DTN News: Eurofighter Contract Could Be Signed Next Week

DTN News: Eurofighter Contract Could Be Signed Next Week *Source: DTN News / Reuters

(NSI News Source Info) CASTELLET, France - July 25, 2009: Nations involved in the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium appear set to sign a contract confirming the next wave of combat jet production next week. The Eurofighter Typhoon is truly cosmopolitan. Please use the tabs below to see how this extraordinary aircraft transcends boundaries in terms of both capability, co-operation and appeal. *Single-seat, twin-engine fighter, *Swing-role, *Supremely agile. The collective military requirements of the Partner Nations are the foundation of the Eurofighter Typhoon Weapon System. Eurofighter Typhoon is a highly agile Air Superiority and Air-to-Surface, multi-role/swing-role weapon system, making it the most capable front line fighter available. Swing-role means that one aircraft can perform a number of different roles, all carried out with ease and precision. Developed by Europe’s leading aerospace companies, Eurofighter Typhoon is now the aircraft of choice for six Nations' Air Forces - Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Austria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and will fulfil Air Force requirements well into the 21st Century. Aircraft production is ongoing, with 707 aircraft under contract to the six Nations. "You should see something on that next week. That is next week's subject," British Defence Procurement Minister Quentin Davies told Reuters, asked about the contract's signing. He was speaking after a group involving some of the same European nations agreed to inject new life into the Airbus A400M military transport plane program. Eurofighter was conceived 25 years ago and involves Germany, Spain, Italy and Britain building more than 600 high-peformance fighter jets. Britain recommitted itself to the defence contract in May after a row over the cost of the multi-billion dollar programme. To ease budget worries, buyer nations agreed to split the third and final tranche of orders into two parts. But a final signature that will keep open production lines has been held up by talks with the manufacturing consortium over savings in long-term "life-cycle" costs sought by governments. The Eurofighter consortium comprises Britain's BAE Systems (BAES.L), Italy's Finmeccanica (SIFI.MI) and EADS (EAD.PA), representing Germany and Spain. EADS is also the manufacturer of the A400M transport plane which won a reprieve when seven countries including Britain, Germany and Spain agreed on Friday to renegotiate the project. Britain had also threatened to pull out of that project due to concerns over a four-year delay in production.

DTN News: U.S. Air Force Accepts Second Lockheed Martin SBIRS HEO System For Operations

DTN News: U.S. Air Force Accepts Second Lockheed Martin SBIRS HEO System For Operations *Source: DTN News / Lockheed Martin

(NSI News Source Info) SUNNYVALE, Calif., - July 25, 2009: The Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT]-led team developing the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) announced today that the second Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO-2) payload and ground system modifications have been accepted for operations by the U.S Air Force, paving the way for U.S. Strategic Command’s formal certification of the HEO-2 system next month. Under contract to the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, Calif., is the prime contractor and systems integrator for the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) High program. SBIRS High is the nation’s next-generation missile warning system and will also provide greatly expanded capabilities for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. When fully operational, SBIRS High will comprise of two payloads in highly elliptical orbit (HEO), four satellites in geosynchronous orbit (GEO), as well as fixed and mobile ground-based assets to receive and process the infrared data. SBIRS High is already providing the nation with enhanced worldwide missile detection and tracking capabilities, battlefield data, and technical intelligence through its ground segment. The first phase of the program, declared operational in 2001, consolidated ground functions of four remote sites into one centralized ground station. In addition to processing missile-warning data from Defense Support Program (DSP) satellites currently on orbit and managing the DSP constellation, the SBIRS ground station is credited with delivering significant operations and maintenance savings for its customer. SBIRS is designed to provide early warning of missile launches, and simultaneously support other missions including missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace awareness. Announced to be on-orbit in June 2008 by a joint U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin team, the HEO-2 payload has been exceeding expectations during its on-orbit test regimen necessary before beginning on-orbit operations for the user. “HEO performance continues to be spectacular," said Col. Roger Teague, the U.S. Air Force SBIRS Wing Commander. "We are very proud to add the second HEO payload system to our growing constellation. This asset provides outstanding capabilities to combatant commanders and the excellent performance of this second HEO system is a true testament to the teamwork and dedication by the government and industry team.” Acceptance of the HEO-2 system follows a highly successful operational utility evaluation and trial period during which live HEO-2 data was injected into user operational networks providing critical missile warning, missile defense, technical intelligence, and battlespace awareness data. This milestone paves the way for United States Strategic Command’s final certification of the HEO-2 system in August when the sensor and its data will be declared certified for use as part of the U.S. strategic missile warning system. "We are proud of our partnership with the Air Force in delivering significantly enhanced early warning and intelligence capabilities for the warfighter," said Jeff Smith, Lockheed Martin's SBIRS vice president. "We look forward to our continued progress in fielding this critical capability and achieving total mission success for our customer." The SBIRS team is led by the Space Based Infrared Systems Wing at the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, Calif., is the SBIRS prime contractor, with Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, Azusa, Calif., as the payload integrator. Air Force Space Command operates the SBIRS system. Lockheed Martin's SBIRS contract includes the two highly elliptical orbit (HEO) payloads now on-orbit, two geosynchronous orbit (GEO) satellites, as well as ground-based assets to receive and process the infrared data. The team was recently awarded a $1.5-billion contract for the third HEO payload, the third GEO-3 satellite and associated ground modifications. A contract to include a fourth HEO payload and potential fourth GEO satellite is expected to be awarded later this year. 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.

DTN News: Force Protection, Inc. Awarded $56.3 Million For Additional Cougar Independent Suspension Upgrade Kits

DTN News: Force Protection, Inc. Awarded $56.3 Million For Additional Cougar Independent Suspension Upgrade Kits

*Source: DTN News / Force Protection, Inc.

(NSI News Source Info) LADSON, S.C. - July 25, 2009: Force Protection, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRPT), a leading designer, developer and manufacturer of life saving survivability equipment and provider of total life cycle support for those products, today announced that it had received a modification to contract M67854-07-D-5031 from Marine Corps Systems Command for approximately $56.3 million for independent suspension upgrade kits on approximately 545 additional Cougar vehicles.

The Cougar is a family of medium Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles which can be supplied in 4X4 or 6X6 layout. It can be configured for a wide range of tasks including troop carrying (up to 12 in the 6X6), EOD (4 troops and a large EOD robot in the 4X4), command and control, artillery prime mover, recovery and ambulance duty. Cougar is in production.

This contract modification is subject to definitization. The work is expected to be completed prior to December 31, 2009. On April 9, 2009, Force Protection announced an order for approximately $158 million from Marine Corps Systems Command for suspension upgrade kits. That order provided suspension kits for approximately 1,500 Cougar vehicles. Michael Moody, Chief Executive Officer of Force Protection, commented, “This additional independent suspension order further demonstrates the flexibility and sustainability of the Cougar.

The Cougar has performed extremely well in Iraq with an impressive operational readiness rate. This suspension upgrade will provide increased mobility for even more Cougars in the much more rugged terrain of Afghanistan.

We are delighted that our customer has placed their continued confidence in the Cougar with these additional suspension kit upgrades.”

About Force Protection, Inc.

Force Protection, Inc. is a leading American designer, developer and manufacturer of survivability solutions, predominantly blast- and ballistic-protected wheeled vehicles currently deployed by the U.S. military and its allies to support armed forces and security personnel in conflict zones.

The Company’s specialty vehicles, the Cougar, the Buffalo and the Cheetah, are designed specifically for reconnaissance and urban operations and to protect their occupants from landmines, hostile fire, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs, commonly referred to as roadside bombs).

The Company also is the developer and manufacturer of ForceArmor™, an armor package providing superior protection against explosively formed projectiles (EFPs), now available for a wide range of tactical-wheeled vehicles. The Company is one of the original developers and primary providers of vehicles for the U.S. military’s Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, or MRAP, vehicle program.

For more information on Force Protection and its vehicles, visit www.forceprotection.net.

Force Protection, Inc. Safe Harbor Language

This press release contains forward looking statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations. These statements are based on beliefs and assumptions of Force Protection’s management, and on information currently available to management. These forward looking statements include, among other things: the growth and demand for Force Protection’s vehicles, including the Cougar vehicle; the rate at which the Company will be able to produce these vehicles and products; the performance, readiness and increased mobility of these vehicles; and the Company’s expected financial and operating results, including its revenues and cash flow, for future periods. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of them publicly in light of new information or future events. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Examples of these factors include, but are not limited to, ability to effectively manage the risks in the Company’s business; the ability to develop new technologies and products and the acceptance of these technologies and products; the ability to obtain and complete new orders for its vehicles and products; the Company’s ability to identify and remedy its internal control weaknesses and deficiencies, and other risk factors and cautionary statements listed in the Company’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risks set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, as updated in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2009.

DTN News: Boeing Delivers 400th F/A-18E/F Super Hornet To US Navy

DTN News: Boeing Delivers 400th F/A-18E/F Super Hornet To US Navy *Source: DTN News / The Boeing Company

(NSI News Source Info) ST. LOUIS - July 25, 2009: The Boeing Company, yesterday (July 24) announced that it delivered the 400th F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to the U.S. Navy in June. The original Super Hornet strike fighter achieved initial operational capability with the Navy in September 2001. The advanced Super Hornet Block II, equipped with the Raytheon-built APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, debuted in 2005 and is in production today. The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a combat-proven strike fighter with built-in versatility. The Super Hornet's suite of integrated and networked systems provides enhanced interoperability, total force support for the combatant commander and for the troops on the ground. “The Super Hornet provides 21st-century combat capability to U.S. servicemembers around the world every day,” said Bob Gower, vice president of F/A-18 and EA-18 Programs for Global Strike Systems, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. “This delivery is a result of the dedication and pride of the Boeing employees who build this aircraft, as well as the outstanding program partnership with the Navy, the Hornet Industry Team and more than 1,900 suppliers," Gower added. "It’s also an important milestone for U.S. taxpayers, because every Super Hornet, from one to 400, has been delivered on time and on budget.” The Block II F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft, able to perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions. The Hornet Industry Team includes Boeing, Northrop Grumman, GE Aircraft Engines and Raytheon. Boeing will deliver the first F/A-18F for Australia -- the first international Super Hornet customer -- next week. Boeing is in discussions with several other customers about their interest in procuring the Super Hornet. “The Super Hornet delivers the cost and schedule certainty that governments rely on and taxpayers expect, while providing warfighters with the advanced capability they need, today,” Gower said. U.S. Navy Capt. Mark Darrah, F/A-18 and EA-18G program manager, PMA-265, said the 400th Super Hornet delivery is critical to ensuring on-schedule and on-budget capability for the Navy. “Every Super Hornet delivered to the Navy has been delivered on or ahead of schedule,” Darrah said. “The Navy and our nation depend on the advanced capability the Super Hornet delivers each day around the globe. The F/A-18E/F’s advanced capability, combined with its remarkable program performance, make the Super Hornet a true model for defense acquisition.” A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide

DTN News: 525 EFS F-22 Raptors train with Kadena F-15s

DTN News: 525 EFS F-22 Raptors train with Kadena F-15s *Source: DTN News / Elmendorf Air Force Base By Staff Sgt. Jennifer Redente

(NSI News Source Info) ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam - July 25, 2009: Two F-22 Raptors from the 525th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron returned here July 15 from Japan following training with F-15 Eagles at Kadena Air Base, Japan.

Two F-22s fly over Alaska's mountain ranges as part of a refueling mission. The F-22s are assigned to the 525th Fighter Squadron and are the Air Force's newest and stealthiest fighter aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher Gross)

The 525th EFS, deployed here from Elmendorf as part of U.S. Pacific Command's Theater Security Packages in the Asia-Pacific region, was able to demonstrate the Raptor's ability to forward deploy to another location and practice defensive counter air tactics with the F-15s from the 44th Fighter Squadron at Kadena AB.

"Basically we used air assets to protect an area," said Capt. Robert Ice, 525th EFS F-22 pilot and assistant chief of mobility. "Our tasking was to protect the 'homeland' from simulated adversaries. They came to our location, but we prevented them from getting by us."Ice said he was glad to be able to participate in the exercise with the F-15s."

This type of training is a great opportunity to get together and learn about both of the airframes' capabilities," he said. "Training is limited, but it's a great experience to be able to show up and operate smoothly in an unfamiliar location."

The F-22 pilot said that while both aircraft are exceptional, putting the two together allows the aircraft to carry out missions more effectively.

"When we fight with F-22s and F-15s, as a team, we are more lethal," said the captain. Capt. Jeff Haney, 525th EFS F-22 pilot and assistant chief of weapons, said he enjoyed the opportunity to conduct dissimilar flying as well.

"This was like a normal training sortie, but with different jets," Haney said. "It was a great way to obtain realistic training with other organizations."

As the flight lead for the training, the captain said he was able to gain some experience by planning the mission.

"I definitely gained a lot from a mission planning perspective," Haney said. "I think planning the mission in another airspace was a good experience. I was able to talk with pilots from other bases and get their perspective on training.

"Haney said those who were involved all gained a better knowledge of the F-22 and F-15. "I think being able to fly dissimilar training with different squadrons and aircraft provided the pilots a lot of experience from the training scenario," he said. "Each jet has different capabilities, and we are able to gain knowledge and experience from the scenario."

While the two 525th EFS Raptors were in Japan, the 94th EFS, deployed to Kadena AB from Langley Air Force Base, Va., hosted and supported the 525th EFS aircraft and personnel.

In addition to the 525th EFS being able to train with the 44th FS, two 94th EFS pilots were given the chance to train with the 525th EFS.

Both F-22 squadrons are deployed as part of the PACOM commander's Theater Security Packages in order to provide security and stability to the Asia-Pacific Region.

DTN News: What Will Support The F-35C?

DTN News: What Will Support The F-35C?

*Source: DTN News / F-16.Net By Eric L. Palmer

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - July 25, 2009: The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter known as the F-35C will be rolled out next week. It is billed to offer the U.S. Navy a “day one” of the war combat aircraft.

The F-35C carrier variant will have a larger, folding wing and larger control surfaces for improved low-speed control, and stronger landing gear for the stresses of carrier landings. The larger wing area allows for decreased landing speed, increased range and payload, with twice the range on internal fuel compared with the F/A-18C Hornet, achieving much the same goal as the heavier F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The United States Navy will be the sole user for the carrier variant. It intends to buy 480 F-35Cs to replace the F/A-18A, B, C, and D Hornets. The F-35C will also serve as a stealthier complement to the Super Hornet. On 27 June 2007, the carrier variant completed its Air System Critical Design Review (CDR). This allows the first two functional prototype F-35C units to be produced. The C variant is expected to be available beginning in 2015.*

With shaky and uncertain defense budgets being a given for the future, this could cause a bit of a dilemma on how to best support an F-35C strike package with off-board platforms.

First, the escort jammer that will fly off of the carrier deck is too slow and was delivered with yesterdays jammer system. Relevant if you are going up against a second or third string air defense on par with Allied Force 1999. Not so good if you are looking at the emerging threats in the Pacific Rim over the next 20 years.

Really, the F-35C will be long over the hill and far far down range before the EA-18G can be of any use. The EA-18G won’t have the range or useful jamming gear. And, if the EA-18G does some how get the next gen jammer, it will still be an escort jammer that will be too slow and too short on legs.

What to do? It may be time to call on a variety of 737 variants based on the P-8 and even possibly the Wedgetail. Wedgetail because it proves the aircraft can fly with a really odd looking shape. Where the shape wouldn’t be to support airborne early warning but instead would be a quality stand-off jammer that could blanket or focus along a very wide band of enemy radar threats at significant range.

This isn’t too far fetched given the future threats and the USAFs inability to come up with useful joint support. It may get bad enough where the U.S. Navy has to come up with their own wide-body large air-to-air refueling aircraft for dedicated carrier operations. An F-35C is going to need lots of refueling support. The aircraft can start a sortie carrying almost 10 tons of gas.

It is yet to be seen how the F-35C will prove itself. A U.S. Navy OPEVAL is a long way off. Starting now on what kind of tanking the U.S. Navy can depend on and what kind of real stand-off jamming they can come up with is a good idea.

With unstable defense budgets looming, depending on other services for joint support of carrier operations may be a pretty weak plan. Just as important, the UCAS-N operating off of a carrier is far from a done deal.

We are seeing huge old reliable paradigms at risk. With future defense budgets having lots of questions marks around them, expect to see a whole bunch of new unknowns appear when figuring out how to best use the F-35C against high end threats.

DTN News: Venezuela To Double Number Of Tanks, Boost Defenses ~ President Hugo Chavez

DTN News: Venezuela To Double Number Of Tanks, Boost Defenses ~ President Hugo Chavez

*Source: DTN News / RIA Novosti (NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW, Russia - July 25, 2009: President Hugo Chavez says Venezuela will at least double the number of tanks in its military and continue strengthening its defense capability, the state-run ABN news agency reported. "We are going to buy more tanks to have an armored force at least twice the size of what we have today," Chavez said on national television on Thursday. "We need to strengthen our forces on land, at sea, and in the air and we are going to continue doing that," he added. The leftist president's announcement comes shortly after neighboring Colombia offered to accommodate more U.S. troops at its air and naval bases, which Chavez said was a serious threat to Venezuela's national security. The Venezuelan army currently has more than 80 outdated French-made AMX-30 main battle tanks and several dozen AMX-13C light tanks. Chavez, who has spent billions of dollars on weapons from Russia in recent years, confirmed that Caracas and Moscow were in talks to purchase Russian T-90 main battle tanks among other military equipment. Between 2005 and 2007 Russia signed 12 contracts worth more than $4.4 billion to supply arms to Venezuela, including fighter jets, helicopters and Kalashnikov assault rifles.

DTN News: A400M Buyers To Renegotiate Troubled Plane Deal

DTN News: A400M Buyers To Renegotiate Troubled Plane Deal *Source: DTN News / Reuters

(NSI News Source Info) CASTELLET, France - July 25, 2009: European NATO nations agreed on Friday to renegotiate the cost and scale of a 20 billion euro defence contract with planemaker Airbus after technical problems and cost overruns plagued development of its A400M military plane. The A400M assembly at the Seville plant of EADS Spain started in Q1 2007. Airbus plans to manufacture thirty aircraft per year. The major assemblies arrive by Airbus Beluga transporters. The four EuroProp TP400-D6 flight test engines have been delivered in late February 2008 for the first A400M. According to EADS the first "static tests" of a dedicated A400M complete structure were started on 14 March in Spain. The decision to open formal contract talks between a joint procurement agency and Airbus parent EADS (EAD.PA) ends months of prevarication over the future of Europe's biggest defence project, which involves upwards of 4,000 production jobs. "It is good news. It is very positive for the programme and everyone who wants this plane," EADS Chief Executive Louis Gallois told Reuters in a telephone interview. "There is now a framework for negotiations and these will not be easy, but on the other hand matters are now clear and well-defined and on the right tracks," he added. Politicians also expressed optimism. "I am convinced this programme will be relaunched, which will be good news for the trade balance of our countries because I am convinced it has enormous export potential," French Defence Minister Herve Morin told a news conference after talks in southern France. Britain, which had threatened to pull out of the project because of delays in supporting its operations in Afghanistan, has agreed to enter the renegotiation "on an equal footing" with it six partners, Defence Procurement Minister Quentin Davies told Reuters. "I hope we can save the programme," he added. Defence sources predicted this week that Britain would ease doubts over its future in the project. The A400M is a heavy transport aircraft designed to carry up to 32 tonnes of troops and equipment over distances of up to 8,000 km (5,000 miles). Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey ordered a total of 180 of the planes in 2003 in a record pan-European contract. Malaysia and South Africa ordered 12. France was due to take delivery of the first plane in 2009 but EADS now says the earliest it can deliver a plane is 2013.

The first flight is expected at end-2009 or early 2010, two years late. Ministers said they would aim for broad agreement by mid-October and hope to sign a deal around the end of the year. A new ministerial meeting will be in Germany in October. DEMANDS ON INDUSTRY Friday's decision follows months of recriminations over the cause of delays. The outcome could affect efforts to project a joint European defence identity and thousands of aerospace jobs. Countries which face pressure on defence spending are reluctant to spend more to help solve A400M development problems, which defence sources say could mean reducing the amount of planes on order. Morin said both financial conditions and the amount of capacity, or planes, would be open for renegotiation. He said nations would be "demanding" with EADS to ensure there were no further problems. EADS said it was fully committed to finding an agreement that is technically and contractually acceptable to both sides. Officials say the Airbus parent could face a hefty bill to help Britain and France fill gaps in troop transport capacity in Afghanistan while development problems are ironed out. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in a joint declaration this month that EADS (EAD.PA) must face the consequences of delivery delays. Officials close to the talks said this constituted a rebuff to EADS efforts to persuade government to help fund troubled engine development and other systems or waive delivery fines. Nations have so far spent 5.7 billion euros on the plane, which EADS would have to repay if the project were cancelled. Depending on the outcome, it may still have to pay penalties for late delivery as well as help fund stop-gap measures like renting Boeing (BA.N) C-17s or Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) C-130Js. EADS, which reports earnings next Tuesday, has taken provisions of over 2 billion euros for A400M delays and analysts say it faces more charges. EADS shares closed up 0.9 percent at 12.98 euros on Friday. The stock has risen around 8 percent since the start of 2009, having fallen 45 percent last year.

DTN News: US and North Korea Trade Sharp Barbs At ASEAN Meeting

DTN News: US and North Korea Trade Sharp Barbs At ASEAN Meeting

*Source: DTN News / Int'l News (NSI News Source Info) PHUKET, Thailand - July 24, 2009: North Korea and the United States exchanged harsh criticism Thursday at the conclusion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum on Thailand's Phuket island. Most of the discussions focused on the security situation on the Korean peninsula and Pyongyang's efforts to build up its nuclear weapons program.

Foreign ministers and representatives from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) pose for photos during ASEAN Regional Forum in Phuket, Thailand, Thursday, July 23, 2009. Front row, from left are North Korea's chief delegate Pak Kun-gwang, Canada's Deepak Obhrai, China's Yang Jiechi, Cambodia's Hor Namhong, Brunei's Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Bangladesh's Dipu Moni, Australia's Stephen Smith, Thailand's Kasit Piromya, Vietnam's Pham Gia Khiem, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, East Timor's Deputy Prime Minister Jose Luis Guterres, Sri Lanka's Rohitha Bogollagama, Singapore's George Yeo, Russia's Sergei Lavrov and ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan. Back row, from left are Mongolia's Sukhbaatar, European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, India's S.M. Krishna, Indonesia's Hassan Wirajuda, Japan's Hirofumi Nakasone, Laos' Thongloun Sisoulith, Malaysia's Anifah Aman, Myanmar's Nyan Win, New Zealand's Murray McCully, Pakistan's Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Philippines' Roberto Romulo, South Korea's Yu Myung-hwan and Papua New Guinea's Samuel Abal. Foreign ministers from mostly Southeast Asian and other Pacific-region nations ended their meetings in Thailand with smiles as they posed for pictures. Earlier the leaders from 27 nations did not come away with what they had hoped for: a commitment from North Korea to dismantle its nuclear program and return to six-party talks with the US, Japan, South Korea, China and Russia. North Korean delegate Ri Hung-sik told reporters at the forum his government was not against having a dialogue but he said "how can you have a dialogue with a knife at your back". "Until America's deep-rooted anti-North Korea attitude is solved, the problems will continue. Because of that, the Six-Party Talks are also over," he said. During the ASEAN forum the United States and other countries agreed on a package of incentives, including economic and energy aid, which could be offered to North Korea. But in a harsh criticism of Pyongyang, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the regime "had no friends left" to protect it from international efforts to end its nuclear program. She also expressed disappointment in comments by the North Korean delegation who attended the forum. "Unfortunately, the North Korean delegation offered only an insistent refusal to recognize that North Korea has been on the wrong course. In their presentation today, they evinced no willingness to pursue the path of de-nuclearization and that was troubling not only to the United States, but to the region and the international community," Clinton said. The meeting began with the hopes that North Korea would re-enter six-party talks on ending its nuclear program. North Korea dropped out of the six-party talks after the UN censured its long-range missile test in April. Thailand's foreign minister, Kasit Piromya, said ASEAN as a regional bloc will continue to play a role in the North Korean nuclear disarmament efforts. "The goal is to bring about peace and stability to the Korean peninsula and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. So we urge the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) to return to the Six Party Talks, look beyond the past and join others in finding the way forward," Piromya said. Despite the request, North Korean officials told reporters there would be no prospect of resumption of the talks unless the United States ends what it termed as its anti-North Korean attitude. Meanwhile ASEAN leaders also pledged to support the implementation of recent United Nations sanctions against Pyongyang.

DTN News: U.S. Offers Burma Possible Benefits

DTN News: U.S. Offers Burma Possible Benefits

*U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Wants Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi Released

*Source: DTN News / Int'l News

(NSI News Source Info) PHUKET, Thailand - July 24, 2009: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made an explicit appeal to Burma on Wednesday to release jailed Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, offering the prospect of direct U.S. investment in the repressive Southeast Asian nation.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem shake hands at the end of a group photo session for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF) summit on the resort island of Phuket, southern Thailand, Thursday, July 23, 2009. Other Foreign Ministers are from left, Thongloun Sisoulith of Laos, Kasit Piromya of Thailand, Anifah Aman of Malaysia, Nyan Win of Myanmar, Murray McCully of New Zealand, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi of Pakistan, Zacarias Albano da Costa of East Timore, Alberto Romulo of the Philippines and Rohitha Bogollagama of Sri Lanka.

The release of Suu Kyi is "critical" to easing the strained relations between Burma and the United States, Clinton said. "If she were released, that would open up opportunities at least for my country to expand our relationship with Burma, including investments in Burma," she told reporters while attending a regional security forum. President Obama renewed a year-long investment ban on Burma on May 15, citing its "large-scale repression of the democratic opposition," and U.S. officials suggested he would reverse it if Burma took strides to ease political repression. The new administration has made an intensive effort to reach out to repressive governments with a long history of human rights abuses in an attempt to shift what officials consider stalemated policies. A brutal military junta that has orchestrated gang rape of ethnic minorities, crushed democracy efforts, and kept most of the nation's revenue from natural gas, gems and other natural resources rules Burma. State Department officials are also firmly convinced that the Burmese government is undergoing a wrenching internal debate over what to do about Suu Kyi, whose party, the National League for Democracy, won a landslide electoral victory in 1990 that the military leadership refused to accept. Since then, she has been under house arrest for most of the time, as have hundreds of her supporters. In May, just days before Suu Kyi's six-year term under house arrest was to expire, the government put her on trial for an incident involving a U.S. citizen who swam across Rangoon's Lake Inya to reach Suu Kyi's lakefront bungalow. Clinton's statement appeared intended to sharpen the choice for the Burmese government, but Suu Kyi's attorneys reported Wednesday that they have been denied a request to meet with her one more time before Friday's final court hearing. The secretary, in an interview with National Public Radio on Wednesday, attributed the many delays in the trial to internal angst among the junta. But other U.S. officials think the trial was postponed to avoid a confrontation at the security conference held by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). After Clinton's remarks, a senior State Department official said the administration has privately presented Burma with "ideas about how to begin a process of dialogue and engagement that begins with Aung San Suu Kyi," including letting her "participate in the politics" of a planned 2010 election. The United States is also seeking the release of other political prisoners, he said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "This is worth a shot," the official said. "We are not naive about this, and there is an understanding there is a good chance that the junta will say, 'No, thank you.' " U.S. officials reiterated Clinton's offer in a private meeting with Burmese officials Wednesday night. In two public appearances Wednesday, Clinton also sharpened her concern, first expressed Tuesday, about "the transfer of nuclear technology" from North Korea to Burma. "We have been very clear in stating that the United States would like to see changes in the behavior of the regime in Burma," she said. Despite the U.S. investment ban, countries such as India, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore and China have poured money into investments to exploit Burma's natural resources. At least 69 Chinese multinational corporations are involved in 90 hydropower, mining, and oil and natural gas projects in Burma, according to a 2008 report by the group EarthRights International. Before flying to this resort island for the ASEAN forum, Clinton told Thai television in Bangkok that the organization should consider expelling Burma from the 10-nation group if the military junta does not release Suu Kyi. But later in the day she backpedaled, saying that such a decision is up to ASEAN. To solidify relationships with the ASEAN countries, Clinton signed a nonbinding nonaggression pact that China -- a major economic competitor with the United States in the region -- signed six years ago. But she also said the United States would become the first non-ASEAN country to open an ambassador-level diplomatic post with the group. Clinton played down comments she had made earlier Wednesday, to Thai television, suggesting the United States would provide a "defense umbrella" for Persian Gulf allies if Iran acquired a nuclear bomb. She said she had indicated no new policy.