Thursday, May 20, 2010

DTN News: Tensions Rise As North Korea Denies Sinking Warship

DTN News: Tensions Rise As North Korea Denies Sinking Warship Source: DTN News / TheStar.com
(NSI News Source Info) SEOUL, South Korea - May 21, 2010: South Korea accused the reclusive North on Thursday of torpedoing one of its warships, heightening tensions in the region and drawing a warning from Washington that Pyongyang must face consequences. Jittery South Korean financial markets and its currency fell as Seoul vowed to take “firm” measures against its neighbour. Nuclear North Korea, furiously denying the charge, warned it was ready for war if fresh sanctions were imposed. The United States, which has about 28,000 troops stationed in the South following the 1950-53 Korean War, said it stood ready to help South Korea defend itself against any further “acts of aggression.” Seoul has made clear it has no plans for a retaliatory strike but will press the international community to take action, probably more sanctions, against the North. Amid international condemnation of North Korea, the impoverished country’s only major ally, China, said it would make its own assessment of the South Korean investigation. Mindful of the tension on the Korean peninsula, U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates and spokesmen for the White House and the U.S. State Department chose their words carefully in their responses to the report.
South Korean Marines stand guard on Baengnyeong Island, South Korea, near the border with North Korea. (May 20, 2010)Blank ImageVideo: North sank warship, South Korea charges“Clearly this was a serious provocation by North Korea and there will definitely be consequences because of what North Korea has done,” said State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley. Gates said the United States was consulting with South Korea, which would decide what action to take. A report by investigators, including experts from the United States, Australia, Britain and Sweden, concluded that a North Korean submarine had fired the torpedo that sank the Cheonan corvette in March, killing 46 sailors. The South Korean report said intelligence had shown that North Korean submarines were likely operating near the scene of the sinking. “The evidence points overwhelmingly to the conclusion that the torpedo was fired by a North Korean submarine,” it said. North Korea said the South’s conservative government was using the incident for political gain. “Our army and people will promptly react to any ‘punishment’ and ‘retaliation’ and to any ‘sanctions’ infringing upon our state interests with various forms of tough measures including an all-out war,” the North’s official news agency quoted the powerful National Defence Commission as saying. North Korea has previously made bellicose threats to turn Seoul into a “sea of fire.” But military experts do not believe its army is any match for the modern military forces of the South and those of its ally, the United States. The rising tensions with North Korea and Iran have injected a new urgency into Canada’s G8 security agenda, which faced being overshadowed by economic recovery talks at next month’s round of summits.

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated May 20, 2010

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated May 20, 2010 Source: U.S. DoD issued May 20, 2010 (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - May 21, 2010: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued May 20, 2010 are undermentioned; CONTRACTS ARMY ~Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., was awarded on May 17 a $72,686,593 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 1,460 rocket propelled grenade kits, 45 prescribed loads lists and eight deprocessing spares for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicles. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2012. Five bids were solicited with five bids received. TACOM, AMSCC-TAC-ADCA, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-D-0111). ~Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., was awarded on May 17 a $68,914,367 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 509 explosively formed penetrator protection kits and 12 month of a field service representative in the continental U.S. for the M-ATV. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2012. Five bids were solicited with five bids received. TACOM, AMSCC-TAC-ADCA, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-D-0111). ~BAE Systems, Sealy, Texas, was awarded on May 17 a $37,403,500 firm-fixed-price contract for 181 improved cab protection cabs and 181 applique kits for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. Work is to be performed in Sealy, Texas, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2011. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Aviation and Missile Commands Contracting Command, CCAM-TM-B, Redstone Arsenal., Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-09-C-0623). ~GM GDLS Defense Group, LLC, JV, Sterling Heights, Mich., was awarded on May 18 a $30,655,831 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for logistics engineering support for the Stryker Family of Vehicles. Work is to be performed in Sterling Heights, Mich., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2011. One bid was solicited with one bids received. TACOM Contracting Center, CCTA-AI, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-07-D-M112). ~L-3 Communications, L-3 Fuzing and Ordnance Systems., Camden, N.J., was awarded on May 17 a $19,132,762 firm-fixed-price contract. The proposed add-on quantity is for the award of 367,971 M935 point detonating fuzes, National Stock Number 1390-01-268-9155,part number 9395584, purchased at a unit price of $52 each, which is the proposed unit price without first article. First article test is waved since L-3 Fuzing and Ordnance Systems is the current producer of the M935 fuze. Work is to be performed in Cincinnati, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of May 18, 2012. Bids were solicited via the World Wide Web with two bids received. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Contracting Center, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (W52P1J-07-C-0005). ~Boeing Co., Huntsville, Ala., was awarded on May 18 a $14,634,116 firm-fixed-price contract for 94 explosive ordnance disposal mini-robots. Work is to be performed in Huntsville, Ala., with an estimated completion date of Feb. 16, 2011. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with one bids received. Research, Development and Engineering Command Contracting Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W91CRB-09-D-0023). ~Airborne Systems North America, Santa Ana, Calif., was awarded on May 17 a $12,469,065 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 3,185 complete T-11 personnel parachute systems, and 420 T-11 personnel parachute systems without the reserve assembly. Work is to be performed in Santa Ana, Calif., with an estimated completion date of Dec 7, 2011. Three bids were solicited with three bids received. U.S. Army Research Development and Engineering Command Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Division, Natick, Mass., is the contracting activity (W911QY-10-D-0003). ~General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc., Needham, Mass., was awarded on May 17 a $12,089,352 firm-fixed-price contract for an acquisition in support of the Installation Information Infrastructure Modernization Program for Fort Carson, Colo. Work is to be performed in Fort Carson, Colo., with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2011. Ten bids were solicited with four bids received. Army Contracting Command, National Capital Region Contracting Center, Alexandria, Va., is the contracting activity (W91QUZ-06-D-0025). ~Kipper Tool Co., Gainesville, Ga., was awarded on May 17 an $11,723,560 firm-fixed-price contract. The small arms shop set provides the necessary tools to perform small arms field-level maintenance requirements for heavy machine guns and small caliber weapons. The small arms shop set has 164 tools in the set. This contract is a one-year requirements contract with two possible option years. Work is to be performed in Gainesville, Ga., with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2013. Fifteen bids were solicited with three bids received. TACOM-Rock Island, CCTA-AR-TB, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (DAAE20-03-D-0089). ~Aerostar International, Sioux Falls, S.D., was awarded on May 17 an $8,366,440 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 1,983 complete T-11 personnel parachute systems, and 280 T-11 personnel parachute systems without the reserve assembly. Work is to be performed in Huron, S.D. (80 percent), and Madison, S.D. (20 percent), with an estimated completion date of Sept. 8, 2011. Three bids were solicited with three bids received. U.S. Army Research Development and Engineering Command Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Division, Natick, Mass., is the contracting activity (W911QY-10-D-0002). ~McKellar Corp., Virginia Beach, Va., was awarded on May 18 a $7,055,929 firm-fixed-price contract to construct Combined Arms Collective Training Facility Phase 1B, to include: seven new buildings, guard tower, traffic circles, new asphalt paving, shanty town units, and cemetery vaults; as well as renovations of existing buildings. Work is to be performed in Butlerville, Ind., with an estimated completion date of Apr. 30, 2011. Thirteen bids were solicited with 13 bids received. National Guard Bureau, USPFO for Indiana, Indianapolis, Ind., is the contracting activity (W912L9-10-C-0004). ~Eyak Technology, LLC, Dulles, Va., was awarded on May 17 a $5,818,339 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract will provide materials in support of the 550th and 57th Regional Network Operations and Security Center technology refresh, in support of Project Manager Network Service Center, Project Director Defense Communication Systems-Southwest Asia. This requirement was completed amongst the 16 contractors under the Rock Island Contracting Center Southwest Asia telecommunications blanket purchase agreement. Work is to be performed in Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2010. Sixteen bids were solicited with seven bids received. Rock Islands Contracting Center, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (W52P1J-09-A-0021). ~ITT Advanced Engineering & Sciences, Herndon, Va., was awarded on May 18 a $5,777,832 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for competitive strategies group services in support of the Joint Improvised Explosive Devices Defeat Organization. Work is to be performed in Arlington, Va., with an estimated completion date of April 25, 2013. Five bids were solicited with five bids received. Research Development and Engineering Command, Contracting Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W91CRB-09-D-0058). ~BAE Systems, Herndon, Va., was awarded on May 18 a $6,246,735 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for strategic interplay exploration systems, simulation and scenario development in support of the Joint Improvised Explosive Devices Defeat Organization. Work is to be performed in Arlington, Va., with an estimated completion date of May 3, 2013. Sixteen bids were solicited with one bid received. R esearch, Development and Engineering Command Contracting Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W91QUZ-07-D-0003). NAVY ~Raytheon Network Centric Systems, St. Petersburg, Fla., is being awarded a $31,922,634 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-5202) for the design agent and engineering services for the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) program. CEC is a sensor netting system that significantly improves battle force anti-air warfare capability by extracting and distributing sensor-derived information such that the superset of this data is available to all participating CEC units. This modification combines purchases for the U.S. Navy (96 percent), and the governments of Australia (3 percent) and Canada (1 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Largo, Fla. (80 percent), St. Petersburg, Fla. (19 percent), and Dallas, Texas (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $3,014,168 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. ~Fluor Intercontinental, Inc., Greenville, S.C., was awarded on May 19 a $13,111,531 modification to cost reimbursement task order #0005 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62470-06-D-6008) for flood recovery at Naval Support Activity Mid-South. The work to be performed provides for flood damage clean-up and restoration in impacted areas of affected buildings. After award of this modification, the total cumulative task order value will be $14,611,531. Work will be performed in Millington, Tenn., and is expected to be completed by February 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity. ~General Dynamics Information Technology, Fairfax, Va., is being awarded $10,880,437 for task order #0017 under previously awarded contract (M67854-09-D-4726) to integrate and deliver enterprise IT capabilities through the Marine Corps Enterprise Information Technology Services (MCEITS) program based on a primarily commercial off-the-shelf design delivered and accepted at the critical design review. This task order provides the delivery and integration of the design for the classified and unclassified enclaves within the Kansas City Enterprise IT Center (EITC) as well as the unclassified systems integration environment (SIE) in Kansas City. The integration effort shall include the data center facility infrastructure, application infrastructure, and the initial enterprise services to enable the Marine Corps to host production applications and systems within the EITC and support the testing, integration, and engineering of applications and systems within the SIE. Additionally this task order shall support the initial MCEITS Operations Center capability and the initial operational capability (IOC) testing activities for the unclassified EITC and SIE as the program office prepares to achieve IOC and move towards a Milestone C decision. Work will be performed in Kansas City, Mo. (70 percent), Needham, Mass. (25 percent), and Quantico, Va. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $8,023,302 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity. ~Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $7,216,103 fixed-price incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-5305) for incorporation of long-lead material for SM-6 Block I missiles fiscal 2010 all up rounds production. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE ~Raytheon Co., Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., was awarded an $18,661,244 contract which will provide 2,180 Paveway II and 46 Paveway III guided bomb conversion kits. At this time, $18,639,872 has been obligated. 784 CBSG/PKB, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8213-10-C-0036). ~Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Integrated Systems Air Combat Systems, Redondo Beach, Calif., was awarded a $14,338,234 contract which will provide for efficient linearized all-silicon transmitters integrated circuits program to enable ultra-high power efficiency, ultra high linearity, microwave silicon-based transmitter integrated circuits for next generation radar and communications application. At this time, $14,338,234 has been obligated. Det 1 AFRL/PKDB, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-10-C-7027). ~The Gyro House, Auburn, Calif., was awarded a $6,507,187 contract which will provide for personnel, equipment, tools, materials, vehicles, supervision and other items and services necessary to perform civil engineer tasks and functions at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. At this time, no money has been obligated. 448 SCMG/PKBD, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity (FA8117-10-D-0007). ~Skils'Kin, Spokane, Wash., was awarded a $5,649,067 contract which will provide mess attendant services for the dining facility at Malmstrom Air Force Base. At this time, $292,241 has been obligated. 341 CONS of Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., is the contracting activity (FA4626-10-C-0017).

DTN News: Taiwan Will Not Engage In Arms Race With China

DTN News: Taiwan Will Not Engage In Arms Race With China
Source: DTN News / Int'l Media
(NSI News Source Info) TAIPEI, Taiwan - May 20, 2010: Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou said Wednesday the island will not engage in an arms race with China, despite the threat it poses, highlighted by the mainland's efforts to acquire an aircraft carrier. Taiwan will maintain a "small but elite" force to defend itself while continuing to promote trade ties with China, Ma told a press conference marking the second anniversary of his inauguration. "We cannot possibly engage in an arms race with China. We won't buy an aircraft carrier just because China is developing one. We have limited national resources, and we have to make the best uses of them," he said. "We have to maintain a small but elite, small but strong force to defend ourselves, to efficiently deter threats and increase the cost the mainland would have to pay for invading Taiwan." Ties between Taiwan and the mainland have improved markedly since Ma took office in 2008 vowing to boost trade ties and tourism, with his government keen to concluding a major trade pact with China next month. Meanwhile, Taiwan will continue to seek to buy F16 fighter jets from the United States to replace its ageing F5 fleet and strengthen its aerial defence, Ma added. Taiwan's national security chief said late last year that China had started building its first aircraft carrier, a move analysts warned could further tip the military balance between the two sides. Taiwan's defence ministry has said that China is continuing its military build-up against the island despite warming ties, deploying more than 1,300 ballistic and cruise missiles. "We do not take China's military threats lightly and we will not change our strategy for an efficient deterrence. But we cannot afford not to improve ties because of the missiles or we risk losing our competitiveness," Ma said. Ma said he does not ruled out meeting Chinese leaders but stressed that there is no plan and no timetable for such a move. Beijing still regards Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting to be reunified, by force if necessary, although the island has governed itself since 1949.