Defense Daily articles from January 2007

Defense Daily archives from January 2007

GD To Sell Stake In Ammo JV, Clearing Way For SNC Purchase.
January 2, 2007... In a move that will finally give it federal approval for the purchase of Canadian ammunition provider SNC Technologies, General Dynamics [GD] has agreed to sell its stake in a joint venture that manufactures medium- and large-caliber...

Eaton To Acquire Fuel Systems Provider Agro-Tech.(Eaton Aerospace, Agro-Tech Corp.)
January 2, 2007... Eaton [ETN] last week said it has agreed to acquire AT Holdings Corp., the parent of aircraft fuel systems developer Agro-Tech Corp., for $695 million, in a deal that bolsters Eaton's aerospace operations. "The acquisition of Agro-Tech...

Lockheed Martin Delivers Hardware For Third AEHF Satellite For Integration.(Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. (Sunnyvale, California))(advanced extremely high frequency)
January 2, 2007... By Michael Sirak Lockheed Martin [LMT] has delivered the flight structure of the third Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) communication satellite that it is building for the Air Force ahead of schedule and less than one year after...

Lockheed Martin Wins $635 Million Contract To Upgrade Turkish F-16s.
January 2, 2007... By Michael Sirak Lockheed Martin [LMT] will upgrade 216 F-16 multirole fighter aircraft for Turkey by 2016 under a $635 million contract announced late last month. Under the terms of the firm-price-incentive deal, which is part of...

Navy Awards General Dynamics $1.2 Billion For SSN-782, -783 Work.
January 2, 2007... General Dynamics [GD] late last month was awarded a $1.274 billion modification to a previously awarded multiyear contract for FY '07 for the ninth Virginia-class submarine (SSN-782) and advance procurement funding for FY '08 for the 10th...

Lockheed Martin Gains $619 Million THAAD Contract; Overseas Missile Systems Advance.(terminal high altitude area defense )
January 4, 2007... By Dave Ahearn The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) gave Lockheed Martin [LMT] a $619 million contract to begin production of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) ballistic missile defense (BMD) weapon system, the company announced...

Lockheed Martin, Boeing Look To Deepen Trade Ties To India; Seek Systems Integration Work.
January 4, 2007... By Jen DiMascio NEW DELHI, India--As Lockheed Martin [LMT] and Boeing [BA] prepare to bid for major weapons sales to India, the two largest U.S. defense contractors are also positioning for future work with India in systems integration....

GE Engine Picked For Sikorsky's CH-53K Heavy-Lift Helicopter.(Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., General Electric Co.)
January 4, 2007... By Geoff Fein Sikorsky [UTX] has selected General Electric's [GE] GE38-1B engine over two competitors for the Marine Corps' CH-53K, heavy-lift helicopter, the eventual replacement for the CH-53E Super Stallion. General Electric,...

TSA Releases Final Rule For TWIC Program.(Transportation Security Administration)(transportation worker identification credential)
January 4, 2007... By Calvin Biesecker The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued its final rule for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program laying out the processes, procedures and fees necessary to begin rolling...

Walker Questions Whether Acquisition Reform Requirements Will Hold.(David Walker, House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee)(Brief article)
January 4, 2007... By Jen DiMascio It remains too soon to say whether the Defense Department will uphold a new legal requirement aimed at reforming the Pentagon's approach to buying major weapons systems, according to the comptroller general. In a...

Navy Looks to Speed Up Access And Analysis of Aircraft Data To Improve Operations.
January 4, 2007... By Geoff Fein The Navy is testing a commercial software technology that will enable quicker access to, and analysis of, data stored in aircraft recorders, that hopefully will lead to the ability to analyze trends in maintenance,...

AM General, GD Partner For JLTV Program.
January 4, 2007... AM General and General Dynamics [GD], two of the United States military's leading suppliers of military vehicles, yesterday said they will form a joint venture to compete for the Army and Marine Corps Joint Light Tactical Vehicle Program...

Boeing Announces Involvement In Major Australia-U.S. Hypersonics Research Project.
January 5, 2007... By Michael Sirak Boeing [BA] will play a "key role" in the upcoming $54 million Australian-U.S. hypersonics research program over the next five years that seeks to validate the performance of advanced high-speed engines that could one...

Raytheon Delivers Sophisticated Sensor For Risk-Reduction Weather Satellite.
January 5, 2007... Raytheon [RTN] has delivered a sophisticated sensor that will reside on the spacecraft designed to reduce the risk to the nation's next-generation weather satellites, the company announced earlier this week. Built by Raytheon Space and...

General Dynamics, Force Protection, Competing For MRAP Program.(Force Protection Inc.)
January 5, 2007... By Ann Roosevelt A joint venture consisting of General Dynamics [GD] and Force Protection Inc. [FRPT] is in the hunt for the potential 4,100 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle program. The joint venture is offering Force...

DHS Issues Interoperable Communications Scorecards For Cities.(Department of Homeland Security )(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Wednesday released an assessment of interoperable communications capabilities in 75 of the nation's urban and metropolitan areas and said cooperation among first responders is strong but formal...

Boeing, Lockheed Martin Gain GPS III Contracts; Major Award Seen This Year.
January 5, 2007... By Dave Ahearn Boeing [BA] late last year completed an Air Force review of the Global Positioning System (GPS) Space Segment III, and the company separately gained a roughly $50 million contract for further design work, Boeing said this...

Air Force Tests New Signals Intelligence Payload On U-2 Surveillance Aircraft.
January 5, 2007... The Air Force recently flew its new Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload (ASIP) on a U-2 high-altitude surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, commencing the flight test phase of the sensor package, Northrop Grumman [NOC], its maker, said...

Boeing Completes Delivery of Egyptian Air Force AH-D Apaches.(apache helicopters)
January 5, 2007... Boeing [BA] yesterday announced delivery is complete for all 35 remanufactured AH-64D Apache helicopters produced for the Egyptian air force (EAF). The final six EAF AH-64Ds arrived in Egypt late last year after their conversion from...

GPS Ground Station Scores In Test, Boeing Says.(Global Positioning System)
January 5, 2007... Boeing [BA] completed a live demonstration of the Global Positioning System (GPS) ground station, the company reported this week. That station, when fully operational, will control the 32 GPS satellites now in orbit as well as those that...

Space Radar System Feasible By 2015, Costing $25 Billion-$90 Billion: CBO.(Congressional Budget Office)
January 5, 2007... A constellation of Space Radar satellites with capabilities such as spotting moving targets on the ground would be technologically feasible by 2015, and likely would cost $25 billion to $90 billion, most likely in a range of $35 billion to...

Defense Watch.(Battlefield Air Targeting Micro Air Vehicle)
January 8, 2007... The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense Leadership Shuffle. The Bush administration is retooling its military leadership in the Middle East/Near East region as part of the new Iraq strategy that it plans to...

Navy Crafting New Acquisition Policy To Meet Demands of GWOT.
January 8, 2007... By Geoff Fein To meet the challenges of the global war on terror (GWOT), the Navy is recognizing it must change its acquisition policies for GWOT to be able to get items into the hands of warfighters quicker than in the past. Under...

Lockheed Martin Eyes PBL As New Opportunity For Business.(performance based logistics)
January 8, 2007... By Geoff Fein Lockheed Martin [LMT], best known for its space, aircraft, missile and combat systems work, has been eyeing new business opportunities, teaming with firms not traditionally involved in defense work. Those partnerships...

OSD Set To Host Meeting Today To Mull Path Forward For Joint Common Missile.(Office of the Secretary of Defense)
January 8, 2007... By Michael Sirak The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is set to host a meeting today with the services to discuss the path ahead for the Army-Marines Corps- Navy Joint Common Missile (JCM) program, according to informed sources....

General Dynamics Gives Navy Unrestricted Rights To LCS Mission Architecture.(Littoral Combat Ship)
January 8, 2007... By Geoff Fein General Dynamics [GD] last week delivered its Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Open Data Model to the Navy, providing the service with unrestricted rights to the entire mission architecture for LCS, and enabling any company to...

Top NNSA Deputy Named Acting Chief of Weapons Agency.(National Nuclear Security Administration)
January 8, 2007... By George Lobsenz In a choice that will assure continuity at the troubled nuclear weapons agency, President Bush Friday named a top deputy at the National Nuclear Security Administration--Thomas D'Agostino--to take over as acting chief...

Navy Examining How Best To Provide Maintenance, Support For LCS Mission Packages.
January 9, 2007... By Geoff Fein The Navy is looking at using distance support to maintain and sustain the Littoral Combat Ship's (LCS) mission packages, and is examining how best to establish a logistics program for the packages once the first ships are...

European Stryker BCT Begins Operational Certification.
January 9, 2007... By Ann Roosevelt The 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment has begun operational certification for U.S. European Command (EUCOM), offering the command and NATO a unit that can be rapidly deployed, a fast and flexible option, according to a top...

DHS Announces $1.7 Billion For Possible 2007 Local Grants.
January 9, 2007... The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Friday announced the availability of $1.7 billion in homeland security grants for states and localities in fiscal year 2007 and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the application...

Army Looks For Information on Future Artillery Munitions, Submunitions.(Brief article)
January 9, 2007... The Army issued a request for information (RFI) Jan. 4 on the capability of industry/government agencies to provide possible alternative/s to Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions for both cannon projectile and rocket artillery...

Lockheed Martin, Netfires LLC, Successfully Demonstrate E-LADAR Seeker.
January 9, 2007... Lockheed Martin [LMT] announced it successfully conducted two demonstrations of its Multi-Mode Enhanced Laser Detection and Ranging (E-LADAR) seeker at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., and at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control facilities in...

Projection Technology Coming Into Its Own For Military Displays.(Combat Displays, Inc.)
January 9, 2007... By Ann Roosevelt BOWIE, Md.--Combat Displays, Inc., a division of Triton Services, is offering the military state-of the-art, rugged, modular, and scalable projection displays that save money, space and power compared to current efforts,...

GD Completes Purchase of SNC Technologies.(Brief article)
January 9, 2007... General Dynamics [GD] yesterday said it has finished its acquisition of Canada-based ammunition supplier SNC Technologies. GD said to get Canadian approval for the purchase it signed an agreement with that country's Minister of Public...

Levin: Tanker Specs Must Favor Competition; Acquisition Reform Looms.
January 10, 2007... By Dave Ahearn The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) will hold major hearings on past military procurement scandals, including the ill-fated aerial refueling aircraft deal and other acquisition problems, the new SASC chairman said...

Army Defers Half of Planned FCS Unmanned Aircraft Systems.(future combat systems)
January 10, 2007... By Ann Roosevelt The Army has deferred two of the four planned Future Combat Systems' (FCS) unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to better align with future requirements and available funds, a service official said yesterday. Affected...

GWOT, Irregular Warfare, Will Create High Demand For Amphibious Ships.
January 10, 2007... By Geoff Fein Expeditionary platforms, more commonly referred to as amphibious ships, are going to be in high demand, not only in the Marine Corps' efforts in the war on terrorism, but in meeting the requirement for forcible entry,...

Lieberman Wants Committee To Approve Additional 9/11 Reform Legislation.
January 10, 2007... By Calvin Biesecker Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.), the new chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, hopes the committee will produce legislation this month aimed at approving some of the 9/11...

Precision Castparts To Acquire Aerospace Fastener Company.(Cherry Aerospace LLC)(Brief article)
January 10, 2007... Precision Castparts Corp. [PCP] on Monday said it has agreed to acquire aerospace fastener manufacturer Cherry Aerospace LLC for $300 million in cash, filling a gap in its fastener product line. Cherry is currently part of Acument Global...

SAIC To Support Army Chemical Materials Agency.(Science Applications International Corp.)(Brief article)
January 10, 2007... SAIC [SAI] announced it won a five-year, total ceiling value $250 million contract to provide program management, integration and site services for the Army's Chemical Materials Agency (CMA). The contract issued by the Army Research and...

TSA Kicks Off Competition For HR Support.(Transportation Security Administration)(Brief article)
January 10, 2007... The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) this week issued a Screening Information Request for a program to support its hiring functions and expects an eventual contract to be worth over $140 million annually over five years. The...

Navy Should Go With A Single Combat System For LCS, Admiral Says.(Brief article)
January 10, 2007... By Geoff Fein The Navy should go to a single combat system for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) as soon as possible, according to a top Navy official. "It's in our best interest, in my opinion, to get to a single combat system as soon...

Lockheed Martin Study Shows Sea-Based PAC-3 MSE Can Link With Aegis.
January 11, 2007... By Geoff Fein A just concluded Lockheed Martin [LMT] study shows the feasibility of integrating the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) with the Aegis Weapon System for sea-based missile defense, an industry source said. ...

Giambastiani: Expanding Personnel Recovery Capacity Critical To U.S., Allied Success.(Edmund Giambastiani)
January 11, 2007... By Michael Sirak The changing nature of conflict and the increased U.S. focus on interagency and international partnerships to bring stability to troubled regions necessitate a broader new approach to recovering captured, isolated and...

DHS Announces Critical Infrastructure Protection Grant Plans.(Department of Homeland Security)
January 11, 2007... The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday announced it has $445 million available for critical infrastructure protection grants in FY '07, a 12 percent increase from last year with most of the added monies destined to bolster port...

AMC, Depots, Industry, Keep Army Equipment In the Fight, General Says.(Army Materiel Command, Richard Cody)
January 11, 2007... By Ann Roosevelt Cooperation among Army Materiel Command, the depots and industry are keeping Army forces in the fight, a senior Army leader said. "AMC, quite frankly, and the depots are the main reason on the equipment side we've...

Air Force Prepares F-22s For Inaugural Combat Deployment.(Brief article)
January 11, 2007... The Air Force is preparing to dispatch Lockheed Martin [LMT]-built F-22 Raptor stealth multi-role fighter aircraft to Japan next month, representing the first overseas deployment for the new combat-ready platforms, service officials said....

UTC's Sikorsky to Acquire Polish Aircraft Maker PZL Mielec.(United Technologies Corp.)(Brief article)
January 11, 2007... United Technologies Corp. [UTX] yesterday said its Sikorsky Aircraft division has agreed to acquire fixed-wing aircraft maker PZL Mielec from the Polish government for about $83 million, including planned investments by Sikorsky over the...

GDLS Achieves CMMI Maturity Level 3 For Project And Systems Engineering.(General Dynamics Land Systems)(Brief article)
January 11, 2007... General Dynamics [GD] Land Systems (GDLS) unit has achieved a Maturity Level 3 rating on the Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) scale for Project and Systems Engineering. CMMI Level 3 focuses on...

Northrop Grumman Deal For Essex Moves Forward A Step.(Brief article)
January 11, 2007... Shareholders of Essex Corp. [KEYW], a supplier of signal processing products and services to the United States intelligence community, yesterday approved the proposed sale of their company to Northrop Grumman [NOC]. Northrop Grumman,...

ATK On Track To Complete PGK Tech Demo Ahead of Spring Fly-Off.(Precision Guidance Kit)(Brief article)
January 11, 2007... ATK [ATK] has recently conducted a successful divert flight test of its low-cost Precision Guidance Kit (PGK). The PGK round was fired from a 155mm Howitzer at the Yuma Proving Grounds, Yuma, Ariz. The round maintained aerodynamic...

Air Force Fields First Minuteman III ICBM With Peacekeeper Reentry Vehicle.(Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles)
January 11, 2007... The first Air Force Minuteman III ICBM to be fitted with the Mark 21 re- entry vehicle from retired Peacekeeper missiles is now on alert, Northrop Grumman [NOC], which overseas Minutemen upgrade work, announced earlier this week. "This...

New Javelin Missile Successful in Test Firings.
January 11, 2007... The Raytheon [RTN] -Lockheed Martin [LMT] Javelin Joint Venture was successful in qualification flight tests of the Block 1 Javelin missile at Redstone Arsenal, in Huntsville, Ala. The Block 1 missile has an improved rocket motor to reduce...

Spanish Army Buys Missiles From General Dynamics Santa Barbara Sistemas.(Brief article)
January 11, 2007... The Spanish army in late December awarded General Dynamics [GD] Santa Barbara Sistemas unit a $424.5 million contract for Long Range (LR) SPIKE Missile Systems. The SPIKE-LR is a lightweight, shoulder-launched multi-purpose missile...

Air Force Pushes Back Release of KC-X Tanker Request For Proposals.(Brief article)
January 11, 2007... The Air Force said late yesterday it is taking additional time to prepare the final version of the request for proposals for the KC-X tanker aircraft, likely pushing its release into February. "The Air Force is refining the KC-X request...

Lockheed Martin's First Littoral Combat Ship Has Considerable Cost Overruns, Navy Says.
January 12, 2007... By Geoff Fein The Navy yesterday acknowledged for the first time that Lockheed Martin [LMT] Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Freedom has registered "considerable" cost overruns, which according to some sources, could potentially put the...

Griffin Sees No Huge NASA Funding Rise; Program Cutbacks Seen.
January 12, 2007... By Dave Ahearn NASA can't expect any huge funding increases, and instead will have to find areas to cut and ways to perform the space mission with more intelligence and efficiency, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said. He also...

Training Impact of Additional Deployment, End-Strength, TBD For TRADOC, General Says.(Training and Doctrine Command)
January 12, 2007... By Ann Roosevelt The added level of effort by the Army's architect--Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)--to ensure trained forces for potential increased deployments to Iraq and a larger service, is still unknown, the command's top...

Air Force Faces Nunn-McCurdy Breach With C-130 Avionics Upgrade Program.
January 12, 2007... By Michael Sirak The Air Force's multi-billion-dollar program to modernize the cockpits of its older C-130 Hercules transport aircraft faces unit-cost growth more than 25 percent above the current program baseline that will breach...

Coast Guard Gets DHS Nod To Move Ahead With Maritime Tracking System.(Department of Homeland Security)
January 12, 2007... By Calvin Biesecker The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) yesterday approved Coast Guard plans to enhance a limited maritime tracking and communications system and turn it into a Nationwide Automatic Identification System (NAIS)...

HASC Elects Subcommittee Chairs And Makes Assignments.(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) announced the election of the chairs of the subcommittees at an organizational meeting for the 110th Congress yesterday: Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D-Texas): Readiness Rep....

Raytheon Gains $135.4 Million Silent Knight Radar Pact.(Raytheon Aircraft Co.)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... The Special Operations Command last month awarded Raytheon [RTN] a $135.4 million contract to develop a new tactical radar for rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. That contract, signed Dec. 12, and initially funded at $28.5 million, calls...

Obering Praises Airborne Laser, Others, Defends BMD Budget Outlays.(ballistic missile defense)
January 12, 2007... By Dave Ahearn The Airborne Laser (ABL) ballistic missile defense (BMD) system has achieved "tremendous success" in the past year, Air Force Lt. Gen. Trey Obering, director of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), said. "The Airborne...

Defense Watch.
January 16, 2007... The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense C-130 AMP Update. The Air Force has provided additional details on the looming Nunn-McCurdy breach facing its C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) that Defense...

Restarting ERGM Supplier Base, Plans Engineering Tests Throughout '07.(Extended Range Guided Munition )
January 16, 2007... By Geoff Fein Raytheon [RTN] has conducted some preliminary tests to examine its Extended Range Guided Munition (ERGM) and is restarting its critical supplier base to test full-up projectiles at the end of 2008, according to a company...

Army Releases Pre-Solicitation Notice For FCS Mid-Range Munition.(Future combat system)(Brief article)
January 16, 2007... The Army released the pre-solicitation notice for the Mid-Range Munition (MRM), a precision guided 120mm smart munition to provide a dual-mode beyond- line-of-sight (BLOS) capability for the Future Combat System (FCS) Mounted Combat System...

Navy Issues Stop Work Order To Lockheed Martin For LCS-1, -3.
January 16, 2007... By Geoff Fein The Navy Friday issued a 90-day stop work order to Lockheed Martin [LMT] for the company's first and second Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) as the Navy reviews the causes of cost increases to the first ship of the class, the...

House Aide In Line For NNSA Post.(William Ostendorff to be appointed to the United States. National Nuclear Security Administration's as principal deputy administrator)(Brief article)
January 16, 2007... By George Lobsenz William Ostendorff, a Republican staff member on the House Armed Services Committee and former submarine skipper in the Navy, is in line to be nominated as principal deputy administrator at the National Nuclear Security...

Army Lifts Stop Work Order On Lockheed Martin's EQ-36 Work.
January 17, 2007... By Geoff Fein Lockheed Martin [LMT] is back to work on the Enhanced AN/TPQ-36 (EQ-36) Counter Fire Acquisition Radar systems following the Army's decision yesterday to lift a stop work order that had been in effect since October. ...

GE's Proposed Deal For Smiths Aerospace Gets Warm Response.
January 17, 2007... By Calvin Biesecker Wall Street analysts are generally applauding General Electric's [GE] proposed $4.8 billion cash deal for the Aerospace division of Britain's Smiths Group, despite the relatively high price versus future earnings...

Head of Joint Forces Command Eyes Standardized Device To Aid In Personnel Recovery.
January 17, 2007... By Michael Sirak The Pentagon's executive agent for personnel recovery advocates development of a standardized device or suite of equipment that could be carried easily by members of governmental agencies, international organizations...

Air Force Upgrades Joint STARS Fleet To Enable Moving Target Engagements.
January 17, 2007... By Michael Sirak The Air Force has tasked Northrop Grumman [NOC] to upgrade its fleet of E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft so that these platforms can provide precise, real-time tracking data to...

Northrop Grumman Continues C-RAM Work.(Northrop Grumman Mission Systems)
January 17, 2007... By Ann Roosevelt Northrop Grumman [NOC] yesterday announced the award of an Army contract valued at up to $71 million to continue support for the Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar (C-RAM) project. "This system is fielded, it's being...

Boeing Begins New Apache Longbow Deliveries To Greece.(Brief article)
January 17, 2007... Boeing [BA] said yesterday it has begun the delivery process for 12 new AH-64DHA Apache Longbow helicopters being produced for the Hellenic Army in Greece. The aircraft are part of a combined Foreign Military Sales agreement with the...

Lawmakers Ask About Increase In Number of Mine-Protected Vehicles.
January 17, 2007... By Jen DiMascio With the president recommending a surge of soldiers and Marines into Iraq, lawmakers yesterday asked how the administration would rectify reported equipment shortfalls and better protect the additional incoming troops....

Lockheed Martin To Refine Study of Air-Launched PAC-3 Missiles.
January 17, 2007... By Ann Roosevelt Lockheed Martin [LMT] has received a $3 million contract from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to continue the Air-Launched Hit-to-Kill (ALHTK) initiative, which would enable fighter aircraft to carry and launch Patriot...

Raytheon Begins Public Safety Communications Pilot Project In Quad Cities.(Raytheon Aircraft Co.)
January 18, 2007... By Calvin Biesecker Raytheon [RTN] yesterday initiated a pilot project in the Midwest aimed at improving public safety communications capabilities in the Quad Cities region of Illinois and Iowa through interoperable communications,...

ICx Acquires Bio-Detection Technology Firm.(ICx Technologies acquires GHC Technologies)
January 18, 2007... By Calvin Biesecker ICx Technologies on Tuesday said it has acquired GHC Technologies, a small developer of technologies for the rapid detection and identification of biological agents, in a deal the company believes will eventually...

Boeing Completes First Phase of Information-Sharing Project With Near-Space Asset.
January 18, 2007... By Michael Sirak Boeing [BA] and the Air Force have completed part one of a three-phase initiative to develop the means to pass airborne-derived imagery and other tactical battlefield data quickly from low-flying unmanned aircraft to...

Navy Needs Nuclear-Powered Surface Ships Given Future Needs, Lawmaker Asserts.
January 18, 2007... By Geoff Fein It makes no sense for the Navy to continue building conventionally powered surface ships given future power demands and the potential for an oil producing nation to impact America's fuel imports, according to Rep. Gene...

Incoming Senator Comes To Grips With DoD Accounting Woes.(Claire McCaskill's defense purchasing audit report on the Department of Defense and Department of the Interior.)
January 18, 2007... By Jen DiMascio Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), a former Missouri state auditor, got her first taste yesterday of the state of accounting practices in the Defense Department. "Reading this, I didn't know whether to laugh or to cry,"...

Raytheon: Several Nations Interested In Patriot Upgrades.(Raytheon International)(Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles)
January 18, 2007... By Dave Ahearn Talks are underway with several nations for possible upgrades to Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles, according to briefers at a Raytheon [RTN] media conference call yesterday. The telephone briefing was...

Army and Air Force Work UAS Issues.(Unmanned aircraft systems)
January 18, 2007... By Ann Roosevelt While an official agreement is pending, the Army and Air Force are working together on assorted issues of common interest on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), an Army official said. "I'll assure you that's going along...

DoD Is $100 Billion Yearly Short Even Before Democratic Cuts, Analysts Say.
January 18, 2007... By Dave Ahearn The Department of Defense (DoD) already is $100 billion a year short of the funds it needs for existing, planned and needed programs, before Democrats taking over Congress begin to cut programs such as weapons platform...