Defense Daily articles from April 2005

Defense Daily archives from April 2005

Citing Ethical, Legal Issues, Army Nixes Participation In AUSA/Boeing FCS Conference.
April 1, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt Ethical and legal concerns caused the Army to drop participation in an April 20-21 Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA)/ Boeing [BA]-sponsored Future Combat System (FCS) One Team Conference and weigh participating in a...

Navy's Next Generation ASW Helicopter To Begin OPEVAL.(MH- 60R, anti-submarine warfare system, Operational Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... By Geoff Fein The Navy will begin next month Operational Evaluation (OPEVAL) of the MH- 60R weapons systems, developed by Lockheed Martin [LMT], and the service will take delivery of the first four helicopters in December, according to a...

ADM Signed For Black Hawk Helicopters.(acquisition decision memorandum)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt An acquisition decision memorandum was signed yesterday approving the newest Sikorsky [UTX] UH-60M Black Hawk. Signed by Michael Wynne, the Pentagon's acting acquisition chief, the approval for Milestone C, low-rate...

Lockheed Martin Chief Visits With Middle East Partners.(Robert Stevens)
April 1, 2005... By B.C. Kessner TEL AVIV, Israel--Robert Stevens, president and CEO of Lockheed Martin [LMT], was here this week to meet with industry partners and defense establishment officials as part of his first international trip as the head of...

Silberman-Robb Report Urges Tighter Export Controls, Information Security.
April 1, 2005... By Nathan Hodge A presidential panel yesterday issued a report that urged major changes to the way the U.S. intelligence community collects information on weapons of mass destruction programs. But also buried in the report are a series...

The Shape of the Military is Not Keeping Up With Current Threats, CNO says.(Chief of Naval Operations, Vern Clark)
April 1, 2005... The military is not appropriately shaped to deal with all of the challenges it will face in the future, said the Chief of Naval Operations. "I don't believe the Navy that I have today is properly balanced and shaped for the kinds of tasks...

Army Report: Stryker Vehicle 'Bugs' Being Worked Out.
April 1, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt Upgrades and improvements continue for the Army's wheeled, armored Stryker vehicles, produced by General Dynamics [GD], according to the service's initial impressions report on the second Stryker Brigade Combat Team...

Defense Watch.
April 4, 2005... The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense Same Old Story. Surprise, surprise, GAO says that the Pentagon's weapons are costing more and taking longer to develop. For example, looking at 26 different weapons, GAO...

McCain Demands Cost Data On Army Program.(John McCain)
April 4, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger Continuing his battle with Pentagon procurement policy, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is demanding the Army provide additional cost information on the Future Combat Systems (FCS). McCain in a hearing last month...

England's Confirmation Hearing Could Be Later This Month.(Gordon England nomination as deputy defense secretary to be confirmed by Senate)
April 4, 2005... By Geoff Fein The Senate could begin confirmation hearings on the nomination of Navy Secretary Gordon England to the post of deputy defense secretary, the Pentagon's second highest-ranking official, as early as the third week of April,...

Navy, Air Force Set Up Joint JTRS Office.(Joint Tactical Radio System)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... By Geoff Fein To allay concerns over management of the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS), the Navy and Air Force have teamed up to form a joint program office to ensure that all the clusters of JTRS are interoperable, according to the...

Lockheed Martin Closes Amended Acquisition of SYTEX.(The SYTEX Group (TSGI))(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Lockheed Martin [LMT] last week said it has completed its purchase of The SYTEX Group (TSGI) after amending the deal to leave out a small TSGI business called MacAulay Brown, Inc., which performs technical services for the U.S. military. ...

GD Acquires Small Firm In C4I Area.(General Dynamics Corp., MAYA Viz Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... By Calvin Biesecker General Dynamics [GD] on Friday said it has acquired Pittsburgh, Pa.- based MAYA Viz, Ltd., a small firm that provides enhanced visualization and collaboration technologies for executive-level support for both the...

Overseas Is Big Business For Israeli Rivals.(Elbit Systems, Israel Aircraft Industries)
April 4, 2005... By B.C. Kessner TEL AVIV, Israel--The international defense market is by far the biggest source of business for Israel's Elbit Systems [ESLT] and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), and while their competition is more broadly assumed and...

Daniel Crowley To Oversee SDD of Lockheed Martin JSF Program.(Systems Development and Demonstration)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Daniel Crowley, president of Lockheed Martin [LMT] Simulation, Training & Support, has been appointed executive vice president and general manager of the company's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, according to a company statement....

U.S. and U.K. Forces in Iraq Benefiting From Network Centric Operations.
April 5, 2005... By Geoff Fein The first in a series of case studies examining network centric operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) found that deployment of Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below/Blue Force Tracker (FBCB2/BFT) enhanced...

MDA Completes Integration of X-Band Radar On Sea-Going Platform.
April 5, 2005... Missile Defense Agency Director (MDA) Air Force Lt. Gen. Trey Obering announced yesterday the successful completion of attaching a 4.6 million-pound X-band radar to its sea-going platform. The 17-hour operation, using a heavy lift crane,...

Controp Tries To 'STAMP' Out Competition With Stabilized Small UAV Payload.
April 5, 2005... By B.C. Kessner TEL AVIV, Israel--Since the recent unveiling of its new D-STAMP, or Daylight STAbilized Miniature Payload for small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), Israel's Controp has seen interest in the system rise as dramatically as...

Lockheed Martin Conducts Sixth Successful GMLRS Unitary Test.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2005... Lockheed Martin [LMT] said yesterday it conducted the sixth flight test of a Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) Unitary rocket March 30 at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. This was the third flight of the rocket with the improved...

Lockheed Martin Team Offering Airport Private Security Screening.
April 5, 2005... By B.C. Kessner and Calvin Biesecker Lockheed Martin [LMT] says it has teamed with Covenant Aviation Security to vie for work under the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) Screening Partnership Program (SPP) to provide private...

TSA Awards Reveal Imaging $3.3 Million For EDS.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2005... Reveal Imaging Technologies, only the third company to have an Explosives Detection System (EDS) certified by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), has been awarded a $3.3 million contract by the agency for eight of its CT-80...

AAI Corp. Acquires British EW Systems Firm.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2005... United Industrial Corp. [UIC] yesterday said its defense segment, AAI Corp., has acquired Britain's ESL Defense Ltd., which specializes in electronic warfare (EW) testing, training and development. The purchase, the first for UIC since...

Armor Holdings Gets OTV Order; Increases Share Buyback Plan.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2005... Armor Holdings [AH] yesterday said it has received a $16.1 million from the Defense Supply Center-Philadelphia for Outer Tactical Vests (OTV), part of the individual body armor ensemble that carries ceramic armor inserts. The vests will...

Former Army Secretary Elected To EADS North America Board of Directors.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2005... The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. (EADS) North America said yesterday Les Brownlee, former Acting Army Secretary, has been elected to the EADS North America Board of Directors. "Les Brownlee has made significant contributions...

Nuke Penetrator Study To Focus On One Warhead.
April 5, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger The administration's controversial request to fund a feasibility study for a bunker busting nuke is narrower in scope than in previous years, and will largely focus on just one type of warhead, according to the head...

Navy Awards Bell $104 Million LRIP for AH-1Z, UH-1Y.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2005... Bell Helicopter Textron [TXT] yesterday was awarded a $104 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract to exercise an option for the fiscal year 2005 low-rate initial production lot II procurement of three AH-1Z,...

Army Mulling Changes To FCS Contract Vehicle.( Future Combat Systems)
April 6, 2005... By Nathan Hodge In response to questions over the management of the program, Army Secretary Francis Harvey met yesterday with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to discuss contracting procedures for Future Combat Systems (FCS), the service's...

Studies Examining Role of Network Centric Operations In Iraq.
April 6, 2005... By Geoff Fein Over the next three to nine months the Office of Force Transformation (OFT) plans to release a number of case studies that will examine how network centric operations have worked in Iraq, Afghanistan, Macedonia and inside...

Rheinmetall Creates Homeland Security Division.(defense company)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2005... German defense company Rheinmetall yesterday said it has established a new homeland security unit under its defense division that will draw on existing products to be marketed at home and abroad. "The current threat situation is making it...

Network Centric Operations Enhance Stryker Brigades Capabilities.
April 6, 2005... By Geoff Fein A case study conducted by the Office of Force Transformation shows network centric operations benefited Stryker brigades by lowering casualty rates and speeding up the ability to respond to battles. The Rand Corp. study...

Lockheed Martin Subs Northrop Grumman For Sonar.(anti-submarine warfare sonar system)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2005... Northrop Grumman [NOC] yesterday said Lockheed Martin [LMT] awarded its Electronic Systems group a seven-year $42.1 million contract to provide hardware integration support for a passive, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) sonar system for the...

Northrop Grumman, Boeing Release CEV Team.(Northrop Grumman Corp., Crew Exploration Vehicle )
April 6, 2005... Northrop Grumman [NOC] and Boeing [BA] yesterday unveiled four major companies joining their team to design and build NASA's Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) that will send astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit and to the moon to form the basis...

Elbit's Remote Weapon Turrets Turn APCs Into Fighting Vehicles.
April 6, 2005... By B.C. Kessner TEL AVIV, Israel--Elbit Systems [ESLT] said its two recently unveiled remote-controlled weapon systems could transform every armored personnel carrier (APC) into an armored fighting vehicle, representing a breakthrough in...

DHS, State Announce New Passport Initiative.(Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2005... The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State yesterday announced a new initiative that would require all U.S. citizens and those from certain other countries to have a passport or other accepted secure document to enter or re-enter...

L-3 To Acquire EO/IR Firm.(L-3 Communications Corp., Sonoma Design Group)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2005... L-3 Communications [LLL] yesterday said it has agreed to acquire California-based Sonoma Design Group, which develops electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR)-related systems and sensors for airborne and surface platforms. Terms of the deal were...

L-3, United Defense Team To Improve Artillery Accuracy.(L-3 Communications Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2005... L-3 Communications' [LLL] BT Fuze Products division is joining a United Defense Industries [UDI] led effort to develop a cost effective way to improve cannon artillery accuracy, according to an L-3 statement. The technology will utilize...

Air Force General Praises Innovative Use of Targeting Pods In Iraq.(Walter E. Buchanan III)
April 6, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger A senior Air Force general yesterday highlighted the innovative use of targeting pods, praising the ability of those systems to work as reconnaissance assets during recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The...

Boeing Gets $134 Million For Combat Talon Conversions.(Air Force Special Operations Command)
April 6, 2005... Boeing [BA] Monday said it was awarded a $134 million contract to begin the first phase of a program to modify 10 Lockheed Martin [LMT] C-130 aircraft into the MC-130H Combat Talon II configuration for Air Force Special Operations Command...

Army Secretary Says FCS Restructuring Won't Cost More.(Future Combat Systems)(Francis Harvey)
April 7, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger The Army's decision to move its largest acquisition program over to a more traditional procurement contract won't cost the service any additional money, the service's top civilian leader says. Speaking to...

Magnus Hopeful Congress Will Provide Construction Funds For LHA-R.(Robert Magnus)
April 7, 2005... By Geoff Fein Lt. Gen. Robert Magnus, deputy commandant for programs and resources, told members of the congressional shipbuilding caucus yesterday that he would like to get funding to begin construction this year of LHA-R, the Marine...

SAIC Posts Higher FY '05 Sales, Earnings.(Science Applications International Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) this week said sales and earnings for FY '05 both increased mainly due to increased federal government contract awards. Sales rose 23 percent to $7.2 billion from $5.8 billion and net...

Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle On 'Firm Ground,' Magnus Says.(Robert Magnus)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... By Geoff Fein The Marine Corps' Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) is not a "cash cow" and is an important part of sea basing, according to Lt. Gen. Robert Magnus, deputy commandant for programs and resources. Speaking before the...

Northrop Grumman Unveils Vehicle Inspection Technology.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Northrop Grumman [NOC], adding to its portfolio of homeland security-type products, yesterday introduced new technology for inspecting the underside of vehicles for contraband and explosives. Called the Under Vehicle Inspection System...

Global Hawk Reaches GWOT Milestone.(Northrop Grumman Corp.)
April 7, 2005... Northrop Grumman [NOC] this week said its RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) reached 4,000 combat hours on March 23 during an operational mission in support of the global war on terrorism. "Reaching 4,000 combat hours is...

EADS In Talks To Acquire Nokia's Professional Mobile Radio Business.(European Aeronautical Group AB)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... The European Aeronautical Defence and Space Co. (EADS) this week said it is in advanced negotiations to acquire the Professional Mobile Radio business of Finland's Nokia [NOK] in an effort to improve its position in homeland security systems...

Jumper: 'Regret' On Tanker Lease, Recap Still A Priority.(John Jumper)
April 7, 2005... By Nathan Hodge The Air Force wants to launch a "formal program" to replace its aging fleet of aerial refueling tankers once an analysis of alternatives is completed this summer. Gen. John Jumper, the outgoing Air Force chief of...

Air Force Must 'Fill In' For F/A-22 Cuts, Chief Says.(Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper)
April 7, 2005... By Nathan Hodge In testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense panel yesterday, the Air Force's top general said the service might need to buy more legacy aircraft if F/A-22 Raptor numbers are cut significantly. ...

McCain Takes Aim At C-130J; Accuses Lockheed Martin of "Stonewalling".
April 7, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger Continuing his battle against what he views as lax Pentagon oversight of big-ticket weapons, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is singling out another commercial-type acquisition for criticism, saying there is insufficient...

Senate Appropriators Approve FY '05 Supplemental.(Senate. Committee on Appropriations bill)
April 8, 2005... By Nathan Hodge The Senate Appropriations Committee (SAC) voted Wednesday to approve an $80.58 billion emergency spending bill to support ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, trimming approximately $1.46 billion from the...

Navy Exploring Options For Maritime Pre-positioning Force-Future.(ships)
April 8, 2005... By Geoff Fein The Navy is formalizing final plans to develop two groups of Maritime Pre-positioning Force-Future (MPF-F) ships that would look at a total of 14 to 20 of these ships considered an important component of the service's sea...

Cost Growth Putting Breaks On CH-53 Replacement.
April 8, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger Escalating cost growth has led the Department of the Navy to slow down work on replacing the CH-53 Super Stallion, a senior service official told Congress this week. John Young, the assistant secretary of the...

Downward Spiral In Shipbuilding Numbers A Concern, Magnus Says.(Robert Magnus)
April 8, 2005... By Geoff Fein Marine Lt. Gen. Robert Magnus, deputy commandant for programs and resources, said he is concerned with the downward trend in the Navy's shipbuilding numbers and the impact those numbers could have on the service's ability...

FY '06 Sub Budget Looks Good, But Future Unclear, Lawmakers Say.
April 8, 2005... By Geoff Fein Although the Pentagon's budget for submarines looks good, the submarine industrial base should be prepared to fight for funding and a future that could put pressure on sub surface fleet construction, according to two...

New Elisra Products Enhance PAWS Missile Warning System.(Elisra Electronic Systems Ltd.)
April 8, 2005... By B.C. Kessner TEL AVIV, Israel--Israel's Elisra Group recently unveiled new panoramic night vision and small arms detection solutions that the company said will add built-in capabilities to its PAWS passive missile approach warning...

Missile Defense System 'Rudimentary,' General Says.(James Cartwright)
April 8, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger The Pentagon's nascent Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system is "rudimentary," but it would still offer potential capabilities in case of an emergency, according to the head of U.S. Strategic Command. Many...

Defense Watch.(briefs)
April 11, 2005... The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense What's In A Price? With back and forth debate over how many F/A-22 aircraft the Air Force should buy, many of the arguments come down to price. Cutting back the number of...

GAO Criticizes State For Export Control Problems.(Government Accountability Office)
April 11, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger The State Department has failed to adequately address problems in the defense export control system, according to the Government Accountability Office. "The State Department has not made significant changes to...

Stewart & Stevenson Buys U.K. Firm That Makes Light Trucks.(Stewart and Stevenson Services Inc., Automotive Technik Holdings Ltd.)
April 11, 2005... By Calvin Biesecker U.S. military truck maker Stewart & Stevenson [SVC] on Friday said it has acquired a British firm that makes light utility vehicles mainly for the defense market in a deal that expands the company's customer and...

Latest V-22 Osprey Incident Won't Delay Operational Tests.
April 11, 2005... By Geoff Fein Although technicians will be examining the low-pressure hydraulic lines on all V-22 aircraft after a leak led to a minor engine fire last month, a spokesman for the Osprey program said there would be no delay to upcoming...

TSA To Award Backscatter Contracts.(Transportation Security Administration contracts for American Science and Engineering Inc. and OSI Systems Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) last week said it plans to negotiate separate contracts with American Science and Engineering [ASEI] and OSI Systems [OSIS] for follow-on work under the Next Generation Compton Imager project....

IAI Unmanned Security Vehicles To Patrol Sensitive U.S. Sites.(M-Guard)(Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd.)
April 11, 2005... By B.C. Kessner TEL AVIV, Israel--M-Guard is an autonomous ground unmanned security vehicle (USV) that maker Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) said will soon deploy to the United States to help fill the gap between intruder detection and...

Cubic Snares Potential $72 Million Army Training Contract.(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Cubic Corp. [CUB] last week said it won a potential five-year, $71.7 million contract to produce and field a mobile, instrumented training system for the Army that allows for exercise control, battle tracking, data collection and streamlined...

MDA Independent Review Panel Suggests More Rigor, Accountability.(Missile Defense Agency's flight test certification process)
April 12, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt The Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Independent Review Panel recommends adding more rigorous processes and accountability, the agency director said. Just over a week ago, the panel, set up after a Feb. 14 flight test...

Quality Control MDA's Top Priority.(Missile Defense Agency)
April 12, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt After two failed flight tests, the Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) number one priority is quality control, the agency director said. "We have demonstrated the basic technical capabilities of the system," MDA Director...

Stewart & Stevenson Says ATL Deal Will Boost Earnings.(Stewart and Stevenson Services Inc. acquires Automotive Technic Holdings Ltd )
April 12, 2005... By Calvin Biesecker Stewart & Stevenson's [SVC] $47 million acquisition of a British light truck developer and manufacturer will be accretive to earnings this year and is expected to produce returns at or above current goals, company...

Early Work Begins on South Asia Aircraft Sales.
April 12, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger After an initial slew of publicity surrounding the potential export of advanced fighter aircraft to Pakistan and India, the U.S. government is now beginning the very initial work involved in negotiating those sales,...

Army Fails to Sell FCS Effectively, Retired General Says.
April 12, 2005... By Nathan Hodge The Army needs to do a better job selling the Future Combat Systems (FCS) to Capitol Hill, according to a prominent retired general and military consultant. Retired Army Maj. Gen. Robert Scales said the service has...

Northrop Shows Ability To Operate Multiple UAVS With 'One System'.(Northrop Grumman Corp.)(unmanned aerial vehicles)
April 12, 2005... Northrop Grumman [NOC] conducted its first flight of its Endurance Hunter (E-Hunter) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a reconfigured Army RQ-5A UAV that has a 54-foot wingspan and is a stepping stone to an extended range/multipurpose variant...

Pentagon IG Will Audit Two More Air Force Programs.(Department of Defense. Office of the Inspector General, T-6A Joint Primary Aircraft Training System, Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar)
April 12, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger Two more major Air Force acquisition programs have been added to a growing list of contracts being audited by the Pentagon's Inspector General (IG), according to the Defense Department. The IG intends to...

Lockheed Martin Contracts Boeing For Additional PAC-3 Seekers.(Brief Article)
April 12, 2005... Lockheed Martin [LMT] has contracted with Boeing [BA] to produce more PAC-3 missile seekers to be manufactured between 2006 and 2007. The terms of the contract, which will not be disclosed, are in addition to the current contract for 159...

L-3 Awarded Marine Corps Contract For Its F/A-18C/D Simulator.(L-3 Communications Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2005... The Marine Corps yesterday awarded L-3 Communications [LLL] a $12 million competitive contract and a $10 million program option to build two F/A-18C/D Aircrew Flight Trainers for the service's Hornet aircrews, according to a company...

Israel Accepts First AH-64D Apache Longbows.(from United States Pentagon)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2005... Israel on Sunday accepted the first three Boeing [BA] AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters from the Pentagon. The Israel air force is modernizing its fleet through a combination of AH-64A helicopter upgrades and newly built Apache Longbow...

United Defense Awarded $143 Million For Bradley Combat System Vehicles.(United Defense Industries Inc. from Army)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2005... The Army awarded United Defense [UDI] a $143 million contract modification to provide Bradley Combat System vehicles for the service, according to a company statement. The contract, awarded last week, calls for UDI to remanufacture and...

MDA Considers Space Layer For Ballistic Missile Defense.(Missile Defense Agency)
April 13, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt The changing nature of the threat and its global implications has led the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to once again consider adding space-based defenses to its developing multi-layer ballistic missile defense, the...

DHS Announces $142 Million In Transit Security Grants.(Department of Homeland Security)(Brief Article)
April 13, 2005... The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) yesterday announced it would award nearly $142 million in grants for the protection of regional transit systems related to rail, intra-city bus and ferry modes of transportation. The grants...

TSA Awards L-3 $33 Million For Explosives Detection System.(L-3 Communications Corp. gets contracts from Transportation Security Administration)(Brief Article)
April 13, 2005... L-3 Communications [LLL] yesterday said its Security & Detection Systems subsidiary has received a $33 million order from the Transportation Security Administration for the company's eXaminer 3DX explosives detection systems. The systems...

LCS Trimaran Design Provides Flexibility, Stability And Volume, GD says.(General Dynamics Corp.'s Littoral Combat Ship)
April 13, 2005... By Geoff Fein General Dynamics [GD] officials believe its trimaran concept for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) offers a unique, flexible design that provides a larger flight deck, increased interior cargo volume, a more stable platform to...

QDR Ignoring Crisis In The Army, Panelists Say.(Quadrennial Defense Review)
April 13, 2005... By Nathan Hodge The Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) currently underway is giving insufficient attention to the issue of Army force size, according to participants in a panel this week on the future of the Army. "We are facing the risk...

Lawmakers Urge End To Airbus Subsidies.(United States Senate)(Brief Article)
April 13, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger The Senate agreed unanimously Monday to condemn European launch aid for Airbus aircraft, urging the U.S. administration to file a complaint in the World Trade Organization if the issue is not resolved. In a 96-0...

GD's Open Architecture Allows For Rapid Upgrades To LCS, Officials Say.(General Dynamics Corp., littoral combat ship)
April 13, 2005... By Geoff Fein While the General Dynamics [GD] Littoral Combat Ship has several features that set it apart from most combat ships, it's what isn't seen that company officials take pride in--a truly open architecture that will allow third...

Industry Official Offers Alternative Plan For DD(X).(Michael Toner)
April 13, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger Rather than proceeding with a "winner take all" strategy for the Navy's next generation DD(X) destroyer, the service should consider various options for altering the program's production plans and requirements,...

EADS To Supply German Army C2 System To Improve Netcentric Operations.(European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co.)(Brief Article)
April 13, 2005... The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. (EADS) said on Monday it will supply the Germany army with software valued at approximately $29.7 million for a modern army command and control information system, called FuInfoSys Heer. The...

Another Step Forward Toward Launching Soyuz From French Guiana.(Arianespace partners with Russian Aviation and Space Agency)(Brief Article)
April 13, 2005... The leaders of Arianespace and Russian space agency Roscosmos April 11 signed a partnership contract in Moscow for the infrastructure needed to launch Soyuz from the Guiana Space Center (CSG) in French Guiana. Arianespace has already...

Coast Guard Panel Authorizes $1.1 Billion For Deepwater.
April 14, 2005... By Calvin Biesecker The House panel that oversees policy related to the Coast Guard yesterday authorized $1.1 billion for the service's Deepwater program next year and announced that it will host a hearing next Wednesday to review...