs have accessed classified documents from several Indian defence and security establishments. The defence ministry preferred to remain quiet, only saying that it was “studying the report” which had “lot of grey areas”. Blasting this “clueless state of affairs”, experts said Indian agencies really needed to bolster cyber-security measures as well as sharpen their own cyber-warfare or information warfare skills. China, in particular, has made cyber-warfare one of its topmost military priorities, with Chinese hackers regularly breaking into sensitive computer networks of countries like US, UK, Germany and India. In December last year, for instance, Chinese online espionage agents had even tried to penetrate computers in the Indian national security adviser’s office. The new report, for instance, says the researchers came across one Indian encrypted diplomatic correspondence, two documents marked `secret’, six as `restricted’ and five as `confidential’ which were accessed by the Chinese hackers. Moreover, the “affected” institutions ranged from National Security Council Secretariat and several Indian embassies to the 21 Mountain Brigade in Assam and the Air Force Station at Race Course in New Delhi, which is bang opposite the PM’s official residence. Apart from files related to India’s surface-to-air missiles systems and Shakti artillery command and control systems, the people `compromised’ included even an officer of the directorate-general of military intelligence. “Cyber-warfare can be even more destructive than missile strikes, crippling as they can economic, communication and strategic networks and infostructure,” said a senior officer.

DTN News: Russian Bombers Conduct Another Pacific Patrol Mission

DTN News: Russian Bombers Conduct Another Pacific Patrol Mission Source: DTN News / RIA Novosti (NSI News Source Info)MOSCOW, Russia - April 12, 2010: Two Russian Tu-95MS Bear strategic bombers have carried out a routine patrol flight over the Pacific Ocean, the Defense Ministry said on Friday. "Two Tu-95MS strategic bombers took off from Ukrainka Airbase on April 8 and carried out patrols over neutral waters in the Pacific Ocean and near the Aleutian Islands," Lt. Col. Vladimir Drik said. During the 15-hour mission, the crews practiced instrumental guidance flights and in-flight refueling. All flights by Russian aircraft are performed in strict compliance with international law on the use of airspace over neutral waters, without intruding in the airspace of other states. However, the Russian bombers were shadowed by Canadian F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets during the patrols. Russia resumed strategic bomber patrol flights over the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans in August 2007, following an order from then-President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainka Airbase is one of the largest strategic air force bases in Russia's Far East.

DTN News: EADS Close To Decision On U.S. Tanker Bid

DTN News: EADS Close To Decision On U.S. Tanker Bid Source: DTN News / Reuters (NSI News Source Info) PARIS, France - April 10, 2010: Airbus parent EADS (Paris:EAD.PA - News) is close to a decision on bidding for a deal worth up to $50 billion to supply air tankers to the United States backed by a U.S. supplier, sources close to the matter said on Friday. The European company has been given extra time to decide whether to stay in the race after former partner Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC - News) pulled out on the grounds that the rules for the contest favored Boeing (NYSE:BA - News), a charge denied by Washington. Sources have said L3-Communications (NYSE:LLL - News) is seen as front-runner to be chosen as a top supplier to install sensitive electronics work if EADS, as observers expect, offers its Airbus A330 airframe against a redesigned Boeing 767. One source, however, said EADS North America was still examining two alternative offers from Raytheon (NYSE:RTN - News) and the U.S. unit of Britain's BAE Systems (LSE:BAES.L - News). Discussions with the three companies were disclosed by Reuters earlier this week. EADS was junior partner to Northrop when the transatlantic team won a previous contest to supply the planes in 2008, but the deal was overturned after a protest from Boeing. This time EADS has been invited to bid through its North American subsidiary as the senior partner or prime contractor, handing it an opportunity to raise its profile in the lucrative U.S. defense market while bringing in a local partner. EADS executives meeting on Friday will discuss whether to pursue that opportunity or conserve resources for cash-hungry aircraft development projects in Europe. Sources said it was unclear whether a final decision would be taken then. An EADS spokesman declined to confirm Friday's talks, also reported by France's La Tribune, but said: "Everyone is working hard to put together all the necessary facts to take a decision as soon as possible." Boeing and supporters in Congress have complained that EADS was given an extra 60 days until July to enter a bid, saying this adds an unjustified wait to years of delay in replacing the U.S. Air Force's aging fleet of refueling planes. The U.S. firm said last week it was reviewing all options. Sources on both sides of the Atlantic have said EADS is leaning toward bidding despite some internal reservations about embarking on a major new campaign shortly after a recent funding crisis on its European A400M military airlifter. Airbus Military meanwhile said the second A400M test plane had successfully carried out a maiden flight on Thursday. (Reporting by Matthias Blamont, Tim Hepher; editing by Simon Jessop)

DTN News: ITT Corporation Opens Office In New Delhi, India

DTN News: ITT Corporation Opens Office In New Delhi, India Source: DTN News / ITT Corporation (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - April 10, 2010: ITT Corporation (NYSE:ITT - News) today announced the opening of ITT Defence International Inc., the company’s first defence-focused office in India. The new office was opened today in the capital of New Delhi, where it will be accessible to many government entities. ITT Defence International Inc. will focus on delivering ITT’s portfolio of defence and information solutions to the Indian market. “India requires sophisticated defence technologies, and ITT is committed to working with the Indian Ministry of Defence to deliver our best solutions for their military and home affairs operations,” said David Melcher, president of ITT Defense & Information Solutions. “Opening a local office emphasizes our long-term commitment to the growing Indian market.” ITT will offer a range of defence solutions for the Indian market including night vision technology, tactical radios and global air traffic management. Ron Smith, vice president of business development and general manager of ITT Defence International, will lead the office initiatives and day-to-day operations. “We are excited to establish a new office in India,” said Smith. “It is a natural expansion for ITT and will allow us to deliver high-performing defence solutions and technologies for the region.” ITT, a top-10 U.S. defence contractor, recently realigned its Defense & Information Solutions business segment to meet the emerging needs of its global customers. The realignment will allow ITT to deliver broader solutions to customer needs, as the company expands outside the United States. ITT Defence International in India is the company’s second international defence office. ITT Defence Ltd., in Basingstoke, England has been in operation since 1993. About ITT Corporation ITT Corporation is a high-technology engineering and manufacturing company operating on all seven continents in three vital markets: water and fluids management, global defence and security, and motion and flow control. With a heritage of innovation, ITT partners with its customers to deliver extraordinary solutions that create more livable environments, provide protection and safety and connect our world. Headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., the company generated 2009 revenue of $10.9 billion.

DTN News: Embraer And Austral Seal Contract For 20 Embraer 190 Jets

DTN News: Embraer And Austral Seal Contract For 20 Embraer 190 Jets *Agreement announced in May 2009 is finalized and deliveries begin in July Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS, Brazil, - April 10, 2010: The contract for the sale of 20 EMBRAER 190 jets to Austral Lineas Aereas, of Argentina, was finalized. The agreement was announced in May 2009, and was conditioned on fulfilling several requirements, which were finalized. From the 20 jets on order, three were already included in the firm order backlog of the first quarter of 2010, as "Undisclosed". The EMBRAER 190 jets ordered by the Argentine airline are of the Advanced Range (AR) model, and can fly nonstop for 2,400 nautical miles (4,400 km). The passenger cabin configuration, with four seats per row, is very comfortable and will have a total of 96 seats divided into two classes: eight in the executive and 88 in the economy. Furthermore, all passengers will have a modern inflight entertainment system with individual monitors. Austral will use the aircraft mainly to substitute older jets on domestic routes, to increase current flight frequencies, and to serve new cities. The modern and comfortable E-Jets will allow the airline to fly any route within Argentina's territory, nonstop. The EMBRAER 190 is one of four models of the EMBRAER 170/190 E-Jets family and entered operation in 2005. The broad customer base is comprised of 56 companies in 39 countries. With over 620 units in operation, these aircraft have transported 200 million passengers worldwide. Note to Editors Embraer (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. - NYSE: ERJ; BM&FBovespa: EMBR3) is the world's largest manufacturer of commercial jets up to 120 seats, and one of Brazil's leading exporters. Embraer's headquarters are located in Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo, and it has offices, industrial operations and customer service facilities in Brazil, China, France, Portugal, Singapore, and the United States. Founded in 1969, the Company designs, develops, manufactures and sells aircraft for the commercial aviation, executive aviation, and defense segments. The Company also provides after sales support and services to customers worldwide. On March 31, 2010, Embraer had a workforce of 16,792 employees – not counting the employees of its partly owned subsidiaries – and its firm order backlog totaled US$ 16.0 billion.

DTN News: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Leaves For US, Brazil -- To Attend Summits

DTN News: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Leaves For US, Brazil -- To Attend Summits Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - April 10, 2010: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday left for the US and Brazil to attend a nuclear and two multilateral summits during which he will hold talks with the leaders of the US, China, Russia and France. The prime minister's special aircraft took off from the Indian Air Force station here at 9.40 a.m. Manmohan Singh will first attend the Nuclear Security Summit hosted by Obama in Washington. In Brasilia, he will take part in the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) and Brazil-Russia-India-China (BRIC) Summits hosted by President Lula da Silva. In Washington, the Indian leader will meet Presidents Barack Obama of the US, Nursultan Nazarbaev of Kazakhstan and Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada and other world leaders. In Brasilia, he will have bilateral meetings with Presidents Lula da Silva of Brazil, Hu Jintao of China and Dmitry Medvedev of Russia. In a departure statement released late Friday, Singh said India was a "major stakeholder" in addressing issues related to nuclear security. "I expect the summit to focus on nuclear terrorism and proliferation of sensitive nuclear materials and technologies. These are legitimate concerns which require firm responses," he said. "India has a well-developed indigenous nuclear energy programme, which dates back six decades. We have an impeccable record of security, safety and non-proliferation which reflects our conduct as a responsible nuclear power." He said India had been a consistent advocate of complete and universal global nuclear disarmament. "We were among the first countries to call for a world free of nuclear weapons. I am encouraged that this approach is finding greater resonance today. "Nuclear energy is poised to play a growing role in addressing the developmental challenges of our times." "This will be possible only if we, as individual nations, and as a global community ensure the highest standards of security which reinforce public faith in the benefits of nuclear science." He said India was "an important stakeholder in this global endeavour". Manmohan Singh described the IBSA and BRIC as "groupings (that) reflect the growing role of emerging economies in shaping the global economic order". He said the IBSA "encompasses a wide range of activities which supplement the excellent bilateral relations we enjoy with each of these countries. Our coordination on important international issues has expanded, and our trilateral cooperation is beginning to bear fruit in many sectors. "The BRIC countries are among the largest and fastest growing economies with rich human and material resources. They represent the future of the global economic landscape. "We have a high stake in the revival of the global economy, an open trading system, energy security, combating climate change and addressing non-traditional threats to international security. "Relations with Brazil are an important pillar of our policy towards Latin America and have witnessed substantial expansion in recent years."

DTN News: Russia Sends Additional Missile Cruiser To Indian Ocean

DTN News: Russia Sends Additional Missile Cruiser To Indian Ocean Source: DTN News / RIA Novosti (NSI News Source Info) SEVASTOPOL, - April 10, 2010: The Moskva missile cruiser will set sail on Friday on a long-range tour of duty, which will culminate with exercises in the Indian Ocean, a Navy official said. The flagship of the Black Sea Fleet will join other Russian warships in the region, including the Pyotr Veliky nuclear-powered missile cruiser, which left Russia's Northern Fleet headquarters of Severomorsk on March 31. "During the tour of duty, the Moskva cruiser will cross the Mediterranean, pass through the Suez Canal and conduct joint exercises with warships from other Russian fleets, including from the Northern Fleet, in the Indian Ocean," a spokesman for the Black Sea Fleet said. The cruiser, which has a compliment of naval infantry on board, will also make several port calls in the Indian Ocean. The Moskva is a Slava-class missile cruiser designed as a surface strike ship with some anti-aircraft and ASW capability. The ship has 16 SS-N-12 Sandbox supersonic anti-ship missiles, mounted in four pairs on each side. Russia announced in 2007 that it was building up its naval presence in the world's oceans. Once one the world's most powerful navies, Russia now has few ships regularly deployed. A Russian Pacific Fleet task force, comprising an Udaloy class missile destroyer, Marshal Shaposhnikov, a salvage tug and a tanker, is currently on an anti-piracy mission off the Somali coast.

DTN News: Russia To Build Port Facilities For Mistral ships

DTN News: Russia To Build Port Facilities For Mistral ships Source: DTN News / RIA Novosti (NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW, Russia - April 10, 2010: Russia will have to build port facilities if it decides to purchase a French Mistral helicopter carrier for the Russian Navy, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin said. Russia is negotiating the purchase of at least one Mistral-class amphibious assault ship, worth 400-500 million euros (around $530-$660 million) and plans to build three more vessels of the same class in partnership with the French naval shipbuilder DCNS. "We do not have port infrastructure for aircraft carriers, but we plan to build it [for Mistral type ships]," Popovkin said. "If we reach an agreement [with France], we'll do everything, if not, we won't." Popovkin also said Russian Kamov helicopters (Ka-52, Ka-226) will be based on Mistral ship, if the country decides to go ahead with the purchase. He noted that Russia wanted to buy only one ship and build three more under French license in Russian shipyards, while France planned to sell two vessels and license the construction of the remaining two. Many Russian military and industry experts have questioned the financial and military advantages of the purchase, but Popovkin disagrees that the Mistral would be useless for the Russian Navy. Russia has at least four islands in the Pacific Ocean which are still disputed with Japan as well as the Kaliningrad exclave surrounded by NATO countries. If these regions come under threat, Mistrals could be used to transfer military forces to the conflict zones, he said. The future of the deal is still unclear because France is unlikely to agree to transferring sensitive technology that Russia could use in potential conflicts with NATO and its allies. Director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST) Ruslan Pukhov said on Wednesday that France would never sell the Mistral with its naval tactical data system SENIT 9 because it provides links to NATO data exchange formats. "This system could not be sold because it contains software which allows the control of NATO military forces," Pukhov said, adding that Russia would most likely have to install its own electronic equipment on the Mistral ships.