Wednesday, March 09, 2011

DTN News - LIBYA UPRISING: Now, It Is A Full Blown Civil War In Libya

DTN News - LIBYA UPRISING: Now, It Is A Full Blown Civil War In Libya
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 9, 2011: Libya is almost in a full-blown civil war as troops loyal to Muammer Gaddafi launched a counter-offensive against rebel forces advancing in the east and attacked opposition-held towns in the west.
Rebel fighters launch a volley of rockets towards Gaddafi's forces in a fierce battle along the front line.
Continuing fighting took place along the ever-moving front line between rebel fighters and forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Pro-Gaddafi's forces hit storage tanks in the oil terminal of Es Sider in east Libya during a heavy bombardment of rebels in the area around Bin Jawad.
Anti-Gadhafi rebels ride on a truck with a multiple rocket launcher, as flames rises from a fuel storage facility that was attacked during fighting with pro-fighters, in Sedra, eastern Libya, Wednesday March 9, 2011. A high-ranking member of the Libyan military flew to Cairo on Wednesday with a message for Egyptian army officials from Moammar Gadhafi, whose troops pounded opposition forces with artillery barrages and gunfire in at least two major cities. Gadhafi appeared to be keeping up the momentum he has seized in recent days in his fight against rebels trying to move on the capital, from territory they hold in eastern Libya.
Gadhafi forces seem to be trying to keep the momentum they have had in recent days against rebels trying to take capital, Tripoli, from territory they hold in eastern Libya.
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DTN News: Aerospace/Defense Headlines - News Dated March 9, 2011

DTN News: Aerospace/Defense Headlines - News Dated March 9, 2011
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources including latest updates Defense News,Aerospace/Defense Headlines - News & Yahoo
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 9, 2011: Comprehensive daily news related to Aerospace/Defense for the world of TODAY.
*Comprehensive daily news related on Aerospace/Defense for the world of TODAY

Wednesday March 9, 2011

Tuesday March 8, 2011

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DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated March 8, 2011

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated March 8, 2011
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - March 9, 2011: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued March 8, 2011 are undermentioned;

CONTRACTS

MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY

This is a contract award notice for the Missile Defense Agency’s Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile Target class to Orbital Sciences Corp. This award is for the manufacture of intermediate range ballistic missile targets, associated objects, and integrated logistics support to include inventory storage and maintenance management, pre- and post-mission analysis, launch preparation and execution, engineering services, and modeling and simulation support. The award is for complete “tip to tail” targets under contract number HQ0147-11-C-0006. The contract will be firm-fixed-price with provisions for fixed-price incentive, cost-plus-award-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and cost-reimbursement. The total value of the contract is $1,100,000,000 if all options are exercised. The total value of the base award is $217,080,944. The total contract period of performance is from March 2011 to January 2018. Major subcontractors for this effort are Honeywell and ATK Aerospace Systems Group.

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Agfn Healthcare, Ridgefield Park, N.J., is being awarded a maximum $120,000,000 fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract for digital imaging network-picture archive communication system. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. The maximum dollar amount is for base year only. The original proposal was Web-solicited with 10 responses. The date of performance completion is March 7, 2013. The Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM2D1-11-D-8303).

Weinbrenner Shoe Co.*, Merrill, Wis., is being awarded a maximum $9,819,429 firm-fixed-price contract for steel toe, hot weather boots. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. The original proposal was Web-solicited with one response. This contract is exercising the fourth option year. The date of performance completion is March 7, 2012. The Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM1C1-08-D-1040).

Elwyn Industries, Aston, Pa., is being awarded a maximum $7,525,935 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for bandages. Other location of performance is Delaware. Using service is depot stock. This contract has a base year with four one-year option periods. The date of performance completion is March 8, 2012. The Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM2DS-11-D-N001).

AIR FORCE

Jacobs Technology, Inc., Tullahoma, Tenn., is being awarded a $52,097,264 cost-plus-award-fee, cost-reimbursement, firm-fixed-price contract for acquiring three years basic, and one two-year option, of contractor support to provide operational support required by the Air Force Research Laboratory for design, construction, reconfiguration, modification, test operations and maintenance of experimental and support facilities used to perform research and development of rocket propulsion, space systems and their components under the Research Operations Support Services Contract. Work will be performed the Air Force Research Laboratory at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Contract funds in the amount of $1,659,232 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Bids were solicited electronically and one was received. AFFTC/PKTB, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA9300-11-C-0001).

NAVY

BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Inc., Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $15,974,662 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-11-C-2314) to exercise options for the USS Gravely (DDG 107) post shakedown availability. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., and is expected to be completed by September 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $3,194,932 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

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Tuesday, March 08, 2011

DTN News - AFGHAN WAR: Karzai Accepts Gates’ Apology For Civilian Deaths

DTN News - AFGHAN WAR: Karzai Accepts Gates’ Apology For Civilian Deaths
(NSI News Source Info) KABUL, Afghanistan - March 8, 2011:
A day after rebuffing an apology from the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan for the deaths of nine children in a NATO airstrike, Afghan President Hamid Karzai accepted the regrets of Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

"I would like to begin by joining General Petreaus in offering my personal apology for the accidental killing of 9 afghans boys killed by coalition forces last week. This breaks our hearts," Gates said standing beside Karzai at a press conference. “Not only is their loss a tragedy for their families, it is a setback for our relationship with the afghan people whose security is our chief concern."

Karzai was then asked by a reporter if he accepted the Secretary's apology, seeing as he had just rejected an apology by Gen. David Petraeus just hours before.

"Civilian casualties is an issue that has been for a long time at the heart of some of the tensions in an otherwise very healthy relationship between the two countries," Karzai said. "Secretary Gates is an honored friend of Afghanistan and I trust him fully when he says he's sorry." "We take the apology with respect," he added.

Karzai then invited Gates to dinner at the country’s presidential palace.

Gates is in the country on a surprise visit to talk about the start of the drawdown of U.S. forces later this year and the transition to Afghan control. Gates announced he was sending a team next week to begin negotiating with the Afghan government for U.S. troops to stay beyond 2014, if the Afghans agree.

Civilian casualties have been a persistent problem in U.S.-Afghan relations. The public uproar here over the most recent killings, reportedly of boys gathering firewood who were mistaken for insurgent fighters by the crew of a helicopter gunship makes Gates’ mission more difficult.

Meanwhile, questions about the possibility of the U.S. intervening in the Libyan civil war followed Gates on his visit here. Petraeus greeted Gates on the tarmac in Kabul with a joke about the mounting tensions in the North African country not intended for the camera crews nearby.

As Petraeus shook Gates’ hand, the general could be heard saying, "Well I think you have a bigger plane than normal, you're gonna launch some attacks on Libya or something?

To which Gates laughed and replied, "Yeah, exactly."

Gates waved off the suggestion adding in an exclusive interview with FOX News that "I dont think anybody has any intention of putting any ground forces in Libya."

Even if intended to be light-hearted, the remarks won't be well received in Washington. Secretary Gates and other defense leaders have made clear that the Pentagon is presenting the White House with a range of military options.

"We will provide him with that full range of options, Gates said. “We will also provide him with our judgment as to likelihood of success and also what the consequences might be."

Over the weekend Washington continued a heated debate over feasibility and need for establishing a “no-fly zone” over Libya.

Sen. John Kerry, a Democrat from Massachusetts and chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said Sunday the U.S. and its allies should consider bombing the country's airports and runways.

White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley, responded later that day by suggesting it's a bigger commitment than some proponents imagine.

"Lots of people throw around phrases of `no-fly zone' and they talk about it as though it's just a game, a video game or something. Some people who throw that line out have no idea what they're talking about," Daley said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Pentagon Spokesman Col. Dave Lapan pointed out Monday that bombing runways does not eliminate Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddaffi's ability to use helicopters.

"There are other ways around that. In fact, that's what we saw in the no-fly zone in Iraq,” Lapan said in reference to a “no-fly zone” established over Iraq after the first Gulf War in 1991. “Saddam Hussein was able to attack the Shia in the south."

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  1. Why is Robert Gates making a surprise visit to Afghanistan?
    US Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Afghanistan for a surprise visit Monday at a critical time for war strategists in the White House. As heavy fighting is expected to resume as the weather improves, Mr. Gates will likely be assessing the scope of the troop drawdown scheduled to begin this July. Defense officials, however, have been quick to insist that this is not a decisionmaking trip.
    The Christian Science Monitor via Yahoo! News - Mar 07 09:20am
  2. Gates in Afghanistan to weigh pullout plan
    KABUL, Afghanistan, March 7 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told soldiers in Afghanistan Monday shorter deployments aren't likely soon but should be spaced further apart.
    UPI - Mar 07 04:53am
  3. Defense Secretary Gates lands in Afghanistan
    U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Afghanistan on Monday at a time of increased strain between Kabul and its Western backers and with important security transition milestones looming.
    Reuters via Yahoo! News - Mar 06 09:24pm
  4. Afghanistan - Overview

    Get the latest Afghanistan updates on this topic page with:

    • News Stories
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    and more...

    news.yahoo.com/topics/afghanistan
  5. Gates: U.S. should stay in Afghanistan past 2014
    Defense chief, Afghan leaders agree "small" U.S. troop presence will be needed beyond planned combat deadline
    CBS News - Mar 07 01:40am
  6. Afghanistan rejects US apology over boys' deaths
    Afghanistan's president has rejected a US apology for the mistaken killing of nine Afghan boys in a Nato air attack and said civilian casualties are no longer acceptable. read more
    Otago Daily Times - Mar 06 10:38am
  7. Afghanistan's Korengal Valley
    Yesterday was Veteran's Day (or Armistice or Remembrance Day, depending on where you live), a day set aside to honor those who have served in the military. Today, on the day after, it seems appropriate to share some photographs of U.S. soldiers currently in the thick of war in Afghanistan. Getty Images photographer John Moore spent some time recently in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley, near the ...
    Boston Globe - Mar 07 09:00am
  8. Burial for West Point grad killed in Afghanistan
    Family, friends and scores of comrades bid their final goodbyes to 24-year-old 1st Lt. Daren Hidalgo on Monday on the grounds of the storied academy where he, his father and an older brother trained to become Army officers.
    AP via Yahoo! News - Mar 07 02:37pm
  9. Pentagon chief gets look at US military progress in southern Afghanistan
    COMBAT OUTPOST KOWALL, Afghanistan - U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates got a first-hand look Tuesday at U.S. military progress in the most hotly contested areas of southern Afghanistan.
    The Canadian Press via Yahoo! Canada News - 1 hour, 23 minutes ago
  10. In Afghanistan, U.S. shifts strategy on women's rights as it eyes wider priorities
    When the U.S. Agency for International Development sought bids last March for a $140 million land reform program in Afghanistan, it insisted that the winning contractor meet specific goals to promote women's rights: The number of deeds granting women title had to increase by 50 percent; there wou...
    Washington Post - Mar 05 09:18pm
  11. Afghanistan deputy minister: expansion of economic ties with Iran important
    Afghan Deputy Commerce and Industry Minister Mohammad Sharif Sharifi saidAfghanistan attaches great importance to expanding economic and trade relations with Iran, the local satellite Press TV reported on Monday.
    People's Daily - Mar 07 05:08pm
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