Friday, April 17, 2009

President Barack Obama Arrives At Americas Summit With Cuba Focus / Cuba Overture Takes Spotlight As President Barack Obama Arrives At Summit

President Barack Obama Arrives At Americas Summit With Cuba Focus / Cuba Overture Takes Spotlight As President Barack Obama Arrives At Summit
(NSI News Source Info) April 17, 2009: President Barack Obama’s opening to Cuba is dominating the unofficial agenda of his first Summit of the Americas as the two nations engaged in an indirect dialogue that may mark a breakthrough in U.S.-Cuban relations. Obama arrived in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago this afternoon, after Cuban President Raul Castro said his government is “willing to discuss everything” blocking a thaw in a relationship that has been frozen for almost five decades. President Barack Obama arrives for the 5th Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Friday, April 17, 2009. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was in the Dominican Republic today, said the administration is “taking a very serious look” at Castro’s overture. The U.S. broke off relations and imposed an embargo on Cuba after Fidel Castro, Raul Castro’s brother and the country’s president until he relinquished power a year ago, expropriated the land of U.S. citizens and companies and aligned himself with the Soviet Union. While the 47-year-old embargo remains, Obama this week loosened restrictions on family travel and remittances to Cuba imposed by former President George W. Bush. He also acted to allow American communications companies such as AT&T Inc. to establish service to the Caribbean nation. Those actions were “a show of good faith on the part of the United States that we want to recast our relationship,” Obama said yesterday in Mexico City. Castro responded by saying last night in Venezuela that Cuba has sent word “in private and in public” that he is willing to discuss Cuban policies on human rights and other freedoms that Obama said stood in the way of more progress. Next Steps “Having taken the first step, I think it’s very much in our interest to see whether Cuba is also ready to change,” Obama said at a news conference yesterday with Mexican President Felipe Calderon. “We don’t expect them to change overnight.” Other leaders at the hemispheric summit, from Venezuelan socialist Hugo Chavez to Mexico’s pro-business Calderon, view a change in policy toward Cuba as a starting point for better U.S. relations with the region, which are at their lowest point in two decades. Cuba is the only country in the hemisphere excluded from the 34-nation summit, which opens today. Many of the region’s leaders entered politics under military regimes and looked to Cuba and Fidel Castro, 82, for inspiration and support. The U.S. is alone in the hemisphere in rejecting diplomatic and trade relations with Cuba. Chavez, who called Obama an “ignoramus” last month and has been at odds with the U.S. since taking office in 1992, said he will oppose the summit communiqué because of the “unjustifiable” exclusion of Cuba. Other Issues White House officials said they aren’t worried about Cuba being a focal point at the Summit of the Americas. “I think the issues that face the Americas today, particularly the economic crisis and the effects of the economic crisis, are going to be the principal concern of the vast majority of the countries and leaders who come to the summit,” Dan Restrepo, Obama’s director for Western Hemisphere Affairs, said last night in Mexico City. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama’s decision to allow Cuban-Americans unlimited travel and remittances to family in the communist country was a “decisive action” that calls for a response from the Cubans. “We’d be interested to know what the leaders in Cuba and what leaders that might be coming to the summit with that issue on their mind, what they’re willing to do and talk about with those in order to demonstrate that there’s a willingness to see something happen on the other side,” Gibbs said. “That could actually produce something that’s worthwhile as well.” Calderon, at yesterday’s news conference, called the U.S. actions to ease travel and financial restrictions on those with family members in Cuba “a very constructive, positive step.”

Pakistan: Taliban Marching, Covering, Spreading, Moving On Mardan And Other Cities

Pakistan: Taliban Marching, Covering, Spreading, Moving On Mardan And Other Cities (NSI News Source Info) April 17, 2009: The Taliban continue their advance in northwestern Pakistan. The district of Mardan in the Northwest Frontier Province may be the next region to fall to the Taliban as the terror group has stepped up its attacks in the area. The Taliban murdered two women in Mardan yesterday, signaling the district is marked for takeover. A female aid worker for the non-governmental organization National Rural Support Program was killed in a bombing at her office.

Taliban presence, by district and tribal agency, in the Northwest Frontier Province and the Federally Administered Tribal Agencies. Information on Taliban presence obtained from open source and derived by The Long War Journal based on the presence of Taliban shadow governments, levels of fighting, and reports from the region. A local Taliban commander named Habibur Rehman claimed credit for the attack. "He accused NGOs of propagating obscenity and vulgarity and threatened further attacks," Dawn reported. The Taliban also gunned down a female councilor for a local union. The murders were the latest in a series of attacks in Mardan that signal the Taliban is setting its sights on the district. Since early March, in Mardan the Taliban have bombed two girls' schools, dozens of CD and video shops, and an electrical tower. The Taliban have forced the closure of more than a hundred CD shops after issuing threatening night letters and ordered barbers to stop shaving men's beards. The Taliban conducts attacks like these to intimidate the local population while setting the precedent for the establishment and enforcement of its brutal version of sharia, or Islamic law. Attacks such as these preceded the Taliban takeover of Tank, Bannu, Hangu, Lakki Marwat, Swat, Shangla, Arakzai, and Bajaur. Mardan was also one of the districts chosen by the Swat Taliban to parade through after its near-effortless takeover of Buner, a district just 60 miles from the capital of Islamabad. Earlier this week, a Taliban convoy of 10 trucks filled with fighters brandishing heavy weapons drove from Buner, through the district center in Swabi, and through Mardan before passing into Malakand, Dawn reported. The Taliban convoy was untouched by Pakistani security forces. "They drove through a district HQ of a district they have not yet occupied ... on the federally policed motorway; through an army cantonment – as a matter of fact right past the Punjab Regimental Centre’s shopping plaza containing the usual bakery and pastry-shop run by serving soldiers – and thence through the rest of the crowded city of Mardan which is also the home of the chief minister of the province," Dawn reported. Taliban nearing encirclement of Peshawar The takeover of Mardan would put the Taliban one step closer to completing an encirclement of Peshawar, the provincial capital of the Northwest Frontier Province. The Taliban have taken control of vast swaths of tribal agencies Arakzai, Khyber, and Mohmand, and maintain a strong presence in Charsadda and neighboring Mardan. Charsadda is still contested, but the Taliban have launched some of the largest suicide strikes in this district in an effort to break the security forces. In the latest suicide attack on April 15, nine policemen were among 18 Pakistanis killed in a suicide attack on a police checkpoint. The district of Nowshera to the east of Peshawar has been spared some of the heavier violence that has plagued the Northwest Frontier Province, but the Taliban are showing signs of advancing there as well. Over the past month, the Taliban assaulted two police checkpoints and bombed 20 CD shops. Peshawar itself is under Taliban siege. The city has been described as a fortress as the Taliban maraud through the countryside. The Taliban have conducted dozens of assaults on trucking terminals that handle supplies for NATO forces in Afghanistan. Since late 2008, the Taliban have destroyed more than 500 trucks and containers destined for Kabul in an effort to strangle NATO's primary supply route. The military has launched multiple offensives to clear the Taliban from Peshawar, Khyber, Arakazai, Mohmand, and Charsadda. The Taliban typically lay low during the operations and return after the government calls them off and withdraws troops. The Taliban are nearing their takeover of the Northwest Frontier Province. The Pakistani government recently ceded the northern third of the province to the Taliban after agreeing to implement sharia in a large region known as the Malakand Division. The seven western tribal agencies and most of the bordering districts are under Taliban control or under strong Taliban influence.

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez Hopes U.S. President Barack Obama Will Not Gag Him

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez Hopes U.S. President Barack Obama Will Not Gag Him
(NSI News Source Info) April 17, 2009: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has expressed his hope that during the Summit of the Americas U.S. President Barack Obama will not behave like Spain's king who told him to shut up, local media reported on Friday. The Summit of the Americas is scheduled for April 17-19 in Trinidad and Tobago and will be Obama's first meeting with Latin American leaders with the exception of the Cuban leadership, which is the only country not invited because of a U.S.-implemented embargo. "We are ready to participate in the Summit of the Americas and hope the U.S. president who is coming won't follow the example of the Spanish king and tell me to shut up because we plan to speak the truth," Chavez said on Thursday at the closing of the Iberia-Latin America summit in Venezuela. In 2007 during the summit's closing ceremony, Chavez called ex-Spanish premier Jose Maria Aznar a fascist. The Spanish king subsequently weighed into the quarrel, telling Chavez to "shut up" before storming out of the hall. In scolding Chavez, King Juan Carlos reportedly opted to use the informal "you," usually used when speaking to close friends or children in Spanish. Before the unusual royal intervention, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero had asked Chavez to show respect for other political leaders. Commenting on the remark back in Caracas, Chavez said he was surprised by Zapatero's reaction to his statements about Aznar, adding that it was like "German Chancellor Angela Merkel standing up for Adolf Hitler." Latin American media have reported that there are no plans for tete-a-tete meetings between the U.S. and Venezuelan presidents and that the two will only speak during the summit's general session in which 34 countries will participate. Obama is expected to offer Latin American countries a new period of cooperation in energy, as well as in the fight against crime and the global economic crisis. On the eve of the regional summit an annual poll by the Latin American research center, CIMA, was published on the popularity ratings of leaders attending the summit. Some 12,000 people were polled from 19 Latin American countries. According to the survey, U.S. President Barack Obama emerged as the most popular leader with 70% of votes, whereas Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was the most unpopular with 28%.

President Barack Obama Wants Cuba To Make Next Move To Improve Ties

President Barack Obama Wants Cuba To Make Next Move To Improve Ties
(NSI News Source Info) MEXICO CITY - April 17, 2009: U.S. President Barack Obama has said he is waiting for Havana to make the next step to improve relations after Washington lifted curbs on visits and money sent to Cuba. Earlier this week, Obama announced that Americans with relatives in Cuba would be able to visit and send money to the Caribbean island. "There are a range of steps that could be taken on the part of the Cuban government that would start to show that they want to move beyond the patterns of the last 50 years," Obama said following a meeting with Mexican President Felipe Calderon. However, he also said again that the U.S. would not end its trade embargo against the communist island without steps from Cuba's leaders on lifting restrictions on its own people. Cuban President Raul Castro responded to Obama's statement by saying that Havana was willing to discuss "everything - human rights, freedom of the press, political prisoners," but only on the condition that Cuba was regarded as an equal in any discussions, and that Washington recognized "the Cuban people's right to self-determination." The United States imposed an economic, trade and financial embargo against Cuba in 1962, three years after the Cuban Revolution that saw the downfall of Washington-backed dictator Gen. Fulgencio Batista.

BAE Offers Heads-Up Display For Smaller Aircraft At LAAD

BAE Offers Heads-Up Display For Smaller Aircraft At LAAD
(NSI News Source Info) RIO DE JANIERO - April 17, 2009: BAE Systems chose to highlight its Quantum Heads-Up Display system at the Latin America Aerospace and Defense (LAAD) conference with the hope of garnering interest from Brazilian aerospace giant Embraer. "The specific objective for having Quantum HUD here at LAAD is Embraer," said John Nix of BAE. "Embraer obviously does both civil and military applications, and Quantum HUD is a unique system in that it's scalable across the breadth of their product lines, from the very smallest aircraft to the very largest aircraft." The heads up display is meant to replace the projection system in cockpits that displays flight information on a clear screen in the pilot's line of sight. The projection system is installed over a pilot's head in the cockpit. The projector systems are not used in small aircraft, so pilots have to look down at instrumentation to get data like speed, altitude and horizon information. BAE representatives at LAAD said their system could be mounted in small aircraft because it's about half the size of the conventional projector system. Instead of projecting an image from an overhead projector onto a display in front of the pilot, the BAE system eliminates the projector and "shoots" the image into the edge of the glass that is the display in front of the pilot, Nix said. There is "a tremendous amount of interest" in the system for small commercial aircraft, said Richard Morrow of BAE. "We don't have any contracts yet, but we anticipate probably four [requests for proposals] before the end of the year on this." Boeing also is interested in the system for the C-17 military transport, Nix added. Morrow said the response from Embraer at the show had been "very positive," and BAE planned to send representatives to the Brazilian company next week for further meetings.

IAI Casts Lot For Future Growth With Brazil

IAI Casts Lot For Future Growth With Brazil
(NSI News Source Info) RIO DE JANEIRO - April 17, 2009: Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) looked around the world for its future growth and signed up for Brazil and India, said Yair Shamir, chairman of the diversified aerospace and defense group. That global strategy for growth was ratified by the IAI board, Shamir said April 16 at the Latin America Aerospace and Defense (LAAD) show. To pursue the Brazilian market, IAI recently signed a 50/50 joint venture agreement with Synergy Group, an industrial and engineering group with large shipbuilding and aviation interests. IAI talked to a number of companies but opted for Synergy because it was looking for a partner that would allow diversification of activities. The joint venture agreement was complicated and took some time to finalize. IAI settled on a joint venture rather than an outright acquisition, which was considered too risky. IAI's approach will be "practical, not theoretical," Shamir said. The joint venture will seek out projects on which it can bid, applying the Israeli company's broad range of capabilities. The president of Synergy, Germain Efromovich, said the agreement brings IAI technology into the joint venture company, which will bid for contracts with the Brazilian air force, army and navy. Synergy submitted a bid in a tender that closed April 15 for four Brazilian coast guard cutters, Efromovich said. Synergy owns two shipyards here, five commercial airlines including the Avianca carrier and a cargo operator, and an offshore helicopter fleet. The company is also involved in oil exploration and the medical field. The Brazilian company plans to invest $800 million over three years in a new shipyard in the Rio state, Efromovich. Profit margins in the aircraft business are about 8 percent to 9 percent, shipbuilding up to 15 percent, and medical 20 percent to 25 percent, he said. Synergy had 2008 sales of $2.6 billion and expects to make $3 billion. Each partner will initially inject a couple of hundred thousand dollars into the joint venture, but has capacity to put in hundreds of millions eventually. The timing is right, Shamir said, as the Brazilian armed forces are pursuing a modernization. Brazil is interested in assets such as UAVs, an early warning system and upgrades for its land, sea, air and, eventually, space capabilities, said Yair Ramati, IAI corporate vice president for marketing. Some of the needs are a wish list, but IAI looks to the joint venture to win those deals which actually come to the market. IAI is following Brazil's FX-2 combat aircraft tender, as the company has equipment, such as a radar targeting pod, electronically scanned radar, secure communications and electronic countermeasures, which could be fitted on the Saab Gripen aircraft if the Brazilian air force chooses it. IAI makes the RF radar seeker for Rafael tactical missiles and builds laser guided bombs. A win by Boeing's F/A-18 would secure business for American suppliers, while the Dassault Rafale is mainly equipped with Thales systems, leaving little room for IAI. The Israeli company also has surveillance and communications satellites, which could feed into Brazil's space ambitions. In India, IAI signed an agreement with the Tata conglomerate in the third quarter of last year.

Russian Helicopters Sees Lucrative Upgrade Market in Latin America

Russian Helicopters Sees Lucrative Upgrade Market in Latin America
(NSI News Source Info) RIO DE JANEIRO - April 17, 2009: Russian Helicopters expects big business in upgrades of military aircraft in Latin America, as well as some sales of the Mi-17 utility helo, said Vladimir Mikheyev, spokesman for the holding company that represents rotorcraft manufacturers. The Ka-226 light multi-purpose helicopter was designed to carry out emergency missions in urban and congested areas, and is capable of taking off and landing on small, unprepared grounds. The dimensions of the helicopter are minimal and it has no tail rotor, which excludes any damage from obstacles and is safer for ground personnel. By the effectiveness of usage the helicopter is optimized to carry out a wide spectrum of aviation works in different natural-environmental conditions. The machine can be involved in rescuing, fire fighting, police, or road, oil pipe or power line patrol operations. Ka-226 is suitable for operatively managing large cities and large agricultural complexes. Helicopters makers such Mil Military Helicopter, Kamov, Rostvertol and Kazan found a new market in the southern hemisphere in the 1990s when the collapse of the Soviet Union meant Washington dropped objections to South American countries buying military equipment from the Cold War enemy. Among countries looking to add to its Russian fleets is Peru, which is interested in buying a small number of the multipurpose Mi-17, as is Nicaragua, Colombia and Bolivia, Mikheyev said at the Latin America Aerospace and Defense show. Brazil bought 12 Mi-35 Ms (M for modernized), and the Air Force chief told Russian Helicopter executives at the show that the service wanted to buy more. A planned sale of the Mi-17 to Brazil fell through when the government ditched the Russian deal and bought 50 Eurocopter EC725 aircraft in December after French President Nicolas Sarkozy visited the country. The upgrade activities will draw on service centers in Mexico and Peru. Venezuela has obtained a license for local assembly of the Kamov 226, the twin-rotor aircraft with contra-rotational blades. Venezuela is also in discussions to buy new Mi-28s. In a deal with Turbomeca, Kamov will re-engine its 266 aircraft with the more powerful Arrius 2G1 motor built by the French company. The new model will be designated Kamov 266T (T for Turbomeca). Russian manufacturers acknowledge their weakness in advanced cockpit avionics and are open to installing European and American electronic equipment. "We are ready to fit Western systems," Mikheyev said. Progress, however, has been made, with the Uomz company building a FLIR electro-optical system, which has been sold to German, Italian, Polish and Spanish helicopter operators, he said.

India Drops Rafale From $10 Billion Aircraft Competition

India Drops Rafale From $10 Billion Aircraft Competition
(NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI -April 17, 2009: In a major setback to France's Dassault, its Rafale military aircraft has been rejected by the Indian Air Force in its hunt to buy 126 Medium Range Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), a contract worth $10 billion. A senior Indian Defence Ministry official said Dassault was unable to give full technical bid requirements for the Rafale. (DASSAULT)
No foreign sales have yet been made. Several countries have shown interest in purchasing the Rafale. The Rafale was one of the six fighter jets competing for India's tender for 126 multi-role fighters. In April 2009, the Indian Defense Ministry announced that the Rafale was not being considered for the tender since the aircraft failed to meet the stated requirements of the Indian Air Force. Other competing aircraft, namely Mikoyan MiG-35, F-16, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, JAS 39 Gripen and Eurofighter Typhoon, qualified for the next round of evaluation. A senior Indian Defence Ministry official said Dassault was unable to give full technical bid requirements, but refused to give details. The rejection of Dassault leaves five overseas companies in the race, including Lockheed Martin, which has fielded the F-16; Boeing with the F/A-18 Super Hornet; Sweden's Saab with the Gripen; the Russian Aircraft Corp. MiG with the MiG-35; and EADS, which proposed its Eurofighter . Dassault's executive in New Delhi was unavailable for comment. The remaining bidders will move to the flight trial round of procurement, which is likely to begin in the next two months. This will be followed by weapons tests in the country of the respective manufacturers. The commercial bids would be opened only after all trials and evaluations have been completed. After price negotiations, the contract will be sent for approval to the defense minister, who will send it to the Cabinet Committee on Security for final clearance. The whole procurement could take another five years, another Defence Ministry official said. The request for proposals was floated in August 2007, and stipulated that the MMRCA should be in the range of 14 to 30 tons and would be used for air defense and air-to-surface operations. Under the terms of purchase, the first 18 aircraft will come in a fly-away condition, and the remaining 108 will be manufactured under a technology-transfer process. Out of the 108 aircraft to be license-produced in India, 74 would be single-seat and 34 twin-seat. India's state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics has been designated as the production agency that will coordinate and manufacture the license production of the aircraft.

President Barack Obama Team On Wrong Foot with Pakistan?

President Barack Obama Team On Wrong Foot with Pakistan?
*Analysis: The Obama Team is working in the right direction with Pakistan and have to put their foot down and require for accountability as the current government of Pakistan under Zardari were following the path of their predecessor Pervez Musharraf. Last eight years under Pervez Musharraf administration, Taliban and al Qaeda gathered memento in strength and he was milking U.S. for $10 billion in economic and military aid plus got large sum of foreign debts erased. Pakistan has to get it's agenda right, otherwise there is no solution to Afghan conflict.
One thing good, if Iran can be involved in Afghan theatre that would replace Pakistan and solve to a large extent Afghan conflict. Lastly, Afghan-Pak border must be sealed, unable Taliban to reinforce militants in Afghanistan and poppy cultivation eradicated, would stop Taliban revenue. (DTN Defense-Technology News)
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON — April 17, 2009: US President Barack Obama has made rooting out extremism from Pakistan a key priority, but experts from both countries warn that his team is off to a shaky start. Japan on Friday holds a major donors meeting for Pakistan, but Islamabad has already bristled at proposed conditions in the US aid package. US Army armored humvees patrol in Paktika province, situated along the Afghan-Pakistan border. US envoy Richard Holbrooke, who will take part in the Tokyo talks, and Admiral Mike Mullen, the top US military commander, last week visited Islamabad, where they faced a storm of protest over US drone attacks that have killed both wanted militants and civilians. Pakistani analyst Shuja Nawaz, director of the South Asia Center at the Washington-based Atlantic Council, was not charitable about the Obama team's debut in Islamabad. "This was probably the worst ever visit by an American team to South Asia in history," Nawaz said. "It was a complete disaster. "If this is how you are going to win friends, I just wonder how you are going to create enemies," Nawaz told a seminar at The Jamestown Foundation, another think-tank. Nawaz faulted Holbrooke and Mullen for publicly demanding that Pakistan's civilian President Asif Ali Zardari rein in elements of the intelligence service believed to support extremists. Obama has thrown his support behind a bill before Congress to pump 1.5 billion dollars annually into Pakistan for at least five years to build schools and infrastructure that can nurture democracy. With the United States in a painful recession, the Obama administration has made clear to US taxpayers that it would set benchmarks on Pakistan's progress in fighting extremism. But Nawaz said such conditions made the aid politically untenable for Zardari, widely seen to be in a weak position faced with Pakistan's powerful military and intelligence service. Ahmed Rashid, a leading Pakistani journalist and Taliban expert, said that the United States would do well to set more general parameters for aid. He said he was "absolutely shocked" by the conditions in drafts of the US congressional aid bill to his country. "No political government can accept a bill like this in Pakistan, even if it is on its knees -- which it is, economically speaking," Rashid said. Obama, announcing his new strategy last month, said that the United States should take a broader regional approach that encompasses both Pakistan and Afghanistan in the fight to eliminate Islamic extremism. Leading members of the Al-Qaeda movement -- including its leader Osama bin Laden -- are widely believed to be holed up in Pakistan's lawless tribal areas near the Afghanistan border. Pakistan was the premier supporter of the extremist Taliban regime in Afghanistan, but military ruler Pervez Musharraf switched sides overnight and became a key US ally after the September 11, 2011 attacks. Marin Strmecki of the Smith Richardson Foundation warned that the United States ran the risk of telling Pakistan that "having security problems in the region is a good way to get paid to alleviate the problem." The United States should instead signal that "we want to build a positive long-term relationship with Pakistan for its own sake" and only quietly lay out US goals for Islamabad to fight militants, Strmecki said. Obama has also backed a bill to give duty-free access to US markets for some goods made in the troubled tribal regions of Pakistan. Stephen P. Cohen, an expert on South Asia at the Brookings Institution, said that the United States has made excessive demands of a weak Pakistani leadership -- from fighting extremists to safeguarding its nuclear program to treating women better and reforming its economy. "We've asked the Pakistanis to do too much -- there are limits to what a government can do that can barely stay in power," Cohen said. "If we think that they can do everything, they will wind up doing nothing well."

US Army Recruits Immigrants, Rewards Them With Citizenship

US Army Recruits Immigrants, Rewards Them With Citizenship
(NSI News Source Info) NEW YORK - April 17, 2009: The U.S. Army is stepping up efforts to recruit more skilled soldiers by offering immigrants a fast track to U.S. citizenship if they enlist.The move comes as the Pentagon prepares to send several thousand more troops to Afghanistan and with the war in Iraq in its sixth year.
The U.S. Army chief of staff, himself, swore in a group of recruits at a ceremony in New York. Half of the 32 new Army recruits are immigrants from countries such as Pakistan, India, South Korea and Bangladesh.
(Photo above: New Army recruits) General George Casey welcomed the new soldiers, recruited under a new initiative called MAVNI - Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest.
It's a pilot program that promotes enlistment as a short-cut to U.S. citizenship. Recruits are required to have at least two years of legal U.S. residency.
Lieutenant Colonel Margaret Stock says the Army is looking for people with language skills or medical expertise. "We're also looking for people who have cultural ability. They understand certain cultures that we are dealing with. We found, in our operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, that having people who were culturally knowledgeable is critical to success on the battlefield," Stock said.
So far, the MAVNI program, which began in February, has enlisted 52 new soldiers, 60 percent of whom are college graduates. The Army wants people who speak one of 35 languages it deems "strategic."
Stephen Chi speaks Cantonese and four other languages. He will be working as a petroleum supply specialist. He says he enlisted, not for the U.S. passport, but for the camaraderie. "I grew up in Norway, my parents are Chinese, so joining the Army will give me a chance to really belong to somewhere," he said.
Twenty-four-year-old Toniya Mishra, who will start as a water treatment specialist, says the Army approached her after finding her resume on the Internet. While her starting salary is less than she hoped to get with a masters degree, she says there are other perks. "They provide insurance for your family, and you get to travel a lot in different countries, and it's better than doing anything else in a market like this today," she said.
For the recruits, the next stop is basic training, a rigorous nine weeks of physical fitness, discipline and training.And some then will go to Iraq or Afghanistan, where they could face the dangers of combat.
Krishna Melpati - a medical doctor from India - has a concern. "My only fear," Krishna says, "is like, getting through the basic training."
So far, 380 people have applied. The Army says it will accept up to 1,000 before the program expires in December.

US, Pakistan Struggle To Soften Aid Conditions

US, Pakistan Struggle To Soften Aid Conditions (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - April 17, 2009: The United States and Pakistan are working quietly to remove their differences on the conditions attached to expected US aid as a high-level American delegation leaves for Tokyo to participate in an international donors’ conference. The conference, scheduled on Friday, is expected to raise up to $6 billion to help Pakistan rebuild its ailing economy. The United States has already said that it would make a ‘substantial pledge’ to Pakistan at the conference. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari delivers an opening speech at the Pakistan friends Conferrence in Tokyo on April 17, 2009. Almost 30 donor countries were due to meet in Japan to raise what the World Bank hopes will be four to six billion dollars in aid pledges for poor and violence-torn Pakistan. Pakistan’s economy, considered South Asia’s second-biggest until recently, deteriorated in the past two years amid the highest interest rates in Asia, political wrangling and the nation’s fight against Taliban militants. While the United States has promised to help Pakistan recover, US policy- makers have informed Islamabad that their aid will come with conditions. ‘Clearly, we are going to establish benchmarks. We want to see certain standards and goals met,’ said State Department spokesman Robert Wood while announcing Washington’s intention to make a generous pledge to Pakistan in Tokyo. Pakistan was taken aback when a bill moved in the US House of Representatives last week sought to virtually run its foreign policy in return for $1.5 billion of annual aid for a period of five years. The bill included some conditions that Pakistan had expected, such as a commitment to fighting terrorists and a strict supervision of how the money was spent. But other restrictions go beyond Pakistan’s expectations and seek to rewrite Islamabad’s foreign policy and military strategy as well. Under these conditions, Pakistan will have to change its attitude towards India, regarding it as a friendly nation and not an enemy whether New Delhi reciprocates such gestures or not. Islamabad will also have to ban all Kashmiri groups struggling to free the valley from India’s control. The bill reopens another sensitive issue by proposing a condition that will force Islamabad to allow US investigators access to Dr A. Q. Khan. Pakistan’s envoy in Washington told Dawn before leaving for Tokyo to attend the donors’ conference that he believed some of these restrictions could and would be removed. US lawmakers say that the conditions that require Pakistan to review its relationship with India and ban Kashmiri militant groups reflect their fear that both have contributed to increasing militancy in the region. Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, argues that Islamabad’s focus on India causes it to ignore the border with Afghanistan, which allows the militants to operate freely in the region. Gen Karl Eikenberry, President Obama’s new envoy for Kabul who has headed US forces in Afghanistan, says that Kashmiri militant groups have had links to the Taliban and Al Qaeda and have participated in actions against US forces. Diplomatic observers in Washington say that while the US Congress could soften the two conditions, in return the lawmakers may demand a firmer commitment from Pakistan to rein in the militants and to uproot those based in Fata. Similarly, the condition for allowing US investigators access to nuclear proliferators could also be softened. It could be rephrased to cover future proliferators which would allow Pakistan not to produce Dr Khan before US investigators. The current House bill does not mention him but makes no distinction between future and past proliferators.
WHO ARE THE FRIENDS AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING? * The Friends of Pakistan group was set up in New York on Sept. 26, 2008, with the encouragement of the United States which wants to marshal political and economic support to promote Pakistani stability, which is key to security in the region. * In particular, the group wants to help Pakistan foster economic development and fight terrorism. * The group includes Australia, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, the United Nations and European Union. * It is focusing on five areas: stability, development, Afghan border areas, energy and institution building. * The Friends of Pakistan is not an aid pledging forum. WHAT DOES PAKISTAN WANT FROM THE FRIENDS? * Pakistan will aim to assure the Friends of Pakistan ministerial meeting of its commitment to tackling economic and security problems. President Asif Ali Zardari is expected to set out a medium-term "road map" for action on those issues. * In conjunction with that, Pakistan is expected to present a prioritised wish-list of projects it has drawn up worth $30 billion which it wants to see implemented over the next 10 years. * The list includes hydro-electric dams, roads and projects aimed at improving security. * Pakistan has said it needs a "Marshall Plan" akin to U.S. spending in Europe after World War Two. * Allies will reaffirm political support at the morning Friends meeting. Donors will make aid pledges in the afternoon. HOW MUCH AID DOES PAKISTAN EXPECT? * The donors conference, co-hosted by Japan and the World Bank, is focusing on bilateral aid in support of the $7.6 billion IMF loan. * Pakistan is hoping for $4 billion to fill a financing gap with the aid to be focused on poverty alleviation, education and health. Those sectors have suffered under efforts to cut the fiscal deficit. * If the aid were not to materialise, the poor would suffer but analysts say there is no tradition in Pakistan of mass unrest among the hungry. However, Islamist militants can find recruits from an ever-bigger pool of disaffected, unemployed young men. WHO HAS GIVEN, OR WILL GIVE, WHAT? * Japan is finalising plans to provide Pakistan with up to $1 billion in economic aid over the next two years, the Nikkei business daily reported on Saturday. * The United States has pledged development aid of $1.5 billion a year for the next five years. * The World Bank gave a $500 million interest free loan last month. It said in February it would lend Pakistan up to $2 billion this year. * China gave $500 million in January to help Pakistan build foreign reserves. * At donor meetings, countries sometimes re-pledge aid already committed as well as making pledges of new aid.

Oshkosh Defense Awarded $23 Million Delivery Order For Logistics Vehicle System Replacements

Oshkosh Defense Awarded $23 Million Delivery Order For Logistics Vehicle System Replacements
(NSI News Source Info) OSHKOSH, Wis. — April 17, 2009: Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, announced today it has received a delivery order from Marine Corps System Command (MARCORSYSCOM) for more than 55 Logistics Vehicle System Replacements (LVSR). The delivery order is worth more than $23 million and also includes delivery of 30 LVSR weapons mount kits.
Logistics Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR); With the heavy tactical wheeled vehicle fleet fast approaching the end of its service life, the Marine Corps is enlisting ideas from industry to find the best approach for a replacement - one that will contain total ownership costs. The Marine Corps seeks dialogue with industry to ensure that program and performance goals are realistic. The Marine Corps intends to use industry's feedback to develop an LVSR solicitation package for full and open competition. The target date for Initial Operational Capability is 2008. Cost will depend upon availability of a system that meets Marine Corps needs and is ready for testing. If industry can provide cost effective alternatives, then costs may be contained. If a full scale developmental program is needed, then costs may exceed $1 Billion. In any case, cost reduction strategies, reliability & maintainability improvement initiatives, and life cycle support recommendations are encouraged. The Logistics Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR) will replace the current Marine Corps heavy tactical wheeled vehicle, the Logistics Vehicle System (LVS). The LVSR is envisioned as a heavy tactical logistics distribution system that transports bulk liquids, ammunition, ISO containers up to 20ft in length, tactical bridging and support equipment, and bulk/breakbulk cargo; performs wrecker/recovery duties; and tows semi-trailers carrying heavy/oversized equipment (engineer and combat).
The LVSR variant produced under this delivery order will be the cargo truck. The delivery order was issued under an indefinite-delivery / indefinite-quantity contract with MARCORSYSCOM from 2006 for up to 1,700 LVSRs. The Oshkosh LVSR will be used by the U.S. Marine Corps for the on- and off-road transportation of heavy payloads, such as munitions, fuel, water and heavy equipment. The LVSR comes in three variants – cargo, wrecker and fifth-wheel – and features an on-road payload capacity of 22.5 tons and an off-road payload capacity of 16.5 tons. About Oshkosh Defense
Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, is an industry-leading global designer and manufacturer of tactical military trucks and armored wheeled vehicles, delivering a full product line of conventional and hybrid vehicles, advanced armor options, proprietary suspensions and vehicles with payloads that can exceed 70 tons.
Oshkosh Defense provides a global service and supply network including full life-cycle support and remanufacturing, and its vehicles are recognized the world over for superior performance, reliability and protection. For more information, visit www.oshkoshdefense.com. About Oshkosh Corporation
Oshkosh Corporation is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of specialty access equipment, commercial, fire & emergency and military vehicles and vehicle bodies. Oshkosh Corp. manufactures, distributes and services products under the brands of Oshkosh®, JLG®, Pierce®, McNeilus®, Medtec®, Jerr-Dan®, BAI®, Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles, Frontline™, SMIT™, Geesink™, Norba™, Kiggen™, CON-E-CO®, London® and IMT®. Oshkosh products are valued worldwide in businesses where high quality, superior performance, rugged reliability and long-term value are paramount. For more information, log on to www.oshkoshcorporation.com.

Boeing Marks 6,000th 737 With Delivery To ILFC And Norwegian Air Shuttle

Boeing Marks 6,000th 737 With Delivery To ILFC And Norwegian Air Shuttle
(NSI News Source Info) SEATTLE - April 17, 2009: Boeing on April 16., celebrated a special program milestone with the delivery of the 6,000th 737. It was delivered to International Lease Finance Corp (ILFC) which will lease the 737 to Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA. The airplane's tail features a special decal denoting this milestone. Boeing yesterday celebrated a special program milestone with the delivery of the 6,000th 737. The airplane was delivered to International Lease Finance Corp (ILFC) which will lease it to Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA. The airplane's tail features a special decal denoting the number 6,000 to commemorate this 737 program milestone. "We couldn't be more pleased about being part of this important milestone for the 737. With its continuous innovations, the Next-Generation 737 brings the right combination of operational and environmental performance to address the requirements of our markets," said Bjorn Kjos, chief executive officer of Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA. Norwegian Air Shuttle is the largest low-fare airline company in Scandinavia and has a route portfolio that stretches across Europe into North Africa and the Middle East. Norwegian has 39 737s in its fleet and an additional 42 on firm order with Boeing. "ILFC's very first Boeing delivery was a 737 and since then we've taken delivery of more than 400 of this outstanding model, re-ordering incremental airplanes dozens of times," said Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, ILFC chairman and chief executive officer. "The Next-Generation 737 is a major cornerstone to ILFC's modern, fuel-efficient and economical portfolio of more than 1,000 commercial jets." Boeing remains focused on continuous enhancement of the Next-Generation 737 family to ensure the airplane provides market-leading operational, economic and environmental performance to airlines and lessors around the world. "It is exciting to deliver our 6,000th 737 to ILFC and Norwegian Air Shuttle, and we thank them for being among the hundreds of airlines, operators and leasing companies who have made the 737 the world's most popular jet airliner," said Mark Jenkins, vice president and general manager, 737 Airplane Programs. "Thousands of employees have supported the many 737 variations Boeing has introduced, including today's all-new Next-Generation 737 family which is used in private, government and commercial service." To date, unfilled orders for the Next-Generation 737 exceed 2200 airplanes valued at approximately $163 billion at list prices.

Boeing Receives Southern Hemisphere's 1st NATA Accreditation For E3 Testing

Boeing Receives Southern Hemisphere's 1st NATA Accreditation For E3 Testing
(NSI News Source Info) BRISBANE, Australia - April 17, 2009: Boeing Defence Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company, has become the first company in the Southern Hemisphere with the authority to test medium-sized military and commercial aircraft, and a range of other military equipment and commercial platforms, for electromagnetic environmental effects (E3). National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) Australia Chief Executive Alan Patterson presented the accreditation certificate to John Duddy, managing director and vice president of Boeing Defence Australia, on April 15. NATA is the authority in Australia for the accreditation of facilities conducting tests, calibrations and measurements in technical fields. Boeing's E3 testing accreditation is "a significant and unique achievement in Australia that NATA wants to publically recognize," Patterson said. "It is a testament to the efforts of all involved." NATA has accredited Boeing to test aircraft and other platforms that emit on frequencies between 4MHz and 400MHz, such as the C-130 Hercules military transport or the Boeing Next-Generation 737 passenger carrier, at its E3 facility at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Amberley, Queensland, and at mobile test sites. The purpose of E3 testing is to measure and provide empirical results regarding an aircraft's electromagnetic susceptibility to certain frequencies, which can affect flight-critical and other systems within the aircraft. Duddy said the accomplishment "demonstrates that there is no company better qualified in the Southern Hemisphere to perform E3 tests on aircraft. Aircraft operators, both military and commercial, no longer need to go to great expense flying their aircraft overseas to identify any potential electromagnetic interference and detrimental environmental effects." Boeing will test customers' aircraft in Australia at its accredited facility at RAAF Base Amberley, or by sending Boeing engineers and equipment to customer sites. The tests are completed using three software programs developed and written in-house by Boeing's E3 team over a six-year period. These programs underwent a complete document, software and technical review to achieve authorization, including a five-day site assessment in October with NATA officials and observers from the Commonwealth Government of Australia's Director General of Technical Airworthiness, Defence, Science and Technology Organisation and Land Engineering Agency. "This is a proud day for our employees, who have worked hard over several years to ensure Boeing has an E3 testing capability second to none on this side of the globe," Duddy said. "It has been a great collective effort, and I would also like to thank NATA and the government agencies that were able to support this accreditation." Boeing Defence Australia, a wholly owned Boeing subsidiary and a business unit of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, has more than 2,000 employees at 14 locations throughout Australia supporting some of the largest and most complex programs for the Australian government and defence forces.

Japan To Give Pakistan $1 Billion In Aid: Nikkei

Japan To Give Pakistan $1 Billion In Aid: Nikkei
(NSI News Source Info) TOKYO - April 17, 2009: Japan's government is finalizing plans to provide Pakistan with up to $1 billion in economic aid over the next two years, the Nikkei business daily reported Saturday. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, left, speaks next to Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso during their joint press conference after their talks at Aso's office in Tokyo, Japan, Thursdsay, April 16, 2009. Zardari is in Japan to attend the Pakistan donor countries meeting, hosted by Japan and the World Bank. The assistance would consist of yen loans and grant aid, and is aimed at helping poverty-stricken areas that could become breeding grounds for extremists, as well as finance infrastructure, education and job training, the Nikkei said. Japan will announce the details on April 17 at a Pakistan donors conference in Tokyo that it is co-hosting with the World Bank, the paper said. Pakistan has said it is seeking between $4 billion to $6 billion in aid pledges at the donors conference to fill a financing gap over the next two years. The international community fears an economic meltdown in the nuclear-armed country could fan popular support for al Qaeda and other militant groups. Participants at the conference are expected to agree to provide about $4 billion in aid to Pakistan over two years, the Nikkei said. Japan had planned to chip in about 10 percent of that amount but will raise its contribution after the United States pledged annual aid of $1.5 billion, the paper said. Pakistan has drawn up a list of projects worth $30 billion it would like to see implemented over the next 10 years. The list includes hydro-electric dams and roads projects aimed at improving security in its violence-plagued northwest on the Afghan border. In November, Pakistan got an emergency $7.6 billion International Monetary Fund loan to stave off a balance of payments crisis.

Embraer Delivers Phenom 100 Jet To First Fleet Customer

Embraer Delivers Phenom 100 Jet To First Fleet Customer
(NSI News Source Info) São José dos Campos - April 17, 2009: Embraer delivered Executive AirShare’s first Phenom 100 jet, in early April. The fractional aircraft ownership company based in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., is the first fleet customer to receive a Phenom jet, out of a total firm order for 44 Phenom 100s and six Phenom 300s. The Embraer Phenom 100 is a Very Light Jet (VLJ) developed by Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer. It has a capacity for 4 passengers in its normal configuration, but it can carry up to 6-7 passengers with a single crew, optional side facing seat and belted toilet. It has a maximum flying range of 1,178 nautical miles with 4 occupants and NBAA IFR Reserves. As of 1 January 2009, its price is US$ 3.6 million, with the first aircraft delivered in December 2008. The fourteenth plane was acquired on March, 25th 2009, by a private pilot. “We congratulate Executive AirShare on the first of many Phenom jets to be delivered in the coming months and years,” said Ernest Edwards, Embraer Vice President, Marketing and Sales, USA, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean – Executive Jets. “We are committed to along-standing relationship with Executive AirShare, and look forward to working together as they enter service with their Phenom fleet.” In May 2007, Executive AirShare placed their initial order for seven Phenom 100s, with options for seven more. The order was expanded in September of the same year to include two Phenom 300s and options for two more jets. In October 2008, the order was further expanded, and currently is comprised of 50 firm orders for both Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 aircraft. “We are most impressed with Embraer’s modern, state-of-the-art facilities, and team of dedicated professionals,” said Keith D. Plumb, Executive AirShare President and Chief Operating Officer. “The Phenom 100 is one of the finest aircraft I've flown, and our employees and shareowners are excited about the addition of this new entry level jet to our fleet.” Executive AirShare is the only established fractional aircraft ownership company to offer customers both the Phenom 100 and Phenom 300. Executive AirShare’s members have access to their aircraft for a given number of days per year, rather than a strict number of annual flight-hours, as is the case with similar programs. About Executive AirShare Executive AirShare was founded in 2001, and operates a fleet of late-model jet and turboprop aircraft serving owners throughout the Central United States. As one of the nation’s largest regional fractional aircraft ownership companies, Executive AirShare offers businesses and individuals the benefits of corporate aircraft without the expense and hassle of managing their own flight operations. The company is based in Kansas City, Mo., but also operates out of Wichita, Kan., Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla., Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. 
The company currently operates a fleet of 16 aircraft: one Phenom 100, five Beechjet 400As, five King Air350s and five King Air C90Bs.

BAE Systems Delivers 500th M777 Howitzer To US Forces

BAE Systems Delivers 500th M777 Howitzer To US Forces
(NSI News Source Info) BARROW, UK - April 17, 2009: BAE Systems workers today celebrated delivery of the 500th M777 howitzer to the US military. Weighing in at less than 4200kg, the revolutionary M777 is the world's first artillery weapon to make widespread use of titanium and aluminum alloys, resulting in a howitzer which is half the weight of conventional 155mm systems. In May 2005, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, became the first Marine unit to begin fielding the new M777. 380 systems will be supplied to the Marines, and 273 to the U.S. Army and National Guard. In December 2005, The 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery conducted an inaugural firing of its first 155 mm M777 towed howitzers, for of a total of six guns. The six guns delivered were supplied by the United States Marine Corps under a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract between the U.S. and Canada. The guns were deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Archer, and were put into service in the Canadian theatre of operations around Kandahar in early 2006. In the summer they made a significant contribution during the Battle of Panjwaii when a small number of rounds were used to huge effect on Taliban elements retreating from the battle area. Many of the 72 reported killed during the heaviest period of fighting were due to artillery fire from only two of these guns. In late fall of 2006, the Canadian M777 Howitzers were equipped with the Digital Gun Management System, which greatly improved accuracy and lead to these guns being used for Short Range Close Support of Canadian and US ground forces. However, until early 2007, ammunition supplies were constrained and led to reduced firing. They proved so successful that an order for an additional six guns was placed with BAE. A recent press release states that the Canadian government has requested a further sale of up to 37 M777s. An Australian government request to the US DSCA for 57 M777A2s has recently been made, worth $248m. Gun Section 2, 2nd Platoon (5th Section) B/2-11 FA was the first US Army unit to fire the M777A2 in combat at 0823 (Baghdad Time) on 2 January 2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. 2-11 FA deployed December 2007 with 2nd BDE 25th Infantry Division out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. In June 2007, the M777 in its A2 configuration was assigned to the U.S. Army's 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment. 3-321 FA deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in December 2007 and has become mission capable since January 2008 making 3-321 FA the first U.S. Army unit to utilize the M777 in combat in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In April 2008, the M777 was deployed for testing with the 2nd battalion, 8th Field Artillery of the U.S. Army at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. On July 20, 2008 at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, the 1st Battalion, 108th Field Artillery, 28th Infantry Division, PA National Guard became the first Field Artillery unit of the National Guard to field and fire the M777. BAE Systems Global Combat Systems' facility at Barrow-in- Furness is responsible for the prime contract management of the M777 programme, including direct customer liaison and acceptance of the weapon system in the US, control of the UK and US supply chain, engineering design authority and manufacturing and assembly of the complex titanium structures and associated recoil components. Final integration and test of the weapon system is undertaken at its Hattiesburg plant in Mississippi. US Army officer Colonel James Matties congratulated workers on building a "superb" gun and told them it was doing a "magnificent job" in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The total number of orders for the gun currently stands at 737 in a programme worth over £1bn since it began in the mid-90s. "This is a landmark day for a transatlantic programme which has hit every milestone along the way," said BAE Systems' Artillery Programmes Director Ian McMillan. "M777 follows two other Anglo-U.S. weapon success stories - the 105mm Light Gun and the 81mm mortar are both British BAE Systems designs which have been adopted by the U.S." Canada has a potential requirement for an additional 25 howitzers. Australia has also registered official interest in a purchase and other nations are assessing the weapon system. Most of the 500 M777s have been delivered to the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps. Canada also has 12 M777 howitzers in service with the Royal Horse Artillery. Both nations' services operate M777s in Afghanistan, providing fire support to coalition forces. The gun is known by local insurgents as the 'Desert Dragon'. Its ability to be airlifted to remote positions by helicopter gives the system enormous operational flexibility and makes it ideal for a challenging environment like Afghanistan. BAE Systems also provides support, training, maintenance and spares for the guns currently in service. The M777 effort is managed by the Light Weight 155mm Joint Program office at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. Some M777 facts: The M777 can fire the "smart" Excalibur round, co-developed by Global Combat Systems up to 40 km (25m) accurately enough to target individual rooms within a building, reducing the chance of innocent casualties and allowing supporting fire to be brought down much closer to friendly troops. It can hurl a standard 43.5 kg shell almost 30 km (21 miles) at 2.5 times the speed of sound. The projectile takes just over a minute to fly this distance and reaches a maximum height of 12km. The shell reaches its maximum speed of 2900 kph (1800mph) by the time it exits the muzzle of the gun. The energy released firing at maximum range is 40 MJ which is the equivalent of accelerating 55 family cars to 45mph in just 12 thousandths of a second. The internal cannon peak pressure during firing reach 60,000 pounds per square inch. The wind speed, metereological conditions and even the earth's rotation all have to be taken into account for accurate targeting. The gun remains stable when firing, despite its light weight, by being "out of balance" - the barrel is mounted low and forward to prevent the gun overturning when it is fired. About BAE Systems: BAE Systems is the premier global defence, security and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. With approximately 105,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded £18.5 billion (US $34.4 billion) in 2008.

DCNS At LAAD 2009

DCNS At LAAD 2009
(NSI News Source Info) Rio de Janeiro Brazil - April 17, 2009: DCNS will exhibit at LAAD 2009 which will be held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) from 14 to 17 April 2009. DCNS is a major player on the European and world markets for value-added naval defence systems. As a naval prime contractor, shipbuilder and systems integrator, DCNS combines resources and expertise spanning the naval defence value chain and entire system lifecycles. DCNS delivers innovative solutions from integrated warships to strategic systems, equipment and services. The DCNS stand showcases: • DCNS will showcase its expertise in submarine design and construction, through the Scorpene medium-size submarines. At the end of January, DCNS delivered the first of two Scorpene submarines ordered by Malaysia in June 2002: Tunku Abdul Rahman, which is scheduled to arrive in Malaysia early in the second half of 2009. The second of the series, Tun Razak, is scheduled for delivery in late 2009. Already chosen by the Chilean Navy and the Indian Navy, Scorpene submarines represents the state of the art in submarine design and construction and benefits from the latest technologies developed for nuclear-powered classes operated by the French Navy, particularly as regards acoustic discretion and combat system performance. Excellent endurance makes the Scorpene one of the few medium-displacement designs suitable for extended ocean patrol duties. The modular design can also be readily tailored to each customer's specific mission profiles and other requirements. In December 2008, DCNS has been awarded a major contract by the Brazilian Navy (four conventional-propulsion submarines and design assistance - under the Brazilian Navy's design authority - for the non-nuclear part of the Navy's first nuclear submarine). • To emphasize its experience in strategic systems and equipment DCNS is also displaying the Mesma AIP system to extend submarine submerged endurance three to four fold and significantly improve operational performance. • Barracuda nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) will form a key component of the French Navy's force projection assets..The Barracuda will feature extremely low observables and vulnerability to all types of surface and underwater threats.The Barracuda programme calls for the delivery of six nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs). DCNS cut the first plate for the first-of-class Le Suffren at its Cherbourg shipyard on 19 December 2007. SSN Le Suffren is scheduled to enter service in 2017. The Barracuda is one of the most important programmes for the renewal of France's naval forces. • The Andrasta, a compact submarine designed to operate in coastal waters, a theatre of growing importance to all maritime nations. It is also a fearsome adversary in deep water. Andrasta combines a state-of-the-art design with stealth, agility and power. A direct descendant of the Scorpene, it is remarkably effective in any underwater role in coastal waters that a client navy may wish to assign to it. • CV São Paulo, formerly CV Foch, pride of the French Navy, was acquired by the Brazilian Navy in 2000. DCNS makes expertise available to the Brazilian Navy on an ‘as needed' basis. Most requests concern the ship's boilers, catapults, aviation facilities and propulsion system. To ensure that the São Paulo is constantly in top condition, DCNS supports the Brazilian Navy's Rio de Janeiro shipyard through telephone conference calls, by seconding experts and by supplying spare parts. • The projection and command ship or Mistral LHD is a multipurpose surface vessel designed to cover a broad spectrum of missions, including amphibious operations, crisis management, airborne operations, operational command, operational transport, healthcare support, humanitarian operations and freight transport. The operational capability and interoperability of the Mistral LHD were demonstrated in Operation Baliste off Lebanon and on sea trials with the US Navy (involving the LCAC and Super Stallion). • The FREMM multi-mission frigates programme combines the latest technologies developed by the DCNS group. These technological and engineering advances will make the FREMM frigates world leaders in their class. France and Italy have already ordered a first batch of and Morocco chose this frigate to equip its Royal Navy. • The FM 400 is a new compact and flexible frigate derived from the FREMM with a full range of specialized versions. In designing the FM 400, DCNS drew on a long line of stealth vessels that began with the famous La Fayette and now includes the FREMM frigates. Like its predecessors, the FM 400 offers multi-role capabilities tailored to the needs of a wide range of navies. • The innovative Gowind®, a new family of ocean-capable vessels designed by DCNS for all littoral and sea operations, Gowind® vessels are exceptional tools able to fulfil missions ranging from anti-piracy up to sea control and denial. • SUBTICS® combines operational efficiency, high-performance sensors and long-range weapons. The system can be readily added to any new-build programme or integrated as part of a refit. It has been selected by several navies for SCORPENE and AGOSTA 90B submarines, as well as for modernisation programmes for submarines already in service. • DCNS displays the F21 next-generation heavyweight torpedo developed with Italian partner Wass. The F21 has been selected by a number of navies. This product is an excellent example of DCNS's expertise in advanced system integration. • DCNS is also displaying the Contralto countermeasure systems, specifically Contralto-V® for surface vessels and Contralto-S® for submarines. This product is an excellent example of DCNS's expertise in advanced system integration. • Automatic UAV deck landing and take-off is a major challenge, especially if poor sea states and weather are taken into account. DCNS has developed the Automatic Deck landing Device to allow rotary-wing UAVs to take off and land on naval flight decks. The ADD system successfully completed its first sea trials off Toulon in October 2008. The system uses an infrared trajectograph to track the UAV while receiving real-time platform motion data. Meanwhile, a computer processes the motion data to generate UAV flight commands to adjust its trajectory. ADD can be used up to sea state 5, when it takes 2 minutes to land a UAV. DCNS also offers a full range of naval services, including through-life support (TLS), modernisations and training. DCNS is actively integrating e-maintenance into its guaranteed-availability TLS services. Internet technologies enable customer and service provider to share system status data and operating parameters in near-realtime. DCNS is also assessing the potential of state-of-the-art diagnostic and prognostic tools to further improve warship availability. About DCNSThe DCNS group is one of Europe's leading players on the world market for naval defence systems. To meet customer demands for more comprehensive and integrated systems, DCNS acts as prime contractor for naval shipbuilding, integration and support by combining its own development, marketing and production capabilities with those of selected partners. To manage the complexity of such projects, DCNS draws on in-house expertise in naval architecture, systems engineering, ship assembly and integration and equipment design and production as well as through-life support. The DCNS group employs some 13,000 people and generates annual revenues of around €2.8 billion

SKY Perfect JSAT Awards Lockheed Martin Contract To Build JCSAT-13 Communications Satellite

SKY Perfect JSAT Awards Lockheed Martin Contract To Build JCSAT-13 Communications Satellite
(NSI News Source Info) NEWTOWN, Pa. - April 17, 2009: Lockheed Martin has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract by SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation (SKY Perfect JSAT) of Japan to build its next geostationary communications satellite. Designated JCSAT-13, the satellite will be launched in 2013. JCSAT-13 will feature an all Ku-band payload incorporating 44 fixed high-power communication channels that will provide uplink and downlink coverage over Japan, Asia and Oceania. Additionally, two steerable antennas provide coverage for new and emerging markets as well as quick response coverage, spanning the visible Earth from the orbital slot to cover a geographic area upon short notice and, depending on capacity requirements, providing multiple transponders in each steerable beam. Extensive on-board switching allows for payload reconfiguration capability on orbit, allowing efficient use of the frequency plan. The spacecraft will be located at 124 degrees East longitude. JCSAT-13 is required to meet a 15-year service life and will be integrated on the highly reliable A2100AX platform manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS), Newtown, PA. JCSAT-13 is the seventh satellite order SKY Perfect JSAT has awarded to Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin successfully built JCSAT-9 through JCSAT-11 and is currently manufacturing JCSAT-12, which is scheduled to launch in the third quarter of 2009 and JCSAT-110R, which is scheduled to launch in 2011. Lockheed Martin also built and successfully launched N-SAT-110. “We recognize and value the trust that our customer, SKY Perfect JSAT has placed in Lockheed Martin,” said LMCSS General Manager Marshall Byrd. “By leveraging our experience on N-SAT-110 and JCSAT-9 through JCSAT-11, as well as current programs JCSAT-12 and JCSAT-110R, we are able to provide our customer with confidence that JCSAT-13 will be delivered on schedule and meet the quality requirements demonstrated by the A2100 platform.” The Lockheed Martin A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft series is designed to meet a wide variety of telecommunications needs including Ka-band broadband and broadcast services, fixed satellite services in C-band and Ku-band, high-power direct broadcast services using the Ku-band frequency spectrum and mobile satellite services using UHF, L-band, and S-band payloads. The A2100's modular design features a reduction in parts, simplified construction, increased on-orbit reliability and reduced weight and cost. The A2100 spacecraft design accommodates a large range of payloads. The A2100 serves as the platform for critical Lockheed Martin government communications programs such as the Advanced Extremely High Frequency program and the Mobile User Objective System, and is the foundation for the company's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Series-R (GOES-R) offering. The A2100 also serves as the spacecraft platform for Lockheed Martin’s GPS III program. About SKY Perfect
JSATSKY Perfect JSAT Corporation is a leader in the converging fields of broadcasting and communications. It is Asia’s largest satellite operator with a fleet of 12 satellites, and Japan’s only provider of both multi-channel pay TV broadcasting and satellite communications services. With 3.7 million subscribers, SKY Perfect JSAT delivers a broad range of entertainment through its SKY PerfecTV!, SKY PerfecTV! e2 and SKY PerfecTV! HIKARI platforms, the most extensive in Japan. In addition, through satellite communications service coverage that extends across Japan and the rest of Asia, Oceania, Hawaii and North America, the Company supports safety, security and convenience for society. About Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems is a unit of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, a major operating unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation, designs and develops, tests, manufactures and operates a full spectrum of advanced-technology systems for national security and military, civil government and commercial customers. Chief products include human space flight systems; a full range of remote sensing, navigation, meteorological and communications satellites and instruments; space observatories and interplanetary spacecraft; laser radar; ballistic missiles; missile defense systems; and nanotechnology research and development. 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.