ST Marine Wins S$200M Asian Order for LPD Ship

ST Marine Wins S$200M Asian Order for LPD Ship (NSI News Source Info) Singapore - November 12, 2008: Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering) today announced that its marine arm, Singapore Technologies Marine Ltd (ST Marine), has secured a contract in a basket of currencies amounting to about S$200m, to design and build a 141 meter Landing Platform Dock (LPD), two 23m Landing Craft Mechanised (LCM) and two 13m Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel (LCVP), for a navy in the Asia Pacific region. Construction is scheduled to begin in mid 2009 and delivery is planned for in 2H 2012. This contract is not expected to have any material impact on the consolidated net tangible assets per share and earnings per share of ST Engineering for the current financial year. "ST Marine is very honoured to be selected amongst renowned international yards and is proud that its proprietary design is successful beyond our shores." ~ CHANG Cheow Teck, President, ST Marine ST Marine, the marine arm of ST Engineering, provides turnkey building, repair and conversion services for a wide spectrum of naval and commercial vessels. In shipbuilding, it has the proven capabilities to provide turnkey solutions from concept definition to detailed design, construction, on-board system installation and integration, testing, commissioning to through-life support. ST Engineering is an integrated engineering group providing solutions and services in the aerospace, electronics, land systems and marine sectors. Headquartered in Singapore, the Group reported revenue of $5.05 bn in FY2007.

Brazilian Air Force’s upgrade of its Aeritalia/ Embraer AMX light strike fighters

Brazilian Air Force’s upgrade of its Aeritalia/ Embraer AMX light strike fighters (NSI News Source Info) HAIFA, Israel - November 12, 2008: Elbit Systems Ltd. announced that on November 10, 2008 it was awarded a contract by Embraer, the Brazilian aircraft company, for the supply of avionics for the Brazilian AMX jet upgrade project. The initial development and prototype phase of the contract is in an amount of approximately $67 million. The entire contract, including the subsequent production phase, is valued at approximately $187 million and is scheduled to be completed through 2014. Implementation of the production phase following completion of the development and prototype phase is subject to further approval Elbit Systems was selected as the main subcontractor of Embraer, the prime contractor for the project and the manufacturer of the AMX jet, which is to be supplied to the Brazilian Air Force. Elbit Systems will be performing the project in cooperation with its wholly-owned Brazilian subsidiary Aeroeletronica S.A. (AEL), located in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Under the project, Elbit Systems and AEL will supply the central battle mission computer of the AMX, as well as display systems, the ammunition management system and additional systems. Elbit Systems' Israeli subsidiary, Elisra Electronic Systems Ltd., will supply the electronic warfare (EW) systems as a major subcontractor to AEL. Joseph Ackerman, Elbit Systems' President and CEO, said: "We take great pride in our selection for this important project. We believe our selection reflects the satisfaction of our Brazilian customers from our past performance, including our long-standing successful collaboration with Embraer. Our ability to incorporate Elisra's EW systems in this upgrade project, testifies to the synergy within Elbit Systems portfolio, which enables us to provide our customers with a wide variety of innovative end-to-end solutions." Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international defense electronics company engaged in a wide range of defense-related programs throughout the world. The Company, which includes Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries, operates in the areas of aerospace, land and naval systems, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance ("C4ISR"), unmanned air vehicle (UAV) systems, advanced electro-optics, electro-optic space systems, EW suites, airborne warning systems, ELINT systems, data links and military communications systems and radios. The Company also focuses on the upgrading of existing military platforms and developing new technologies for defense, homeland security and commercial aviation applications.

Indo-Bangladesh border threatens India's security

Indo-Bangladesh border threatens India's security (NSI News Source Info) November 12, 2008: The reports point out that with easy availability of arms, ammunition and explosives from China via Myanmar and the unholy alliance of terrorists are set to wreak havoc in India as evident from the recent blasts in North India, Tripura and Assam. THE ROLE of Bangladesh has attracted serious scrutiny over the recent serial blasts in India. The Bangladesh Government’s repeated assurance of taking strong actions against terrorist groups appears to be hollow as a section of the Bangladeshi civil and military officials have been working hand in hand with the agents of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan to help out the Islamic terrorists and the militants from India’s North-eastern states and West Bengal. In fact, according to the intelligence reports, these ISI agents and Bangladeshi officials have now been coordinating between the Indian militants and Islamic terrorists to carry out subversive activities in India. The reports point out that with easy availability of arms, ammunition and explosives from China via Myanmar and the unholy alliance of terrorists are set to create havoc in India as it is evident from the recent blasts in North India, Tripura and Assam. The reports have also mentioned that the militants from Assam,. Tripura, Manipur and West Bengal have already undergone a series of training along with the members of the Islamic Jihadi Council (IJC) in the use of different kind of explosives, including RDX and TNT under the supervision of some ISI and Bangladeshi experts. According to the reports, the Islamic Jihadi Council is comprised of activists from Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI), Lashkar-e-Toiba (L-e-T), Taliban, and Al Qaeda and other Islamic terrorist groups, who are now settled in different parts of Bangladesh. The reports also point out that under the supervision of the ISI and Bangladeshi experts, the IJC members, most of whom are trained in Pakistan and Afghanistan, have been working together with the members of different militant groups from North-East India for carrying out subversive activities in India. Besides utilising the militants from the North-eastern parts of India, it is feared that the ISI and the IJC may even use the Maoists to carry out serial blasts in different parts of the country. The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) had already arranged meetings between the ISI agents and the Maoists, both in Bangladesh and Nepal. Reports from across the border said that at least 20 teams, comprising Indian militants and Islamic terrorists, had been formed after extensive training on use of different kinds of explosive to carry out clandestine activities in different parts of India. These teams had reportedly established contacts with their linkmen in Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North and South 24 Parganas and Kolkata in West Bengal. Each team is comprised of at least seven members. The Intelligence agencies blamed the attitude of the Bangladesh Government and poor management of Indo-Bangla border for the recent spurt in serial blasts in different parts of India. The concerned officials also stated that lack of cooperation from the Bangladesh authorities and insufficient border security forces made it virtually impossible to crack down these militant groups. They also pointed out that the recent handover of 17 ATTF militants by the Bangladesh Rifles was merely an eyewash. The seventeen militants actually belonged to a breakaway group, which wanted to surrender before the authorities in Tripura. The Bangladesh Rifles intercepted the seventeen militants and put them behind the bar. Later, they were handed over to the BSF authorities. However, Bangladesh authorities are not leaving any stone unturned to play host to the leaders of Indian militants like Anup Chetia, Paresh Barua and Jiban Singh. Most of these leaders have been running businesses in and around Dhaka and Chittagong with the money extorted from the Indian businessmen and the so-called help from their ‘friends’ in Bangladesh Government. West Bengal, Assam and Tripura have been demanding for a long time deployment of more Border Security Force battalions for proper manning of the Indo-Bangladesh border. But the Centre continued to turn a deaf ear to their demands. A senior West Bengal official said that serial blasts were designed to destroy the basic fabric of the country. He further added that it is high time Centre paid more attention to the international border with Bangladesh. He also warned that any further delay would just aggravate the situation. The official also added that the concerned authorities have intensified vigilance along the border and other vulnerable areas to prevent any subversive activity by the unholy nexus of Islamic terrorists and Indian militants.

Iran Test Fires New Medium-Range Missile

Iran Test Fires New Medium-Range Missile (NSI News Source Info) TEHRAN - November 12, 2008: Iran on Nov. 12 test-fired a new generation of ground-to-ground missile, the semi-official Fars news agency quoted the defense minister as saying. "The defense minister's experts ... succeeded in testing a new generation of ground-to-ground missile," Mostafa Mohammad Najjar was quoted as saying. State television showed footage of a missile similar in size to the medium-range Shahab 3 being fired. "This is a two-stage missile carrying two engines with combined solid fuel," Najjar said, adding that the missile was named Sejil. In the past, Iran has often boasted of developing new weapons systems only to be met with skepticism from Western defense analysts. With an advertised range of 2,000 kilometers (1,350 miles), the Shahab-3 can reach parts of southern Europe but poses the greatest threat to points in the Middle East including Israel and U.S. military bases in the region. "The testing of this missile has been carried out within the framework of our defensive deterrent doctrine and the Islamic republic's standard missile activities," Najjar said. "It will not be used against any country ... and has nothing to do with the latest regional and international developments." The name Sejil comes from a Koranic term, which means those stones thrown by God's birds at an army of elephants heading to destroy the Kaaba in what is now Saudi Arabia around 1,400 years ago. The Kaaba, in Mecca, is Islam's holiest site. Washington has never ruled out military action over what it charges is Tehran's effort to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran insists it wants to develop nuclear power for civilian purposes only in the knowledge that its huge oil and gas reserves will eventually run out. It has warned of a dire response in the event that it comes under attack by the United States or its regional ally, Israel. In February, it fired a probe into space on a Shahab-3 missile, a development that prompted even Russia to say it raised suspicions that Iran was seeking a nuclear weapons capability.

Compromise on U.S. missile shield possible - Kremlin source

Compromise on U.S. missile shield possible - Kremlin source (NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - November 12, 2008: Russia believes that a compromise on a controversial U.S. missile shield in Europe is still possible, but is waiting for more constructive proposals from the new U.S. administration, a Kremlin source said on Wednesday. "A compromise is still possible," the source said. "However, the current U.S. proposals are insufficient ... because the Bush administration is seeking to make the decision [on the deployment of the missile shield] irreversible and ... leave the new U.S. president without an alternative, putting on him the burden of responsibility for something that was decided without him," the source added. Washington said last Thursday it had provided new proposals to ease Russia's concerns over the planned deployment of 10 U.S. missiles in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic, which the United States said were needed to counter possible attacks from "rogue" states like Iran. Russia, which says the missile defense system is a threat to its national security, has indicated it will not address the U.S. proposals until after President-elect Barack Obama is inaugurated in January. As an "asymmetric" response to the proposed U.S. missile shield in Europe, Russia announced the possible deployment of Iskander-M short-range missile systems in the Kaliningrad exclave, sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea. The Kremlin source said new discussions on the European missile shield should involve Russia, the United States and the European Union and must be based on respect for common interests rather than on a unilateral decision made by Washington. Meanwhile, the U.S. embassy in Moscow announced on Wednesday that Russia and the United States had agreed to resume talks on strategic security and missile defense in December. U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs William Burns discussed arrangements for the upcoming meeting with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier this month.

Russia to test fire another Bulava ICBM before yearend - Navy

Russia to test fire another Bulava ICBM before yearend - Navy (NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - November 12, 2008: Russia will test fire another Bulava sea-based intercontinental ballistic missile before the end of the year, a source in the Navy headquarters said on Wednesday. The source said a Bulava missile would be launched from the submerged Dmitry Donskoi Typhoon-class nuclear submarine in northern Russia's White Sea, at a target at the Kura testing grounds on the Kamchatka Peninsula, about 6,700 kilometers (4,200 miles) east of Moscow. "Earlier, we had some problems with the missile stage separation, but we hope this issue has been resolved," he said. The latest test of the Bulava missile from the submerged Dmitry Donskoi on September 18 was a success. The source reiterated that Russia is planning to adopt new Bulava missiles for service with the Navy and commission the first Borey-class strategic nuclear submarine in 2009. The Bulava (SS-NX-30), developed by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology, is designed for deployment on Borey-class Project 955 nuclear-powered submarines. The first submarine in the series, the Yury Dolgoruky was built at the Sevmash plant in the northern Arkhangelsk Region and is currently undergoing sea trials. The submarine has a length of 170 meters (580 feet), a body diameter of around 13 meters (42 feet), and a submerged speed of about 29 knots. It will be equipped with 16 Bulava ballistic missiles, each carrying up to 10 nuclear warheads and having a range of 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles). Two other Borey-class nuclear submarines, the Alexander Nevsky and the Vladimir Monomakh, are currently under construction at the Sevmash plant. Fourth-generation Borey-class nuclear-powered submarines armed with Bulava missiles will form the core of Russia's fleet of modern strategic submarines. Russia plans to build at least seven $890-million submarines of this class by 2015.

New Russian diesel-electric icebreaker completes sea trials

New Russian diesel-electric icebreaker completes sea trials (NSI News Source Info) ST. PETERSBURG - November 12, 2008: The St. Petersburg Baltiysky Zavod shipyard has completed sea trials of a new diesel-electric icebreaker in the Baltic Sea, the company said on Wednesday. "During the tests that took place in the Gulf of Finland, the ship gave a perfect performance and showed that its onboard systems were in order. State commission members noted the strict compliance of all of the ship's mechanisms with domestic standards and international norms," the company said. Specialists from the shipyard spent two weeks testing the vessel's maneuverability and its operation under normal seafaring conditions. The Moskva icebreaker is the first ship in a new generation of multipurpose icebreakers being built by Baltiysky Zavod under a $185 million contract with Rosmorport, Russia's state-run port management company. The ship was floated out in May 2007. The Moskva-class icebreakers are designed to escort large-capacity tankers, to salvage and rescue ships caught in ice floes, to clean up oil and chemicals spills in open sea, and to fight fires on board ships in the Arctic. The vessel's hull can break through ice up to 1-meter thick. The Moskva is the first icebreaker with a diesel-electric power plant to be built at a Russian shipyard in 32 years. During that time, all Russia's non-nuclear icebreakers were built abroad.

North Korea denies agreeing to nuclear sampling

North Korea denies agreeing to nuclear sampling (NSI News Source Info) November 12, 2008: North Korea denied on Wednesday ever having agreed to foreign states taking samples from its main nuclear complex to verify denuclearization data. After U.S. nuclear envoy Christopher Hill's visit to Pyongyang in early October, Washington said the sides had reached a verbal agreement on verifying North Korea's nuclear activities, under which Pyongyang pledged to allow foreign experts to take samples from the Yongbyon complex. "It is an act of infringing upon sovereignty, little short of seeking a house-search ... to insist on adding even a word to the written agreement," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement released by the official Korean Central News Agency. North Korea's refusal to allow sampling, which the U.S. considers to be a key step in verifying the secretive state's past nuclear activities, is likely to put a new obstacle in the way of six-party negotiations on the North's denuclearization, involving the two Koreas, Japan, China, the United States and Russia. The statement said North Korea agreed to foreign inspectors visiting the Yongbyong complex, conducting tests, examining documents and interviewing scientists, but only after the five countries fulfill their commitments under a six-party deal to provide fuel aid. The ministry also said work to deconstruct the reactor has been slowed down. "We have taken measures to slow down to half the speed of removing spent fuel rods according to the action-to-action principle, in response to the delay in economic compensation by the five parties," the statement said. The North Korean government has issued several angry statements in recent weeks against South Korea, for its alleged failure to honor intergovernmental commitments and to prevent the distribution of propaganda leaflets, and against Japan, for its refusal to provide promised fuel aid and over Japanese media rumors on the health of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. The North Korean government said earlier on Wednesday that it would close its land border with the South as of December 1, due to Seoul's "grave and wanton violations" of the 2000 and 2007 inter-Korean summit agreements.

Indonesia to buy 6 jet fighters, 18 armored vehicles from Russia

Indonesia to buy 6 jet fighters, 18 armored vehicles from Russia (NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - November 12, 2008: Rosoboronexport has signed deals to sell six Su-30 Flanker-C jet fighters and 18 BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles to Indonesia, an official at Russia's arms export monopoly said on Wednesday. Nikolai Dimidyuk, Rosoboronexport's special programs director, said Indonesia could also buy other Russian warplanes as well as Mi-17 and Mi-35 helicopters. "Indonesia is still very interested in Russian fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft," he said. He expressed confidence the Russian Finance Ministry would soon approve a $1 billion loan for Indonesia. "We are sure that this loan will be used to buy arms," Dimidyuk said. He added that Indonesia had asked Russia to modernize its Soviet-era weapons and equipment. "All of their Soviet-made weapons are obsolete," he said.

India Tests Sea-Based Missile From Land

India Tests Sea-Based Missile From Land (NSI News Source Info) BHUBANESWAR - November 12, 2008: India on Nov. 12 conducted a successful test of a missile from its eastern coast, defense sources said. The submarine-based ballistic missile, which has a top range of 700 kilometers (438 miles), was launched from a land-based mobile launcher at the Chandipur-on-Sea testing range in eastern Orissa state. "The test went off well," a defense official said. India had previous tested the K-15 missile from an undersea platform for the first time in February this year, completing its goal of having air-, land- and sea-launched ballistic systems. The K-15 will be deployed on a nuclear submarine that the Indian navy expects to be ready for sea trials by 2009. The Shaurya, with a payload of one ton and a 600-700 km range, is capable of effectively engaging targets in Pakistan and China. The DRDO said the missile was launched from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, in eastern India. According to Indian media reports, although there was speculation that the missile was a land version of the K-15 submarine-launched ballistic missile, which is still in development, DRDO sources were quoted as saying the Shaurya is unrelated to the K-15 Sagarika project.