Defense Daily articles from September 2004

Defense Daily archives from September 2004

JSF Program Alters Weapons Layout For STOVL To Meet Performance Parameters.(Joint Strike Fighter)(short takeoff, vertical landing)
September 1, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes Apart from tackling weight and propulsion issues to meet key performance parameters (KPP) for the short takeoff, vertical landing (STOVL) variant of Lockheed Martin's [LMT] F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), the JSF program...

Personnel Recovery Goes Beyond Altruism, General Says.
September 1, 2004... By Ann Roosevelt Changing the face of personnel recovery (PR) to fit strategic realities necessarily means going beyond the military to encompass government civilians and contractors is not altruistic, but pragmatic, a senior officer said....

Raytheon Begins Full-Rate Deliveries of Block IV Tactical Tomahawk In 2006.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes Raytheon [RTN] will begin full-rate production (FRP) deliveries for the Block IV Tactical Tomahawk cruise missile program in January 2006, according to the company's program director. The first FRP run is for the...

Australians Select NH90 Variant For Army Lift Requirements Over S-70M.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The Australian government said yesterday it had selected the MRH-90 variant of the NH90 helicopter produced by European consortium NH Industries for its $705.8 million AIR 9000 lift requirement for the army. Australian Aerospace will...

Engineered Support Posts Record Third Quarter.
September 1, 2004... Engineered Support Systems, Inc. [EASI] yesterday reported record third quarter financial results, driven mainly by exceptional organic sales increases due to ongoing U.S. military operations and other opportunities with the military and...

Ceradyne, Arotech In On Marine Corps SAPI Order.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Ceradyne [CRDN] this week said it has received an initial $3.2 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract under a Marine Corps program for ceramic small arms protective inserts (SAPI), part of a potential $41.5 million order. ...

Curtiss-Wright Closes Acquisition of Synergy Microsystems.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Curtiss-Wright Corp. [CW] yesterday said it has completed its $49 million purchase of Synergy Microsystems, Inc., broadening its offerings in the embedded computing market for military, aerospace, industrial and commercial applications. ...

Land-based Testing of Initial Deployment Aegis BMD Completed.
September 1, 2004... Lockheed Martin [LMT] last month completed land-based testing of the first deployable Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) long-range surveillance and tracking capability, the company said. The engineering assessment examined the final...

PACAF Standing Up Search And Rescue Center.(Pacific Air Forces)(combat search and rescue)
September 1, 2004... By Sharon Weinberger The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is in the process of standing up a joint search and rescue center that will be responsible for personnel recovery in Pacific Command's area of operations, according to a senior service...

Latin American Sales Help Boost Tadiran Communications.
September 1, 2004... By B.C. Kessner TEL AVIV, Israel--New orders and recent sales of cutting-edge communications equipment bound for Latin America have contributed to sales and profit growth for Israel's Tadiran Communications, officials said here yesterday....

UQM Awarded Contract By Marine Corps For UGV Propulsion System.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... UQM Technologies [UQM] said recently it was awarded a $599,000 contract by the Marine Corps to develop a hybrid-electric propulsion system to power small unmanned ground combat vehicles (UGV) with weights between 500 pounds and a ton. ...

Optimism Prevails On JSF CTOL, CV Designs, PEO Says.(Joint Strike Fighter)(aircraft carrier)(program executive officer)
September 2, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes While the bulk of the attention directed at the Lockheed Martin [LMT] F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program centers on the short takeoff, vertical landing (STOVL) version of the aircraft, its program executive officer...

New ASA Report Slams Navy's Potential FY '06 Shipbuilding Plan.(American Shipbuilding Association)
September 2, 2004... The American Shipbuilding Association's (ASA) August 2004 Shipbuilding Industrial Base Survey and Report offers sharp criticism of the Navy's proposed FY '06 budget. "The proposed budget would delay and/or reduce every shipbuilding program...

Worldwide Arms Sales Decline, U.S. Remains Top Seller.
September 2, 2004... By Sharon Weinberger Even as international arms sales declined over the last few years, the United States remains the top seller of military equipment, according to a new report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). The annual...

Lockheed Martin's MUOS Bid Draws From Existing Products And Commercial Base.(Mobile User Objective System)
September 2, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes Lockheed Martin's [LMT] bid for the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) draws considerably from existing products and its experience in the commercial field, according to a company official. "We're able to leverage...

ILS Boosts Payload Aboard Atlas II Rocket.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... The International Launch Services (ILS) group said yesterday it successfully launched an Atlas IIAS rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., equipped with a national security payload. According to an ILS statement, this was the eighth mission of...

Dynamics Research Purchases Federal IT Firm.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Dynamics Research Corp. [DRCO] yesterday said it completed its acquisition of the government division of Impact Innovations Group, LLC, for $53.4 million, giving it new customers in the intelligence arena while enhancing its information...

U.K. Armed Forces To Get One of The Largest Caliber Rifles Since Victorian Times.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Britain's Accuracy International will provide U.K. armed forces one of the largest caliber British-made rifles since the Victorian era, the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) said yesterday. The new rifle, an A150F, fires a bullet a half-inch...

United Defense To Test Defense System Against Tank-Fired KE Rounds.(United Defense Industries Inc)(kinetic energy)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... United Defense Industries [UDI] yesterday said it will begin testing later this year of its Active Defense Systems (ADS) against tank-fired kineticenergy (KE) rounds under a new $18.4 million Army contract. The testing includes a new, more...

IG Criticizes Navy For ICAP III Management.(Inspector General)(Improved Capability Program)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... A report issued on Tuesday from the Pentagon's Inspector General (IG) criticizes the Navy for its management of airborne electronic jamming program. The report identifies several aspects of the program management of the EA-6B Improved...

Army Plans PAC-3 Missile Test Today.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... The Army today plans an intercept flight test of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile built by Lockheed Martin [LMT] at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., today, Army officials said. The test is to demonstrate the performance of...

Tyco Sells Scott Aviation Business To Zodiac.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Tyco International [TYC] yesterday said it has sold its Scott Aviation business unit to Frances's Zodiac for $70 million. Scott Aviation, which makes and distributes oxygen systems for commercial and military aircraft, has been renamed AVOX...

AgustaWestland Files In Canada's Federal Court Protesting MHP Decision To Sikorsky.(Maritime Helicopter Program)
September 3, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes In another twist to the delayed and controversy-ridden effort to equip Canadian forces with improved maritime helicopters, European helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland this week took its claim on Canada's Maritime...

PAC-3 Missile Downs TBM And Cruise Missile In Test.(Patriot Advanced Capability)(Tactical Ballistic Missile)
September 3, 2004... By Ann Roosevelt The Army said yesterday initial analysis shows two successful intercept flight tests by the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile, built by Lockheed Martin [LMT], at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. During the...

Government And Industry Working Parts Commonality Solution For JSF Variants.(Joint Strike Fighter)
September 3, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes One of the important elements of the multi-service, multi-national Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program is generating the right mix of common, unique and partly common "cousin" parts for the three different variants of the...

Ceradyne Gets $5 Million Order To Provide Armored Seats For Humvees.
September 3, 2004... Ceradyne [CRDN] yesterday said it has won a small order to provide ceramic-armored seats for some Special Forces vehicles, the first significant award for the company in the military land vehicles market. The $5.1 million subcontract is for...

BAE SYTEMS Formally Establishes Land Systems Business.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2004... BAE SYSTEMS said yesterday it formally established its Land Systems business line that brings together its Royal Ordnance (RO) Defence unit and Alvis, which it acquired earlier this year. "By bringing together Alvis and RO Defence, our aim...

ACTD Seeks To Solve Top Combat Search And Rescue Problem.(Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration)(Global Personnel Recovery System)
September 3, 2004... By Ann Roosevelt A small card, just a little larger than a Pentagon pass, could hold the key to finding and retrieving downed pilots and evading personnel fast, no matter where they are, officials said. The Global Personnel Recovery...

Vehicles With Ballistic Protection Added to Commerce Control List.
September 3, 2004... By Sharon Weinberger Non-combat military vehicles with ballistic missile protection have been added to the Commerce Department's list of controlled exports, according to a ruling published Aug. 31 in the Federal Register. The new...

Defense Watch.(Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense)
September 7, 2004... The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense Back In Town. The dog days of August are at an end. Congress resumes work today, although attention is likely to focus on prison detention issues in Iraq. Both the House...

GAO Identifies Challenges To Navy's DD(X) Development.(Government Accountability Office)
September 7, 2004... A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report issues a critical assessment of the Navy's approach to developing the technologies aboard the DD(X) future surface combatant being built by Northrop Grumman [NOC]. "None of the...

Marine Corps Ponders Possibilities Regarding Add-On Armor For EFV.(Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle)
September 7, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes The Marine Corps may at some point receive a tasking to develop an add-on armor kit for its future Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) produced by General Dynamics [GD] to enhance its survivability, according to the...

Accenture Finalizes Key Subcontracts For US VISIT.(U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology)
September 7, 2004... Accenture [ACN] on Friday announced that it has finalized subcontracts with its top three team members working on a potential $10 billion government program to install an automated entry-exit system at the nation's 50 largest land border...

NASA Plans X-43A Captive Carry Test This Week.(National Aeronautics & Space Administration)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... NASA will conduct a dress rehearsal for the final hypersonic flight test of its third X-43A technology demonstrator today with a captive-carry test aboard a B-52 aircraft at the agency's Dryden Flight Research Center in California, NASA said...

Army Looks For Tactical Navigation Systems For Stryker Vehicles.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... The Army Program Management Office Stryker Brigade Combat Team (PM-SBCT) is conducting a market survey to find out what non-developmental tactical navigation systems are available to integrate into General Dynamics [GD]-built Stryker Vehicles....

Air Force Seeks Sources For Joint Air Space Management And Deconfliction.(Air Force Research Laboratory)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... The Air Force Research Lab, Rome Research Site wants to know what companies can perform research and development in Joint AirSpace Management and Deconfliction (JASMAD). A 60-month, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite delivery/indefinite...

Russia Arms Sales Decline, CRS Report Says.
September 7, 2004... Russia, while still the second largest arms exporter in the world, saw its sales decline over the last year, according to an annual report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Revenues for arms exports fell to $3.9 billion last...

Shadow UAV Passes 10,000 Flight Hours In Support Of OIF.(unmanned aerial vehicles)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... The Army's fleet of RQ-7A Shadow Tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) has flown over 10,000 hours and 2,500 sorties while conducting surveillance and reconnaissance in support of U.S. and allied warfighters in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF),...

Boeing Delivers 200th Super Hornet To The Navy.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Boeing [BA] recently said it delivered the 200th F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to the Navy on Monday. "Boeing is committed to delivering on its promises to the U.S. Navy--delivering the newest and most advanced fighter/attack aircraft in the DoD...

ATFLIR In Service With A Pair OF F/A-18C Units, Raytheon Says.(Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Raytheon [RTN] said recently that its ATFLIR advanced targeting pod is now deployed with a pair of F/A-18C squadrons aboard the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67). "Only ATFLIR is designed and purpose-built for reliable...

Marines Plan LAV-C2 Industry Day.(Light Armored Vehicle)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... The Marine Corps on Sept. 22 plans a Light Armored Vehicle Command and Control (LAV-C2) Industry Day to address modernizing the communication suite at the Marine Corps Logistics Base, Albany, Ga. The Program Manager's Office, Light Armored...

Defense Brief.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Raytheon [RTN] was awarded a $440.1 million contract from the Navy last week for the systems development and demonstration (SDD) phase for the Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) Block I/Extended Range Active Missile (ERAM). This includes the design,...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
September 7, 2004... The Sept. 1 and Aug. 23 issues of Defense Daily incorrectly stated that ArmorWorks, Inc. is a business unit of Arotech Corp. [ARTX]. ArmorWorks is a privately owned company based in Tempe, Ariz., that makes aircraft, vehicle and personal...

Missile Defense Agency Delays Next Flight Test.(Integrated Flight Test-13C)
September 8, 2004... By Sharon Weinberger The next test of the Pentagon's Ground-based Missile Defense (GMD) system has been delayed to the end of September because of problems with a computer system on the intercept booster, according to a spokesman for the...

Marine Commandant: Real-World Deployments Could Affect Swap Experiment.
September 8, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes The Marine Corps' hopes to conduct a Sea Swap personnel rotation experiment that includes its own forces could be affected by real-world deployments, according to Marine Commandant Gen. Michael Hagee. "We're still...

FY '06 Planning Should Feature Help For Marine Corps, CNO Says.(Chief of Naval Operations)
September 8, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes Despite indications that the Navy's FY '06 shipbuilding request may include drastic cuts across the board for amphibious warfare ships, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Vern Clark believes that overall the FY '06 plan...

Boeing To Partner With Australia's CEA Technologies On Missile Defense.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Boeing [BA] said yesterday it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Australia's CEA Technologies to develop a cooperative partnership in global missile defense. In July, the United States and Australia signed a MoU to explore...

Big Govt IT Market Can Support Competition, Growth, SI International Chief Says.
September 8, 2004... By Calvin Biesecker The size of the federal information technology (IT) market, about $60 billion, leaves plenty of room for competition and growth for company's of all sizes, according to SI International's [SINT] top executive Ray...

Israel Says Reconnaissance Capabilities Still Intact After Satellite Launch Fails.
September 8, 2004... By B.C. Kessner TEL AVIV, Israel--In the wake of Monday's failure to launch a spy satellite into orbit, Israel's Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the country's ability to collect national image intelligence information remains intact. ...

Feith Says 'Some Progress' On Hill Negotiations For ITAR Waivers.(International Traffic in Arms Regulations)
September 9, 2004... By Sharon Weinberger Despite the continuing roadblocks on Capitol Hill to export reform, a senior Pentagon official said yesterday there has been some progress on work with congressional committees to secure export exemptions for a couple...

Northrop Grumman Presses Case For Joint STARS Re-Engine Option.(Joint Surveillance Targeting Attack Radar System)
September 9, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes Northrop Grumman [NOC] yesterday reasserted its case for the Air Force to re-engine its fleet of Joint Surveillance Targeting Attack Radar System (Joint STARS), claiming that the availability of the aircraft in future...

QinetiQ To Acquire U.S. Technology Firm Foster-Miller.
September 9, 2004... By Calvin Biesecker Britain's QinetiQ yesterday said it has agreed to acquire Boston-based Foster-Miller, Inc., an engineering, development and manufacturing firm serving the defense and industrial markets, in a move aimed at significantly...

Pentagon Notifies Congress of Possible $250 Million Sale of Black Hawks To Brazil.(Black Hawk UH-60L helicopters)(Brief Article)
September 9, 2004... The Pentagon Tuesday notified Congress of a possible sale of 10 Sikorsky [UTX] UH-60L helicopters and their accompanying equipment to Brazil potentially worth $250 million under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. "Brazil needs these...

Japan, Israel, Korea, Request Military Equipment.
September 9, 2004... By Ann Roosevelt Lockheed Martin [LMT], Textron [TXT] and L-3 Communications [LLL] could benefit from foreign military sales agreements if Congress approves government requests from Japan, Korea and Israel for U.S. military equipment and...

BAE SYSTEMS Sees Growth In Information Systems Group.
September 9, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes Contract work in both the defense and intelligence communities is sparking significant growth for BAE SYSTEMS' Information Systems group, according to a company executive. "We have been growing over the past five...

Ceradyne, Targeting Military Vehicle Armoring, Opens Washington, D.C., Office.
September 9, 2004... Ceradyne, Inc. [CRDN], based in Costa Mesa, Calif., yesterday said it has opened an office in Washington, D.C., to better service its military customers and to focus its efforts on expanding business for military ground-based vehicle armor. ...

FY '05 Conferees On Authorization Bill Eyeing Tanker Language And Export Controls.(Brief Article)
September 9, 2004... By Sharon Weinberger House and Senate conferees working on the FY '05 Defense Authorization Bill were meeting last night to hash out language on two key issues: the proposed Air Force purchase and lease of 100 Boeing [BA] 767 tankers and...

Army Lauds FCS Advanced Collaborative Environment.(Future Combat System)
September 9, 2004... The Army recognized innovative knowledge management by awarding the E-Army Award last week to the Boeing [BA]-created Future Combat System (FCS) Advanced Collaborative Environment (ACE) program that is likely turn up in other acquisition...

Boeing, Lockheed Martin Prevail, Northrop Grumman Team Dropped, For AMF-JTRS.(Airborne and Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System)
September 9, 2004... By Ann Roosevelt The Air Force has tapped Boeing [BA] and Lockheed Martin [LMT] to move forward, while dropping a Northrop Grumman [NOC]-led team for the Pre-System Development and Demonstration (Pre-SDD) of the Airborne and Maritime/Fixed...

Pentagon Starts Next Stage Of JSF Negotiations.(Joint Strike Fighter)
September 10, 2004... By Sharon Weinberger The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) office has begun negotiations with its international partners on the next stage of participation in the multirole fighter program, according to a senior program official. Negotiations...

Conference Work Begins On Defense Authorization Bill.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2004... By Sharon Weinberger With Congress back in town, conference negotiations have begun on the FY '05 Defense Authorization Bill. Conferees for the air-land panel met Tuesday evening to discuss differences between the House and Senate...

DoJ Completes Army WIN-T Review, General Says.(Warfighter Information Network-Tactical)(Brief Article)
September 10, 2004... By Ann Roosevelt The Justice Department completed its review of the Army's $10 billion Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T), the service's top information officer said. "We had a Department of Justice ruling; we're not...

Boeing, Lockheed Martin Teams Begin Pre-SDD For AMF JTRS.(system development and demonstration)(Airborne, Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System)
September 10, 2004... By Ann Roosevelt For the next 15 months, teams led by Boeing [BA] and Lockheed Martin [LMT] will develop designs and architectures for next-generation radios called Airborne, Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System (AMF JTRS)....

Lockheed Martin Still Eyes Sniper XR For Eurofighter.(Sniper extended range)
September 10, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes Lockheed Martin [LMT] remains optimistic that it can equip Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft produced by the Eurofighter consortium with its Sniper Extended Range (ER) advanced targeting pod, according to a company official....

BAE SYSTEMS Reports Wider First Half Loss Due To Charges.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2004... BAE SYSTEMS yesterday reported larger net losses than a year ago due mainly to impairment charges at its Avionics and C4ISR businesses although operating profit was up 4.5 percent overall due to improvements at all segments but North America,...

Boeing, MBDA Announce New Missile Defense Partnership.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2004... Boeing [BA] said yesterday it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with European missile consortium MBDA to develop a cooperative relationship in global missile defense. "Our relationship with MBDA is a critical component of our...

TSA Begins Pilot Project At Airport To Check Passenger Documents For Explosives.(Transportation Security Administration)(Brief Article)
September 10, 2004... The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) yesterday began another of its various pilot programs aimed at expanding the search for explosives at the nation's key transportation nodes, the latest being a demonstration to check passenger...

BAE Official Sees Tilt In Future Defense Budgets To Network-Centric Focus.
September 10, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes Future defense budgets will likely have a greater emphasis on networkcentric principles instead of platforms, according to a top official with BAE SYSTEMS. "I do believe that the traditional defense budgets are going...

Raytheon's CLAWS Scores Hit In First Intercept Test.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2004... Raytheon [RTN] said recently that its Complementary Low Altitude Weapon System (CLAWS) successfully completed its first flight test with a metal-on-metal hit of a target drone at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. "Completion of this first...

Northrop Grumman Awarded $388 Million By Air Force For B-2 Radar Work.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2004... Northrop Grumman [NOC] said yesterday it was awarded a $388 million contract by the Air Force for ongoing modernization work on the B-2 bomber's radar. According to a company statement, the B-2 radar team includes principal subcontractor...

United Defense Destroys RPGs with Close-In Counter Measure System.(Rocket Propelled Grenades)
September 10, 2004... United Defense [UDI] on Wednesday said its Close-In Counter Measure (CICM) active protection system successfully intercepted and destroyed incoming Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG) during testing at the Army's Redstone Technical Test Center,...

Army Seeks Technology Capabilities For Tactical Wheeled Fleet.(Expedited Modernization Initiative Procedure)
September 10, 2004... The Army Project Manager Tactical Vehicles (PM-TV) is looking for technology to improve the capabilities of the current tactical wheeled vehicle fleet to support continuous future force operations and could be available for production within...

Senate Begins Debate On Homeland Security Bill.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2004... The Senate yesterday began debate on its version of a $32 billion homeland security bill, which includes about $900 million more than the Bush Administration requested. In action yesterday the Senate voted 49 to 47 in favor of an amendment...

Defense Watch.
September 13, 2004... The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense Wild Blue Beltway. Today the Air Force Association's 2004 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition opens in Washington, D.C. The expected speakers include Air...

DAB Likely To Move Stryker Variants To Production--Including MGS.(Mobile Gun System)
September 13, 2004... By Ann Roosevelt An Acquisition Decision Memorandum (ADM), expected to be signed within the next two weeks, is likely to approve production decisions for three versions of General Dynamics [GD] family of Stryker wheeled-armored vehicles:...

Boeing Sees Chance For F-15E Production Line To Stretch Past 2012.
September 13, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes Buoyed by the prospects of potential sales beyond its current slate of orders, Boeing [BA] is aiming to keep its F-15E Strike Eagle production line open beyond 2012, according to a company official. "Our main goal is,...

Network Capabilities Moving Into Divisions, Army CIO Says.(Chief Information Officer)
September 13, 2004... By Ann Roosevelt When the 3rd Infantry Division is ordered to Iraq, the first new modular division will also be the first to have a package of network capabilities, according to the Army's top information officer. "We've done that....

Review Board Says FOD Caused Recent JASSM Test Failure.(foreign object damage)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes A failure review board (FRB) studying a July 27 test failure of a Lockheed Martin [LMT] Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) determined that foreign object damage (FOD) was the main cause of the failure. The...

New Study Rebukes Tanker Corrosion Claims.
September 13, 2004... By Sharon Weinberger A new study by the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) concludes that corrosion among the KC-135 tankers is not a significant problem, undercutting the Air Force's major argument for quickly modernizing its fleet of...

Northrop Grumman Team Wins BMC2 Bid For Air Force Sensor Aircraft.(battle management command and control)
September 13, 2004... By Lorenzo Cortes A team led by Northrop Grumman [NOC] last week was chosen by the Air Force to enter the performance extension and pre-systems development and demonstration (SDD) phase of the battle management command and control (BMC2)...

PEC Solutions Acquires AC Technologies.(AC Technology Inc., Fairfax)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... Professional services firm PEC Solutions, Inc. [PECS] last week said it has acquired federal information technology (IT) provider AC Technologies (ACT) for $46.7 million in cash. ACT, based in Fairfax, Va., specializes in software...

State On Schedule For Biometric Visa Equipment Installation.(automated biometric identification system)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... The necessary equipment and software needed under the State Department's Biometric Visa Program is on schedule for installation at 207 overseas U.S. consulates by next month under the deadline, although guidelines for when to use the equipment...

Air Force Awards Eight NETCENTS Contracts.(network-centric solution)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... The Air Force awarded eight contracts last week with a combined value of $9 billion for its Network-Centric Solution (NETCENTS) acquisition to Booz Allen Hamilton, General Dynamics [GD] Lockheed Martin [LMT] Northrop Grumman [NOC], The Centech...

Defense Brief.(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... The Navy said last week the eighth and ninth ships in the San Antonioclass (LPD-17) of amphibious warfare ships would be named Arlington and Somerset. Both ships are named to honor the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Northrop...