Pakistan Opposition Chief Warns Of Chaos

Pakistan Opposition Chief Warns Of Chaos

(NSI News Source Info) LAHORE, Pakistan - February 28, 2009: Opposition leader Nawaz Sharif warned in an interview Friday that political chaos could embolden Islamist militants threatening nuclear-armed Pakistan, as his supporters battled police following a court ruling barring him from elected office.

Pakistan's biggest political crisis in over a year began Wednesday when the Supreme Court upheld a ruling that banned Sharif from contesting elections because of a past criminal conviction.

Pakistani opposition leader Nawaz Sharif gestures during an interview in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. Sharif warned in an interview Friday that political chaos could embolden Islamist militants threatening nuclear-armed Pakistan, as his supporters battled police following a court ruling barring him from elected office.

The court also disqualified Sharif's brother from continuing as head of the government in Punjab province, Pakistan's largest, prompting President Asif Ali Zardari to oust the regional government.

The pro-Western government led by Zardari's party retains its majority in the federal Parliament. U.S. officials, who have wooed both Sharif and Zardari as allies against the Taliban and al-Qaida, have expressed no public concern so far about the gathering turmoil.

But in his first interview since the crisis broke, Sharif said the situation could deteriorate to the point that it undermines Pakistan's efforts against terrorism and major economic problems.

«There are a lot of forces _ the militants, the extremists _ they are all there to take advantage,» Sharif told The Associated Press at his villa near the eastern city of Lahore.

«I think we are heading for some sort of unfortunate situation.

Later Friday, thousands of Sharif supporters thronged peacefully through Lahore's main boulevard, waving his party's green flags and chanting «Go Zardari go

But rioting also continued for a third day, with police swinging batons and firing tear gas at stone-throwing youths among hundreds of people who blocked the six-lane highway between Islamabad and the nearby city of Rawalpindi.

Protesters also tore down advertising billboards, smashed traffic signals and street lights, and blocked traffic with burning tires.

«If anybody thinks that they can make politics without Nawaz Sharif in this country, he is very much mistaken,» said Raja Nasir Mahfoz, a middle-aged man among the crowd.

Paramilitary troops carrying assault rifles also stood guard along the route, where traffic was halted for hours, but didn't intervene.

Police official Saqib Sultan said about 10 people were arrested. There were no reports of injuries.

The government has accused Sharif, a two-time prime minister widely considered the country's most popular politician, of fomenting «open rebellion.» Sharif has called for police in Punjab to disobey orders from the governor, a Zardari loyalist who has taken emergency control of the province for two months.

But Zardari faces a hail of media criticism _ and an uncomfortable re-examination of past allegations of corruption.Sharif accused Zardari of orchestrating the crisis in cahoots with senior judges in order to prevent any reopening of recently shelved corruption cases that saw him jailed for years under former President Pervez Musharraf.

Pakistani anti-riot police officers walk toward demonstrators, not seen, during clashes in Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. Police fought running battles with supporters of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif near Pakistan's capital Friday as protests against a court order barring him from elected office continued for a third day.

Zardari and the year-old government led by his party have resisted pressure to reinstate Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, who was ousted as chief justice by Musharraf in 2007.

Chaudhry had questioned the legality of Musharraf's presidency and a pact that quashed cases against Zardari and his wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, involving millions of dollars allegedly stowed in Swiss bank accounts.Sharif has urged his supporters to join mass rallies planned for mid-March by Pakistan's lawyers, whose protests in defense of Chaudhry undermined Musharraf's long rule.

Associated Press writer Babar Dogar in Lahore contributed to this report.

Alenia And Boeing Scraped JV On Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) Program / Boeing Abandons Role In JCA Program

Alenia And Boeing Scraped JV On Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) Program / Boeing Abandons Role In JCA Program

(NSI News Source Info) ROME - February 28, 2009: Chicago-based Boeing and Italy's Alenia Aeronautica have definitively broken off talks to jointly manage a final assembly line for Alenia's C-27J aircraft in Florida, meaning Boeing would no longer have any role in the U.S. Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) program. In 1997, Alenia and Lockheed Martin formed Lockheed Martin Alenia Tactical Transport Systems (LMATTS) for the development of an advanced version of the G.222 with advanced avionics, a glass cockpit and new engines, the same Rolls-Royce AE 2100s that power the C-130J Super Hercules. The LMATTS joint venture was later dissolved when Lockheed Martin chose to offer the C-130J as a contender in the same U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) competition in which the C-27J was competing. Alenia Aeronautica then paired with L-3 Communications to form the Global Military Aircraft Systems (GMAS) joint venture to market the C-27J. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems later joined Alenia and L-3 Communications as a GMAS team member., as of this week Boeing are no longer involved in this procedure. Alenia previously announced this month that it would start building the line in Jacksonville alone in order to make delivery deadlines to the U.S. Army and Air Force, which are set to acquire 78 of the aircraft. Alenia and Boeing said at the time that talks would continue for Boeing to join Alenia in the work at a later date. But both firms on Feb. 26 said those talks would not continue. "We have decided jointly to break off discussions," an Alenia source said. "The discussions did not reach an agreement on financial and economic conditions regarding the assembly line." A Boeing spokesman confirmed the move. "After our best efforts in talks, we have decided not to go ahead with Alenia North America in establishing the final assembly line," said Bill Barksdale, communications director for Boeing's Global Mobility Systems. "It was not about the team or about the airplane," he added. "We did a final analysis, looked at the business objectives, at our shareholders and what they expect, and we made the decision not to go forward. We value our relationship with Alenia, and that relationship will continue." After starting talks as long ago as 2006, the firms said last summer they were on the brink of agreeing to terms on revenue streams from the line, part of the $2 billion deal to supply the aircraft to the Pentagon. Officials subsequently said the deal would be signed before Christmas 2008. Alenia plans to break ground in Jacksonville by the end of March to have the line operational in April 2010. Meanwhile, the first 13 aircraft ordered under the JCA program are set to roll off Alenia's production line in Italy. Both firms confirmed that Boeing would no longer have any role in the JCA program.

JASDF Receiving 3rd New Boeing KC-767J Tanker - Report / Boeing Transfers 3rd KC-767J Tanker To Japanese Partner Itochu

JASDF Receiving 3rd New Boeing KC-767J Tanker - Report / Boeing Transfers 3rd KC-767J Tanker To Japanese Partner Itochu

(NSI News Source Info) WICHITA, Kan. - February 28, 2009: The Boeing Company on Feb. 25 transferred the third KC-767J tanker to the company's Japanese partner, Itochu Corp., for delivery to the Japan Ministry of Defense (MOD) and Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).

A Boeing KC-767J air refueling tanker prepares to depart Wichita, Kan., on Feb. 25 on a 12-hour flight to Japan after being transferred to Boeing's Japanese partner, Itochu Corp., for a March delivery to Japan's Ministry of Defense and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.

When Itochu officially delivers the aircraft in March, it will join two KC-767J tankers that Japan received in 2008. The KC-767J departed Boeing's tanker modification center in Wichita on a 12-hour, nonstop flight to Gifu, Japan, near Nagoya. Delivery to the MOD and JASDF will follow a final formal review and in-country acceptance processes. "This new KC-767J will be a valuable addition to Japan's tanker fleet as the country performs vital missions in the Asia-Pacific region," said Dave Bowman, Boeing vice president and general manager, Tanker Programs. "The recent completion of a yearlong technical evaluation and the on-time, on-cost delivery of this third tanker bring the JASDF one step closer to assigning these new assets to active air wings in Japan." Japan has ordered four convertible tanker/freighter KC-767Js, which provide flexibility in carrying cargo or passengers while maintaining their primary role as aerial refueling tankers. The KC-767 tanker, a military derivative of the proven 767-200 commercial airplane, features Boeing's advanced aerial refueling boom and Remote Aerial Refueling Operator II system. Boeing is scheduled to transfer the fourth Japan tanker to Itochu in December for delivery to the MOD in the first quarter of 2010. Boeing also has two KC-767 tankers in comprehensive flight test for the Italian Air Force (ITAF) and is performing modification work on two additional ITAF tankers. The first tanker for Italy is scheduled for delivery later this year.

U.S. Air Force Gives Pentagon New F-22 Purchase Plan

U.S. Air Force Gives Pentagon New F-22 Purchase Plan

(NSI News Source Info) ORLANDO, Florida - February 28, 2009: The U.S. Air Force's top general said Thursday he had put forward a fresh request for top-of-the-line F-22 fighter jets that would postpone an otherwise-imminent start to shutting down Lockheed Martin Corp's production line. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz told reporters he had presented the revised plan to Defense Secretary Robert Gates this week. He declined to elaborate on their discussion. "Until he renders a decision (on the fate of the F-22), I'd prefer to keep the content of that conversation between the (Air Force) secretary and myself and Secretary Gates," he told reporters after speaking to an Air Force Association symposium in Orlando, Florida. Lockheed Martin has said it plans to start shutting down the F-22 production line as early as next week unless President Barack Obama decides to buy more than the 183 aircraft now budgeted for. Schwartz said February 18 that the Air Force had scaled back its previous goal of acquiring a total of 381 F-22s. He said he would not differ with Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who had said earlier the Air Force was seeking 60 more, or a total of about 243. Asked about the size of the fleet the Air Force is now seeking, Schwartz said Thursday: "We ran the numbers, validated the assumptions, and came to the conclusion that we did." The radar-evading F-22 Raptor is the most advanced fighter in the U.S. arsenal, most recently costing about $143 million apiece, not including development. It has become the focus of a debate about hedging for large-scale wars versus fighting guerrillas in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan, and a lightning rod among arms programs in the deteriorating U.S. economy. Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said this week that the administration would make its wishes known for the F-22 when it releases full details of the fiscal 2010 budget, likely in April. In the meantime, the Pentagon planned to notify Congress on or about March 1 of its latest thinking on $90 million in congressionally provided bridge funds for the F-22 that the Pentagon has not yet spent. "Whatever we decide to do by March 1 with regard to long-lead parts is not necessarily an indication of where we're going with the program as a whole," Morrell said. The F-22 has strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress, not least because of the jobs it provides, with suppliers strategically chosen around the country. Even if the administration opts to end the program, many lawmakers are likely to fight for continued funding. Congress provided a total of $140 million in bridge funds to keep the F-22's production line going until at least March 1, of which $50 million has so far been spent to keep options for the aircraft intact. Sam Grizzle, a Lockheed spokesman, said earlier this month that some F-22 suppliers already had been notified that "we will begin shutdown activities on 1 March unless the President certifies that continued production of the F-22 is in the national interest." "If the decision on extending F-22 production is not made by March 1, additional funds, already authorized and appropriated by Congress, will be necessary to keep the line open," Grizzle added this week in response to the Pentagon's plans to put off a decision until the 2010 budget is released.

India to Construct Own Aircraft Carrier: Navy / India To Soon Have 40,000 Ton Aircraft Carrier / India to Start Building Home-Made Aircraft Carrier

India to Construct Own Aircraft Carrier: Navy / India To Soon Have 40,000 Ton Aircraft Carrier / India to Start Building Home-Made Aircraft Carrier

(NSI News Source Info) February 28, 2009: The Indian military confirmed news reports on Wednesday that the country will formally lay the keel of a home-made aircraft carrier at the end of this month. Indian Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta told local media that the country's first indigenous aircraft carrier will be in the waters by 2011 after a two-year construction. "Our indigenous aircraft carrier is being constructed in Kochi (southern India). It has been three years since the work started. On Feb. 28, what we call keel laying of the carrier will take place," the local Indo-Asian News Service quoted Mehta as saying. Local daily The Tribune reported on Wednesday that the 40,000- ton displacement vessel will be several times the capacity of naval worships that India has built so far. "And with this, India will join a select band of NATO countries and Russia, which possesses the capability to build aircraft carrier," said the news report. The navy chief said the building of a ship can be divided into seven phases: design, construction planning, work prior to keel laying, ship erection, launching, final outfitting, and sea trials. He said many of the parts of the aircraft carrier have already been constructed and his estimation is that "it should be in the water in two years" with an estimated cost of 30 billion rupees ( 620 million U.S. dollars). The Indian Navy has only one aircraft carrier, the INS Viraat. The Indian military expects to have three aircraft carriers by 2015 to own a true blue water navy. The Tribune said the carrier will have a crew of 1,400 officers and sailors and carry 30 aircraft in a mix of the MiG-29K, the Dhruv advanced light helicopter and the Kamov-31 Helix anti- submarine warfare helicopter.

How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! Part 3 / Obama Proposes More Military Aid To Pakistan

How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! Part 3 / Obama Proposes More Military Aid To Pakistan How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! US Detects Double Billing By Pak Navy - Dawn By Arshad Sharif How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! Part 2 / US Detects Double Billing By Pak Navy Honey, I shrunk Pakistan! The Taliban are coming, shouts By Muqtedar Khan* (NSI News Source Info) February 27, 2009: In a bid to address the rise of Al Qaeda and Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, US President Barack Obama’s maiden budget presented in the Congress has proposed more military aid to the two countries. US military aid to Pakistan has remained a matter of intense discussion. Pakistan Army troops pass through the main market of Mingora, capital of troubled Swat valley in Pakistan on Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. Taliban militants in the valley have extended a cease-fire, strengthening a peace process that Western governments say risks granting a safe haven to extremists close to the Afghan border. However, the Congressmen this time are pitching to increase non-military aid by linking it with Islamabad’s success in fight against terrorism. The budget also seeks to increase the non-military aid. When asked about the move at the Pentagon briefing, Joint Chief of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said: “I think it’s very important that we help resource them and develop this comprehensive strategy with Pakistan over a number of years. I’m delighted to see that kind of support in the ‘10 budget.” The budget also proposes increasing non military aid to Afghanistan. “External challenges include undertaking a responsible drawdown of troops from Iraq and focusing the appropriate resources on achieving US objectives in Afghanistan,” said the section of the budget related to the Defence Department. State Department budget also calls to increase non- military aid to Afghanistan and Pakistan to revitalise economic development and confront the resurgence of the Taliban. Pakistan duplicated ‘war on terror’ billsEven as America proposes to nearly double its aid to Pakistan, documents with the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) prove that Pakistan has been presenting false and duplicate statements to the US for certain transport facilities it provided in the effort to combat terror in the region. Pakistan’s fraud was exposed during an audit carried out by the Office of the Defence Reprsentative at the US Embassy. The GAO learnt that Pakistan Navy charged USD 19,000 per vehicle per month as reimbursement for at least twenty vehicles. The report titled Securing, Stabilising and Developing Pakistan’s border area with Afghanistan, says that Pakistan has been the largest receiver of US assistance from 2002 to 2008 with 70 per cent of USD 12.3 billion aid going towards defence funds as reimbursements. “The claims appear to contain duplicative charges for a fleet of fewer than 20 passenger vehicles. Pakistans military received 8.7 billion dollars as reimbursements and assistance since 2002, an amount provided in addition to the covert funding provided for intelligence operations,” read the US Government Accountability Office Report.

Bolivia To Start Receiving Russian-Made Helicopters In April

Bolivia To Start Receiving Russian-Made Helicopters In April

(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - February 27, 2009: Russia is to deliver two helicopters to Bolivia at the beginning of April, Bolivia's anti-drug tsar has said, with reports suggesting that they will be used in the fight against the illicit drug business. Sources earlier reported that Bolivia had expressed interest in buying a number of Russian-made Mi-17 multipurpose helicopters to combat terrorism and drug trafficking. "As far as I know, two Russian helicopters will be shipped to Bolivia in the first weeks of April. They will be used to destroy cocaine plantations in the country," Felipe Caceres, deputy minister for social defense said on Thursday. Last year, disputes with Washington over anti-narcotics efforts badly strained Bolivia's ties with the U.S. administration. La Paz expelled the U.S. ambassador in September and suspended U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration operations in the country. Bolivia is currently the world's third largest producer of cocaine after Colombia and Peru, primarily supplying Europe and other markets in South America. According to UN data, coca cultivation in Bolivia has grown to 27,000 hectares, while the government managed to eradicate more than 6,000 hectares of coca during 2007 alone. Moscow has recently announced plans to supply a large number of helicopters to Bolivia as part of the expansion of its economic and military-technical ties with Latin American countries.

Lockheed Martin Receives $324 Million For C-5M Super Galaxy Program

Lockheed Martin Receives $324 Million For C-5M Super Galaxy Program

(NSI News Source Info) MARIETTA, Ga. - February 27, 2009: Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] recently received two contracts totaling $324 million for the C-5M Super Galaxy program. The first contract is for the Reliability Enhancement and Re-Engining Program (RERP). The second contract, Interim Contractor Support (ICS), supports the Super Galaxy during familiarization and Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E). The C-5 AMP and RERP modernization programs plan to raise mission-capable rate to a minimum goal of 75%. Over the next 40 years, the U.S. Air Force estimates the C-5M will save over US$20 billion. The first C-5M conversion was completed on 16 May 2006, and performed its first flight on 19 June 2006. C-5Ms have been in flight testing out of Dobbins Air Reserve Base since June 2006. Two of the three (86-0013 and 86-0025) aircraft may be identified by the distinctive colored nose boom used to acquire test data. As of February 2008, the USAF will convert all remaining C-5Bs and C-5Cs into C-5Ms with avionics upgrades and re-engining. The C-5As will receive only the avionics upgrades. The three test C-5Ms successfully completed developmental flight testing in August 2008. The test aircraft will begin Operational Test and Evaluation in the third quarter of 2009. “These awards help us deliver the improved capability of the C-5M Super Galaxy to the Warfighter,” said Lorraine Martin, Lockheed Martin C-5 program vice president. “These funds are for the production of more C-5Ms and also help us partner with the U.S. Air Force while they become familiar with their new airplane.” A $299 million contract award funds the RERP production for nine aircraft including installation on one aircraft, material and fabrication of three aircraft, and long-lead funding for five aircraft. Production is slated to begin this year when the first aircraft is inducted into the production program in August. Two C-5Ms have already been delivered to the Air Force, and current Air Force plans call for Lockheed Martin to deliver 52 fully modernized C-5Ms by 2016. The ICS contract, valued at $25 million, will support the C-5Ms delivered to the Air Force during the initial familiarization period and continue through OT&E. The funds will be used for logistics support including supply, engineering, contractor maintenance experts and aircrew support. The C-5M is the product of a two-phase modernization effort. The first, the ongoing Avionics Modernization Program (AMP), provides a state-of-the-art glass cockpit with modern avionics and flight instruments. The RERP is the second phase of the C-5 modernization effort. It includes 70 enhancements or replacements of major components and subsystems, including the installation of GE CF6-80C2 commercial engines. Modernization of the C-5 pays for itself through savings in operation and sustainment costs. The C-5 has been the backbone of strategic airlift in every engagement since it entered service. It is the only aircraft capable of carrying 100 percent of certified air-transportable cargo, with a dedicated passenger compartment enabling commanders to have troops and their equipment arrive in an area of operation simultaneously. The C-5 can carry twice the cargo of other strategic airlift systems. With more than 70 percent of its structural service life remaining, the C-5M Super Galaxy will be a force multiplier through 2040. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

Boeing Delivers 1st CH-47F Chinook Manufactured Under Multiyear Contract Award

Boeing Delivers 1st CH-47F Chinook Manufactured Under Multiyear Contract Award

(NSI News Source Info) RIDLEY TOWNSHIP -February 27, 2009: Boeing today announced delivery of the first CH-47F Chinook manufactured under a five-year U.S. Army contract awarded in August 2008. The helicopter will be assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C., the fourth unit scheduled to be equipped under the Army's ongoing Chinook modernization program. Boeing has delivered 48 F model helicopters to the United States Army; on August 26, 2008, Boeing announced that the Army has signed a five year contract, worth over $4.8 billion for 191 more, plus 24 options. In February 2007 the Netherlands was the first international customer to order the F model, six helicopters were ordered to expand their current fleet to 17. These six helicopters will be equipped with an upgraded version of the Honeywell Avionics Control Management System (ACMS) cockpit. Additional orders are expected from Canada, Italy and the United Kingdom. "The timely delivery of our first multiyear CH-47F helicopter signifies the continued commitment of the U.S. Army and its Team Chinook partners to keep pace with our soldiers as they continue to serve this great nation," said Lt. Col. Thomas Todd, CH-47F product manager. "Boeing has once again stepped up and proved it is a steadfast partner in our efforts to keep America safe and strong." "The Boeing Company has shown its commitment to this important program by applying company funds and working in advance of the contract award to meet the delivery schedule," said Tommy Filler, CH-47F program director for Boeing. "It takes a dedicated group, including the U.S. Army customer, suppliers, and Boeing teammates, to achieve this milestone event. Our performance is measured daily and our commitment to 'Soldiers First' sets high expectations for first-time quality, on-time delivery and customer satisfaction." Under the multiyear contract, Boeing will deliver 24 aircraft in 2009 and then begin a graduated delivery rate through successive years, culminating in 2015. The multiyear contract also contains priced options for an additional 24 aircraft, for a total of up to 215 Chinooks. The 82nd Airborne has a long history of using the Chinook in combat, resupply and transport operations. The unit is simulating these missions in training with the new F-model aircraft. Built at the Boeing Rotorcraft Systems facility in Ridley Township, the CH-47F helicopter features a newly designed, modernized airframe, a Rockwell Collins Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) cockpit and a BAE Digital Advanced Flight Control System (DAFCS). The CAAS greatly improves aircrew situational awareness, while DAFCS provides dramatically improved flight-control capabilities through the entire flight envelope, significantly improved performance, and safety in the harshest of environments. CAAS also incorporates an advanced digital map display and a data transfer system that allows storing of preflight and mission data. Improved survivability features include the Common Missile Warning and Improved Countermeasure Dispenser systems. Powered by two 4,733-horsepower Honeywell engines, the new CH-47F can reach speeds greater than 175 mph and transport more than 21,000 pounds. The CH-47F, with the Robertson Aviation Extended Range Fuel System, has a mission radius of more than 400 nautical miles.