Defense Daily articles from December 2006

Defense Daily archives from December 2006

Coast Guard Suspends 123-Foot Patrol Boat Operations.
December 1, 2006... By Calvin Biesecker Continued problems with the integrity of the hulls of its 123-foot patrol boat cutters forced the Coast Guard yesterday to suspend operations of the vessels until the service and its industry partners develop and...

Small Diameter Bomb A Welcomed Addition In Combat, Says Strike Eagle Pilot.(Matthew Swanson)
December 1, 2006... By Michael Sirak The Air Force's newest weapon in the war on terror, the Boeing [BA]-built GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), is a welcomed addition to the service's mix of air-delivered munitions, according to a pilot with the first...

Surface Navy Tackling Ship Modernization, Looking Closer At CG(X) And JCC(X).
December 1, 2006... By Geoff Fein The surface Navy is pursuing several modification efforts to sustain the fleet's combat readiness, and is beginning to focus more on the service's next generation cruiser, as well attempting to gain a better handle on what...

UIC Acquires Test Systems Manufacturer.(United Industrial Corp.)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Bolstering its business line in automated test equipment for military systems, United Industrial Corp. [UIC] this week said it has acquired Symtx, Inc., a designer and producer of functional test solutions for electronic systems used by the...

AIA To Lead Trade Mission To India.(Aerospace Industries Association of America)
December 1, 2006... By Jen DiMascio An Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) delegation leaves this week for a trade mission to India, hoping to position American companies to compete on a level playing field for contracting opportunities as India...

Air Force Will Ax Programs That Are Not Performing, Says Acquisition Chief.
December 1, 2006... By Michael Sirak The Air Force will not shy away from terminating any of its programs, no matter how large, if they are not performing well or have lost their relevance, the service's top acquisition official said yesterday. "I...

Increasingly Autonomous Systems Likely For Next-Gen Tankers.
December 1, 2006... By B.C. Kessner HERZLIYA, Israel--Military officials and industry executives from Israel and the United States agreed that future aerial tankers could and should incorporate autonomous refueling systems in next generation aircraft. ...

BAE SYSTEMS Receives Patent For Secure, Interoperable Technology.
December 1, 2006... By Ann Roosevelt BAE SYSTEMS yesterday announced it received a patent for internally developed technology to securely support information sharing among disparate networks and applications. The United States Patent and Trademark Office...

NATO Declares Response Force Fully Operational.(North Atlantic Treaty Organization)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... NATO's Secretary General declared the Response Force (NRF) fully operational at the Riga Summit meeting. "We are there," Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told reporters Nov. 29. It is "a major accomplishment because it gives the Euro-Atlantic...

Navy Awards Northrop Grumman $754 Million For CVN-21 Work.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Northrop Grumman [NOC] Newport News yesterday was awarded a $754 million contract modification for continuation of CVN-21 design effort, long lead time material and non-nuclear advance construction, according to the Pentagon. The...

Defense Watch.(Stephen Cambone)(Ronald Sega)(Air Force)
December 4, 2006... The Latest Word On Trends and Developments In Aerospace And Defense Cambone Bails. Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Stephen Cambone is resigning his post effective Dec. 31, the Pentagon announced last Friday. "It has been a...

Air Force Issuing Revised Version of KC-X Draft Request For Proposals Today.
December 4, 2006... By Michael Sirak Barring last-minute developments, the Air Force plans today to issue a revised version of the draft request for proposals (RFP) for its next-generation aerial refueling aircraft, the KC-X, according to the service's two...

Aegis BMD Test Seen Likely This Week.(ballistic missile defense)
December 4, 2006... By Dave Ahearn The Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) system likely will be tested this week, a Missile Defense Agency (MDA) source said. If successful, that would make a resounding eight successful kills of target missiles out of...

Nuclear Weapons Council Backs New Warhead.
December 4, 2006... By George Lobsenz Top Pentagon and Energy Department officials last week endorsed the so- called reliable replacement warhead as a feasible long-term strategy for updating the nation's nuclear stockpile through the development of a new...

Pelosi Taps Reyes To Lead Intelligence Committee.(Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, Rep. Nancy Pelosi)
December 4, 2006... By Jen DiMascio Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) will be the next chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, according to a release from Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the incoming speaker of the House. In...

United Launch Alliance Opens For Business.
December 4, 2006... By Calvin Biesecker United Launch Alliance (ULA), a 50-50 joint venture between Boeing [BA] and Lockheed Martin [LMT], began operating on Friday as a new launch services business for the U.S. government aimed at saving the federal...

Army May 'Adjust' Future Combat System Program.
December 5, 2006... By Jen DiMascio The Army is planning a potential "adjustment" to its largest acquisition program, according to industry, Army and government officials. Such a makeover could delay the Future Combat System (FCS) by five months and...

MDA Plans To Tap Boeing For European GBI Complex Work.(Ground Based Interceptor, Missile Defense Agency)
December 5, 2006... By Ann Roosevelt The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announced Nov. 30 it expects to award a non-competitive contract to Boeing [BA] to support locating, designing, and establishing a Ground Based Interceptor (GBI) missile complex in...

U.K. To Build New Ballistic Submarine, Will Join Trident D-5 Life Extension Effort.
December 5, 2006... By Geoff Fein To maintain its nuclear deterrent capabilities, the United Kingdom is planning to build a new class of ballistic missile submarines that will replace its Vanguard-class fleet when those ships begin to retire in the 2020...

LCS-4 Contract Award Expected Any Day Now.
December 5, 2006... By Geoff Fein The Navy should be awarding a number of significant ship contracts in the coming weeks, including one for the fourth Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) to General Dynamics [GD], according to a top Navy official. The Navy has...

Textron Buys Overwatch Systems.(Textron Systems)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Textron [TXT] yesterday said its Textron Systems business unit has completed its $325 million acquisition of Overwatch Systems, a developer and provider of intelligence analysis tools and communications products for DoD, the Department of...

TSA Ready To Pilot Whole Body Imaging X-Ray Technology.(Transportation Security Administration)
December 5, 2006... By Calvin Biesecker Overcoming privacy concerns at least for now, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) last week said it hopes to begin an airport pilot program this month of a whole-body X-Ray imaging system developed by...

DoD Considers RFID Equipment Purchase Based On Commercial Standard.(Department of Defense, radio frequency identification )
December 5, 2006... By Calvin Biesecker The Pentagon last month issued a solicitation seeking interest from companies that supply active radio frequency identification (RFID) equipment used in supply chain management and security that complies with a new...

Romania Negotiating For C-27J Transports.
December 5, 2006... Italy's Finmeccanica last week said Romania's Ministry of Defence has invited the company's Alenia Aeronautica subsidiary to take part in exclusive final negotiations to supply the C-27J to replace its air force's current fleet of...

Several Senators Press Gates For Increase In Weapons Spending.(Robert Gates)
December 6, 2006... By Jen DiMascio Though questions about the war in Iraq dominated discussion during a hearing to confirm Robert Gates as the next secretary of defense, several Republican senators urged the nominee to fight for a larger share of the...

Projected Strategic Airlift Fleet May Not Be Enough, Says Air Force Reserve Chief.(Lt. Gen. John Bradley)
December 6, 2006... By Michael Sirak The Air Force's projected fleet of C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft may not be enough to support future warfighting needs, especially given the rates of usage that some of these aircraft...

Navy continues to face challenges in delivering surface fire support, GAO Says.(Govenrment Accountability Office Report)
December 6, 2006... By Geoff Fein As the Navy develops efforts to deliver surface fire support, it must better define requirements and operational concepts, provide the Marine Corps a formal role in developing those requirements, and examine the future...

Air Force Commissions Additional Work On SBIRS High Alternatives.(Space Based Infrared Systems)
December 6, 2006... By Michael Sirak The Air Force announced earlier this week that it has tasked General Dynamics [GD] and Northrop Grumman [NOC] to develop potential alternatives over the next 18 months to the Space Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) High...

Northrop Grumman Creates U.K. Company.
December 6, 2006... Northrop Grumman [NOC] yesterday said it has established a new United Kingdom-registered company to help facilitate its growth in the U.K. defense, security, civil government and commercial sectors. "Northrop Grumman has successfully...

Raytheon Excalibur BLK Ia-2 Successfully Completes Extended-Range Test.(Raytheon Aircraft Co.)
December 6, 2006... Raytheon's [RTN] Missile Systems business and BAE SYSTEMS-Bofors recently announced the successful firing of the first extended-range GPS-guided Excalibur projectiles in October at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz. Excalibur is the...

IAI New Name, Training System Unveiled At I/ITSEC.
December 6, 2006... By B.C. Kessner TEL AVIV, Israel--Potential international customers at the Interservice/Industry Training Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) this week in Orlando, Fla., are getting a look at the new Distribution Mission...

BAE SYSTEMS Achieves Highest Rating Under New CMMI Version 1.2.(Software Engineering Institute, Capability Maturity Model Integration)
December 6, 2006... BAE SYSTEMS yesterday announced it is the first company to be rated Level 5 in systems and software engineering maturity using the new Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMIr) version 1.2. "This is a tremendous achievement for our...

Air Force Delays Release of Revised Draft Request for Proposals for KC-X Tanker.(Brief article)
December 6, 2006... The Air Force has delayed the release of the revised version of the draft request for proposals (RFP) for the KC-X aerial refueling aircraft. "In an effort to make sure the language in the revisions to the KC-X draft RFP meet the intent...

Lockheed Martin Wins $144 Million Contract to Build Pakistani F-16s.
December 6, 2006... The Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin [LMT] a $144 million foreign military sales contract to build 18 F-16 multirole fighter aircraft for Pakistan, the service announced yesterday. Under the terms of the deal, Lockheed Martin will...

Air Force Shifts Release Date of KC-X Request For Proposals To Late January.
December 7, 2006... By Michael Sirak The Air Force announced yesterday that it will defer the release of the request for proposals (RFP) for the KC-X aerial refueling aircraft from mid- December until the end of January to allow more time for discussions and...

Iraq Study Group Urges Congress To Assess Budget Impact of War, Fund Military Reset.
December 7, 2006... By Jen DiMascio Along with recommendations to begin redeploying troops in Iraq, the much- anticipated Iraq Study Group report released yesterday urges Congress and the administration to look closely at the nation's budget and undertake...

DHS S&T Chief Cohen Outlines Broad Spending Buckets.(Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology)
December 7, 2006... By Calvin Biesecker Continuing to emphasize his message that science and technology work done by the Department of Homeland Security is geared to meet its customers' needs, DHS Science Chief Jay Cohen says his business model is also...

U.S. Aerospace Exports Soar 25 Percent In '06; Export Control Change Sought.
December 7, 2006... By Dave Ahearn U.S. aerospace exports skyrocketed more than 25 percent in 2006 to exceed $50 billion, shading the $40 billion U.S. advantage in trade last year, according to John Douglass, president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries...

North Carolina Lawmaker To Propose Buy America Restrictions For DHS.(Department of Homeland Security, Robin Hayes)
December 7, 2006... By Jen DiMascio Rep. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) is resurrecting a plan to extend "buy America" regulations to contracts issued by the Department of Homeland Security. Although the "Berry Amendment Extension Act" applies primarily to...

USS Hawaii Successfully Wraps Up Alpha Trials.
December 7, 2006... By Geoff Fein The third Virginia-class submarine, the USS Hawaii (SSN-776), successfully completed its initial sea trials last week, six months after its christening, according to prime contractor General Dynamics [GD]. Sea trials,...

Air Force Implements New Practices To Optimize Intratheater Airlift, Mulls Others.
December 8, 2006... By Michael Sirak The Air Force is adopting new methods and practices to streamline how it moves passengers and cargo within the Afghanistan and Iraq theaters, according to senior service officials. The changes to date include...

DHS, DoE Launch Container Security Initiative At Foreign Ports.(Departments of Homeland Security, Departments of Energy)
December 8, 2006... By Calvin Biesecker The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Energy (DoE) yesterday launched the first phase of the Secure Freight Initiative, an initial $60 million effort to equip select international shipping ports with...

Sikorsky Issued Level III Corrective Action For UH-60L Planning, Quality Issues.
December 8, 2006... By Geoff Fein The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) has issued a Level III Corrective Action Request (CAR) to Sikorsky [UTX] over issues with the company's UH-60L and HH-60L Black Hawk helicopter production line. The company...

Iraq study group officials join call for end to supplemental spending.(Report)
December 8, 2006... By Jen DiMascio The Iraq Study Group is joining Congress in calls to end to supplemental funding for the war in Iraq. The group makes a specific recommendation about supplemental funding, said James Baker, the former secretary of...

Senate OKs Creation of Task Force To Launch Aerospace Revitalization Task Force.
December 8, 2006... By Jen DiMascio The House this week passed legislation to establish a task force dedicated to boosting the nation's aerospace industry work force. The "Interagency Aerospace Revitalization Task Force" will comprise representatives...

Marine Corps, U.K., Italy Form F-35B Users Group.
December 8, 2006... By Geoff Fein The Marine Corps has been meeting with the United Kingdom and Italy to discuss areas of common interest in the development and operational use of Lockheed Martin's [LMT] F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL)...

Air Force Shifting Some C-21A Aircraft From Active Duty To Guard, Retiring Others.
December 8, 2006... By Michael Sirak The Air Force is implementing the phaseout of about half of its fleet of C-21A executive transport aircraft from its active duty squadrons over the next several months, transferring some of them to the Air National Guard...

Raytheon achieves CMMI Level 3 rating across its intelligence and information systems.(Capability Maturity Model Integration)(Brief article)
December 8, 2006... Raytheon [RTN] yesterday said it has achieved a Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) Level 3 rating across its Intelligence and Information Systems (IIS) enterprise for systems engineering, software engineering, integrated product...

Missile Defense Test Incomplete Due To Faulty Setting.(Brief article)
December 8, 2006... The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy did not complete the planned sea-based missile intercept test scheduled for Dec. 7 due to an "incorrect system setting" aboard the Aegis cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70), before interceptors were...

Defense Watch.(General Dynamics Corp.,Thunderbirds air demonstration squadron, India-U.S. bill)
December 11, 2006... The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense LCS-4 Award. The Navy Friday awarded General Dynamics a $208 million contract for construction of the fourth Littoral Combat Ship (LCS-4). The company is currently...

Bell Needs To Get Moving On H-1 Upgrade Effort, Marine Official Says.(Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.)
December 11, 2006... By Geoff Fein Although Bell Helicopter Textron's [TXT] H-1 upgrade program is three to four years behind schedule, the Marine Corps believes the company will sort out the issues and deliver a great aircraft, a top Marine Corps official...

Talent Leaves Senate Calling For Increase In Defense Budget.
December 11, 2006... By Jen DiMascio The nation must increase Defense Department procurement spending by billions of dollars, a prospect that could involve raising taxes and enlarging the deficit, outgoing Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.) said last week. "We must...

IBM Selected For FCS Logistics Data Management Service.(International Business Machines Corp., Future Combat Systems )(Logistics Data Management Service)
December 11, 2006... IBM's [IBM] Global Business Systems division of Bethesda, Md., has been selected to provide Logistics Data Management Service (LDMS) for the Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) program under a contract potentially valued at more than $65...

The Army Unveils Newest Aircraft--The LUH.(Light Utility Helicopters)
December 12, 2006... By Ann Roosevelt The first of the Army's Light Utility Helicopters (LUH), produced by European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. (EADS), was officially turned over to the service yesterday at rollout ceremonies in Columbus, Miss. The...

Several Potential Oversight Issues For LCS, Report Warns.(Littoral Combat Ship)
December 12, 2006... By Geoff Fein Increasing cost estimates for the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program raises potential oversight issues for Congress, according to a recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report. Congress may also want to...

IAF Poised To Regain True AEW Capability.(Israel Air Force, airborne early warning)
December 12, 2006... By B.C. Kessner SDE LOD AIR BASE, Israel--Now that the Israel Air Force (IAF) has received its first General Dynamics [GD] Gulfstream G550 and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is integrating onboard airborne early warning (AEW) systems,...

Australia Releases Draft of New Defence And Industry Policy For Comment.
December 12, 2006... Australia's Minister for Defence Dec. 7 released a draft of a New Defence and Industry Policy for public comment. Changes in the past eight years affecting the Australian defence industry and its role in defense led to the review to...

Canada May Gain $6.97 Billion Work In F-35 Program; JSF 1 of 5 Possible Planes.
December 12, 2006... By Dave Ahearn Canada yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to move into Phase III of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program and thus will access up to $6.97 billion of work for Canadian firms that might contribute to...

Correction.
December 12, 2006... In the Dec. 8 Defense Daily it was reported that the HH-92 receives mission systems modifications at Aerospace Integration Corporation (AIC) facilities in Crestview, Fla. It is the H-60, not the HH-92 that undergoes that work at Crestview. ...

U.S. To Give JSF Technology To U.K.; Brits Don't Guarantee To Buy Planes.(advanced F-35 Joint Strike Fighter)
December 13, 2006... By Dave Ahearn U.S. and U.K. leaders yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding in which the United States will give the United Kingdom sensitive, advanced F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) technology that the British demanded. ...

ONR Heavy Lift Effort Looking At Moving Containers, Vehicles Between Ships.(Office of Naval Research)
December 13, 2006... By Geoff Fein As the Navy works to develop its concept for sea basing, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) has undertaken several efforts including looking at how to move cargo containers from ship-to-ship as well as how to transfer large...

IAF SIGINT Bird Earns War Wings.(srael Air Force, signals intelligence aircraft)
December 13, 2006... By B.C. Kessner SDE LOD AIR BASE, Israel--In a rare interview here recently, Israel Air Force (IAF) officers described the successful and unexpected contribution of its new signals intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft that went straight from...

Air Force Awards Raytheon $55.8 Million LRIP Contract For F-15C AESA Radar.
December 13, 2006... By Geoff Fein Raytheon [RTN] last week was awarded a $55.8 million Air Force contract to begin low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the company's Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar for both Air National Guard (ANG) and...

Rep. Hunter Sees Slow Funding For Army Reset; Pelosi Names HASC Members.(Duncan Hunter, Nancy Pelosi, House Armed Services Committee)
December 13, 2006... Funds are dribbling out for the critically needed reset of war-torn Army assets, and Pentagon leaders need to pick up the spending pace, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), stated. ...

Aerospace Sales, Trade Balance, Jobs Increase in 2006, AIA Says.
December 14, 2006... By Calvin Biesecker Aerospace sales in the United States are expected to increase more than 8 percent to a record $184.4 billion this year, driven mainly by soaring commercial aircraft revenues, which are expected to remain strong for...

DHS Survey Finds Most First Responders Use Interoperable Communications.(Department of Homeland Security)(Survey)
December 14, 2006... By Calvin Biesecker The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) first ever national survey of interoperable communications used by first responders found that about two- thirds of emergency response agencies use interoperable...

SAIC Reports Solid Third Quarter Results.(Science Applications International Corp.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
December 14, 2006... SAIC [SAI], reporting for the first time as a public company, posted strong third quarter profits on an increase in sales that was split between organic growth and acquisitions. Net income increased 8 percent to $98 million, 28 cents...

German Parliament Approves Armor Vehicle Procurement.
December 14, 2006... Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) yesterday welcomed the German parliament (Bundestag) decision in Berlin to procure 272 highly protected BOXER vehicles. The decision is a procurement milestone towards a European-developed armored transport...

BAE Sells Airport Noise Monitoring System Product Group.(BAE SYSTEMS PLC)(Brief article)
December 14, 2006... Rannoch Corp., a supplier of next-generation surveillance and flight tracking solutions for the air traffic control, military, homeland security and airport operations markets, has acquired BAE SYSTEMS' TAMIS solution, an Airport Noise and...

U.S. Sees No Arms Race Emerging In Space, Says Senior State Dept. Official.(Robert Joseph)
December 14, 2006... By Michael Sirak Despite a growing threat posed by some nations and non-state actors, the United States does not believe that space is becoming the next realm for an arms race, a senior State Department official said yesterday. ...

Busy Year Ahead For Boeing's EA-18 Growler Including LRIP Next Spring.
December 14, 2006... By Geoff Fein Two of Boeing's [BA] EA-18 Growlers are undergoing testing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., leading to a number of milestone in 2007, including low-rate initial production (LRIP) in the April time frame, a Navy...

Industry Execs, Retired Military Brass March On U.S. Oil Imports.
December 14, 2006... By Chris Holly A coalition of top U.S. corporate executives and retired senior military officers Wednesday unveiled a comprehensive proposal to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, calling for a political "grand bargain" that combines...

Corrections:.(Correction notice)
December 14, 2006... In the Dec. 8 Defense Daily it was reported that the H-60 receives mission systems modifications at Aerospace Integration Corporation (AIC) facilities in Crestview, Fla. The work is actually performed at L3 Communications Aerospace in...

Warrior Alpha UAS Successful In Theater, Officials Say.
December 15, 2006... By Ann Roosevelt The Army's investment in unmanned aircraft systems as part of aviation transformation is paying off as new Warrior A (I-GNAT) Extended Range/Multipurpose (ERMP) unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are deployed in Iraq,...

Raven Becoming The Choice For A Small Unmanned Aerial System.
December 15, 2006... By Ann Roosevelt AeroVironment's (AV) Raven small UAS (SUAS) is rising to become the choice in its class for the military, Army officials say, with natural selection playing its part. While there are numerous UAS platform choices...

Boeing's Small Diameter Bomb Enters Full-Rate Production.(contract)
December 15, 2006... By Michael Sirak The Air Force's newest smart munition, the Boeing [BA]-built Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), has moved into full-rate manufacture with the award last week of an $80 million contract for the weapon's third tranche of...

Boeing, Navy Team Effort Helps Growler Program To Stay Ahead of Schedule, Cost.
December 15, 2006... By Geoff Fein The strong team-effort approach to the EA-18G program has enabled Boeing [BA] and the Navy to deliver test aircraft and systems earlier, allowing the effort to meet milestones up to a month early, officials said. Mike...

Raytheon-Thales Venture Eyes 2007 For Debut of Mobile Battle Control Systems.
December 15, 2006... By Michael Sirak ThalesRaytheonSystems expects to have prototype mobile variants of its Battle Control System (BCS) built and ready for testing by the Air Force by the middle of next year and eyes additional growth potential for the air-...

Tomahawk Missile Test Successful In Launch From Destroyer.
December 15, 2006... A Navy Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile launched successfully from a destroyer in a test this month, according to prime contractor Raytheon [RTN]. The missile rose from the vertical launch system on the USS Milius (DDG- 69), an Arleigh...

NRO Satellite Launched From Vandenberg AFB.(Brief article)
December 15, 2006... A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta II launch vehicle yesterday successfully lofted a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) satellite, the NRO announced. ULA is a joint venture of Boeing [BA] and Lockheed Martin [LMT]. Boeing developed...

Defense Watch.(defense and aerospace industry )
December 18, 2006... The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense He Ain't Heavy. Since the Air Force's selection last month of Boeing's HH-47 helicopter to be its next combat-search-and-rescue platform, there has been discussion in...

Lockheed Martin's F-35 First Flight Makes Program A Reality, Official Says.(Joint Strike Fighter tested)
December 18, 2006... By Geoff Fein In what one Lockheed Martin [LMT] official called the "flight heard around the world," the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) took to the skies for its first flight Friday. "Today is a big day in the world of aviation,"...

Army Prepares To Deploy Land Warrior.(military communication equipment )
December 18, 2006... By Ann Roosevelt When they head to Iraq next year, the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, will take Land Warrior systems that, for the first time, link dismounted soldiers to each...

New Civitas Report Sees Continued Growth In Homeland Security Markets.(security systems industry)
December 18, 2006... By Calvin Biesecker The global market for homeland security products will continue to grow for the foreseeable future because of the continued terrorist threat to the United States and other key areas of the world, spending by the...