Defense Daily articles from September 2008

Defense Daily archives from September 2008

Defense Watch.
September 2, 2008... The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense Stevens Still Standing. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska)--the former Senate Appropriations Defense subcommittee ranking member who was indicted in July on seven felony counts...

Nuclear Weapons Safety Concerns Raised At Pantex.
September 2, 2008... By George Lobsenz The Energy Department's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is deviating from its normal safety review process for nuclear weapons assembly operations to accommodate an unusually accelerated production...

Finmeccanica's Pending Buy of DRS Clears A Hurdle.
September 2, 2008... The Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission last week granted early termination of an anti-trust review period of Italian aerospace and defense company Finmeccanica's pending $4 billion acquisition of DRS Technologies [DRS]. ...

Northrop Grumman Demonstrates Critical Solid-State Laser Milestone, Sets Records.
September 2, 2008... By Ann Roosevelt Northrop Grumman [NOC] says it set new industry records in all aspects of high-power solid-state laser production, demonstrating the readiness of these compact, portable, speed-of-light weapons to take their place on the...

Successful First Flight For Sikorsky's X2 Technology Demonstrator.
September 2, 2008... Sikorsky [UTX] last week successfully completed the first flight of its X2 Technology Demonstrator, maneuvering the prototype aircraft through hover, forward flight, and a hover turn, in a test flight that lasted approximately 30 minutes....

Congress Expected To Dive Into Defense Spending Bill Next Week.
September 3, 2008... By Emelie Rutherford Congress is poised to tackle the fiscal year 2009 defense spending bill when it resumes its work next week, with the House Appropriations Committee's (HAC) markup expected as soon as Monday and full House debate...

Air Force Debuts Laser-Guided JDAM Against Moving Targets in Iraq.
September 3, 2008... By Marina Malenic The laser-guided Joint Direct Attack Munition (LJDAM) was used in combat for the first time in Iraq last month, the Air Force announced. Lt. Col. David Lujan, deputy commander of the 332nd expeditionary operations...

CBP Plans Multi-Mission Sensor Aircraft.
September 3, 2008... By Calvin Biesecker Customs and Border Protection (CBP) this Friday is scheduled to present its plans to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the way ahead for a new multi-mission aircraft that can be outfitted with an integrated...

iRobot Awarded Potential $200 Million Army Contract.
September 3, 2008... iRobot (IRBT) yesterday announced it has been awarded a five-year, $200 million ceiling priced Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract for service orders for military robots, spare parts, training and repair services. ...

DHS S&T Partners With D.C. On Communications Pilot.
September 3, 2008... The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate, the District of Columbia (D.C.), and ISCO International, Inc. [ISO], are partnering to field a communications pilot program with D.C. government to...

Lockheed Martin Goes 'Open' With USS Bunker Hill Modernization.
September 3, 2008... Lockheed Martin's [LMT] new Aegis Open Architecture Weapon System came to life last month--on schedule and as planned--aboard the Navy's guided missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG-52), the company reported. The Aegis open architecture...

Lockheed Martin Receives $61 Million For More GMLRS Unitary Rockets.
September 3, 2008... By Ann Roosevelt Lockheed Martin [LMT] yesterday said it received a $61 million follow-on low rate production contract for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) Unitary rockets. To date, more than 850 GMLRS rockets have been...

NAVAIR Awards ATK $97 Million Contract For Multi-Stage Supersonic Target.
September 3, 2008... ATK [ATK] Tuesday said that it has been awarded a $97 million contract for the design, development, integration, and test of the Multi-Stage Supersonic Target (MSST) by the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, the company...

Aerojet THAAD Boost Motor Passes Final Qualification Static Test.
September 3, 2008... Aerojet [GY] said its boost motor passed the final qualification static test firing for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) program. The THAAD program is managed by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and by prime contractor and...

AMC Commander Raises Concerns About More Tanker Contract Protests.
September 4, 2008... By Marina Malenic The Defense Department is likely to face yet another industry protest when it finally awards a $35 billion-dollar contract for a new fleet of aerial refueling aircraft to either Boeing [BA] or Northrop Grumman [NOC],...

Navy's Maritime Domain Awareness System 'Up And Running'.
September 4, 2008... By Emelie Rutherford The Navy's nascent Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) effort reached a key milestone last week and is now able to track hundreds of thousands of vessels as part of the push to thwart nefarious activity on the world's...

Navy Awards Lockheed Martin, L-3 Contracts For P-3 Wing Repairs.
September 4, 2008... By Geoff Fein Lockheed Martin [LMT] and L-3 [LLL] have been awarded contracts to provide replacement outer wing kits for the Navy's P-3 Orion aircraft, 39 of which were grounded last year due critical structural fatigue. On Aug. 26,...

General Dynamics To Supply Mine-Protected Vehicles To Spain.
September 4, 2008... General Dynamics [GD] Santa Barbara Sistemas Sept. 3 said it was awarded an approximately $102 million contract by the Spanish government to supply RG-31 Mk5E mine protected vehicles for the army. General Dynamics Santa Barbara Sistemas...

DHS To Kick Off National Ad Campaign For Travel Documents.(Website overview)
September 4, 2008... By Calvin Biesecker With fewer than nine months to go before new travel document requirements go into effect at the nation's land and sea borders, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) during tonight's season opener of the National...

Port Security Experiment In Tampa Bay Successful.
September 4, 2008... A recent Navy and Coast Guard experiment to demonstrate certain aspects of future sea-going sensor packages in the port security role was successful, an industry official whose firm supported the experiment told sister publication TR2. ...

Lockheed Martin-Jacobs-Wackenhut Team Wins Hanford Support Contract.
September 4, 2008... In the third and final piece of a major restructuring of contractors at its Hanford site, the Energy Department announced Wednesday it has selected a consortium led by Lockheed Martin [LMT], Jacobs Engineering and Wackenhut to furnish...

Navy OA Report To Congress Shows Service Making Gains Across The Enterprise.
September 5, 2008... By Geoff Fein The Navy's third report to the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) on efforts to incorporate open architecture (OA) into contracts and programs shows the Navy has made strides in processes and practices,...

SAIC Posts Solid Second Quarter Despite Net Income Drop.(Financial report)
September 5, 2008... By Calvin Biesecker SAIC [SAI] on Wednesday posted solid second quarter results led by strong organic growth and record sales and a modest increase in income from continuing operations, which was hindered by non-recurring charges related...

Technical Issues Lead To Boeing Australia TUAV Contract Termination.
September 5, 2008... Technical problems and delays on a Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) system led to the Sept. 4 announcement that the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) and Boeing [BA] Australia agreed to terminate the contract. As part...

Foreign Military Sales Continue To Grow, With Afghanistan Atop The List of Buyers.
September 5, 2008... By Emelie Rutherford Afghanistan has topped all nations this year in purchases of U.S. weapon systems through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, a growing Pentagon operation brokering more sales than expected, a defense official...

New National Guard Lakota Helicopters Mission-Ready.
September 5, 2008... By Ann Roosevelt New UH-72A Lakota light utility helicopters (LUH) fielding to the Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida National Guard units are mission ready, according to officials. Mississippi and Lousiana each now have four LUHs and...

Pentagon Orders MRAPs and Test Versions of MRAP-Like Vehicles.
September 5, 2008... By Emelie Rutherford The Pentagon ordered $752 million worth of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs) from International Military and Government (IMG) yesterday, and tapped two other MRAP builders to create test versions lighter...

Defense Watch.(Company overview)
September 8, 2008... The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense On Your Marks. At least three weeks of frantic legislative activity begin this week, as lawmakers return from the August recess and try to wrap up the congressional...

House Panel Wants Industrial Base Impacts Weighed In Defense Programs.
September 8, 2008... By Emelie Rutherford House Appropriators want the Pentagon to consider how its acquisition programs impact the domestic industrial base, and are calling on defense officials to explain how such workforce considerations factor into the...

Obama More Nuanced On 'Buy America' Than McCain.
September 8, 2008... By Emelie Rutherford While Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has made clear his disdain for "Buy America" provisions limiting foreign content of defense systems, Democratic hopeful Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.)...

Configuration Steering Boards Aim To Keep DoD Development Programs On Cost, Schedule.
September 8, 2008... By Marina Malenic The armed services are heeding a call from the Office of the Secretary of Defense to institute specialized oversight boards for each major weapons program in development to keep program managers from making unnecessary...

Lockheed Martin Canada Wins $2 Billion Contract For Halifax Mod Effort.
September 9, 2008... By Geoff Fein A Lockheed Martin [LMT] Canada industry team was awarded a $2 billion contract from the Canadian government to design and build the combat system for that nation's 12 Halifax-class frigates. Lockheed Martin beat out...

CBP Uses Predator In Gustav Response And Recovery.
September 9, 2008... As part of the Department of Homeland Security's response to Hurricane Gustav, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) last week flew one of its Predator B Unmanned Aircraft Systems around the New Orleans area over a three-day period to provide...

New FCS Kit Aids Leader Capability, Army Officers Say.
September 9, 2008... By Ann Roosevelt The first hard look at Future Combat Systems (FCS) Spin Out 1 equipment appears to offer soldiers the future tools that would improve situational awareness helping leaders make better decisions leading to more effective...

Raytheon Conducts Second Successful SM-6 Test This Summer.
September 9, 2008... The Navy conducted the second test of Raytheon [RTN] Standard Missile-6 extended range anti-air warfare missile last week, the company reported. Just as in the first SM-6 test on June 24, the SM-6 with the newly developed active seeker...

Herley Reviewing Strategic Alternatives.(Herley Industries Inc.)(Jefferies Quarterdeck)(Brief article)
September 9, 2008... Herley Industries [HRLY] last week said that it has hired the investment banking services provider Jefferies Quarterdeck to assist the company in exploring its strategic alternatives, which typically refers to a company putting itself up for...

GeoEye Satellite Launched From Vandenberg On Delta II.
September 9, 2008... A new GeoEye [GEOY] satellite, GeoEye-1, on Saturday launched successfully on a Delta II rocket from United Launch Alliance, Boeing [BA] and GeoEye announced. Liftoff occurred from launch pad SLC-2W at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. The ULA...

LHTEC To Provide Engines For Turkish ATAK Helicopters.
September 9, 2008... The Turkish Army recently said that it has selected the AgustaWestland T129 helicopter, powered by two Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company (LHTEC) CTS800-4A engines, as part of the Tactical Reconnaissance and Attack Helicopter (ATAK)...

Defense Authorization On Tap In Senate, HAC Markup Postponed.
September 9, 2008... By Emelie Rutherford The Senate could take up the Pentagon policy bill as soon as this morning, after an expected vote last night to end a Republican blockade of considering the legislation that emerged from committee in April. ...

Space Tracking and Surveillance System Satellites Complete Acoustic Tests.
September 9, 2008... Two Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) demonstration satellites being built by prime contractor Northrop Grumman [NOC] for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) completed acoustic testing. The satellites, tested in their launch...

Boeing, Industry Team Begin ABL Firing.
September 9, 2008... Boeing [BA], industry teammates and the Missile Defense Agency yesterday announced achieving a major milestone in Airborne Laser (ABL) development, firing a high-energy chemical laser onboard the ABL aircraft for the first time during ground...

Army Moves Ahead With Mobile Laser Weapon System Demonstrator.
September 10, 2008... By Ann Roosevelt Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) is moving forward toward a mobile speed-of-light laser weapon system that could, late in the next decade, potentially become part of the Army's battlefield systems. The...

U.K. MoD Completes Sales of QinetiQ Shares.
September 10, 2008... Britain's Ministry of Defence (MoD) yesterday said that it has completed the sale of its shares in QinetiQ, the privatized former in-house laboratories of the MoD. The MoD's remaining stake in QinetiQ was nearly 19 percent of the...

Boeing Closes Insitu Acquisition.
September 10, 2008... Boeing [BA] yesterday said it has completed its acquisition of unmanned air system (UAS) developer and manufacturer Insitu, Inc., giving it a stronger position in the low-cost UAS market. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Insitu will...

Chertoff Says TSA's Secure Flight Program Ready For Rollout.(Michael Chertoff)(Transportation Security Administration)
September 10, 2008... By Calvin Biesecker A Department of Homeland Security program aimed at improving how airline passengers are pre-screened against a terrorist watchlist has been certified by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff that it meets...

Kuwait, India Order Missiles; Finland Wants Updates For F-18 Fleet.
September 10, 2008... Kuwait wants to buy 120 Raytheon [RTN] AIM-120-C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and India has requested 20 Boeing [BA] AGM-84L Harpoon Block II missiles, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said yesterday....

Israel Requests $241 Million In Patriot Upgrades, SDBs And LAAWs.
September 10, 2008... Raytheon[ RTN], Boeing [BA], and Talley Defense would benefit from three separate potential Foreign Military Sales to Israel of Patriot Missile Fire Unit Upgrades, GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs, and M72A7 Light Anti-Armor Weapons (LAAWs). ...

Airborne Laser Enters New, Longer-Duration Testing.
September 10, 2008... By Dave Ahearn Airborne Laser (ABL) last night began more tests of longer duration, according to Boeing [BA], Northrop Grumman [NOC] and Lockheed Martin [LMT] officials. While "first light" testing of the airborne missile defense...

Pentagon Proposes $390 Million Jordanian Border Security Program.
September 10, 2008... The Defense Department yesterday notified Congress of a potential $390 million Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Jordan of Increment 2 of the Border Security Program which is being managed by DRS Technologies [DRS]. The Pentagon said that...

Pentagon Passes 'Complex and Emotional' Tanker Controversy To Next Administration.
September 11, 2008... By Marina Malenic The Defense Department has terminated a $35 billion competition for a contract to produce the next generation Air Force refueling aircraft, leaving the next administration to grapple with what has become a highly...

Northrop Grumman's Hill Backers Slam Tanker Cancellation.
September 11, 2008... By Emelie Rutherford Congressional backers of Northrop Grumman's [NOC] aerial refueling tanker bid decried news that the Pentagon is terminating the current KC-X solicitation, charging politics factored too much into the decision. ...

Senate Defense Appropriators Want More Shipbuilding Funds, Third DDG-1000.
September 11, 2008... By Emelie Rutherford The Senate Appropriations Defense subcommittee (SAC-D) included funds yesterday in its marked-up bill for a third DDG-1000 destroyer for the Navy in fiscal year 2009, ensuring the battle over continuing the ship...

CBP Warns That SBInet Funds Will Dry Up Without FY '09 Appropriations.
September 11, 2008... By Calvin Biesecker Spending on the virtual fence component of the Secure Border Initiative (SBI) will run out in late October if Congress doesn't approve an FY '09 appropriations bill for Homeland Security by then, Jayson Ahern, deputy...

Army Working Toward Timely, Accountable, Acquisition Process, Official Says.
September 11, 2008... By Ann Roosevelt The Army's acquisition process needs to change from a cumbersome process to one that is more responsive to service needs, according to a top official. "The question is how do you build an acquisition process that...

Saudi Arabia Wants $598 Million Apache Helicopters.
September 11, 2008... Boeing [BA], General Electric [GE] and Lockheed Martin [LMT] would benefit as prime contractors from a proposed $598 million sale to Saudi Arabia of AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters and associated equipment and services. The Defense...

Northrop Grumman To Acquire Geospatial Solutions Provider.
September 11, 2008... Northrop Grumman [NOC] yesterday said it has agreed to acquire 3001 International, Inc., a provider of geospatial data solutions for domestic and international government intelligence, defense and civilian customers. Terms of the deal...

Egypt Wants UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters, TOWs and 120mm HE-T.
September 11, 2008... Egypt wants to buy more than $560 million in United Technologies [UTX] General Electric [GE] UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, Raytheon's [RTN] TOW 2A anti-armor guided missiles and General Dynamics [GD] 120mm high explosive with tracer (HE-T)...

NNSA Completes New HEU Storage Facility At Y-12.
September 11, 2008... In a project that addresses one of the Energy Department's biggest security concerns, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) said Tuesday that it has completed construction a new storage facility for highly enriched uranium at...

Navy Awards Northrop Grumman $5 Billion For CVN-78 Construction.
September 11, 2008... The Navy yesterday awarded Northrop Grumman [NOC] Shipbuilding Newport News a $5.1 billion contract to build the next-generation aircraft carrier CVN- 78, the Gerald R. Ford. Under this contract, Northrop Grumman will complete the detail...

UAE May Buy $9 Billion In U.S. Military Wares.
September 11, 2008... The United Arab Emirates (UAE) may buy roughly $9 billion of U.S. military wares, including $8.25 billion of missile and missile/air defense systems and $774 million worth of Black Hawk helicopters. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency...

Air Force Wants Expedited Recertification of AEHF Satellite System.
September 12, 2008... By Marina Malenic The Air Force has asked the Defense Department to expedite the review process triggered by massive cost growth of the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite communications system so that the service may...

Raytheon Pitching Missile Defense Variant of DDG-1000.
September 12, 2008... By Dave Ahearn Raytheon [RTN] has a proposal on the table with the Navy to make the emergent Zumwalt-class DDG-1000 destroyers missile defense platforms, according to a company official. In an interview yesterday with sister...

EADS Tiger Helicopter Has Successful Firing Campaign With Spike Missile.
September 12, 2008... The European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co.'s (EADS) Eurocopter unit said yesterday it had successfully completing a firing campaign using the Spike air-to-ground missle as part of the development of the HAD (support and destruction...

Australian DSTO Conducts New Radar Detection Experiment.
September 12, 2008... The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) this week is conducting an international experiment in Sydney to develop technology for detecting new generation radar systems. The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel Warren...

Business Opportunities Exist In Navy's OA Approach, If Companies Do Their Homework.(dialogue with Robert Carey)(open architecture)(Interview)
September 12, 2008... By Geoff Fein As the Navy moves toward open architecture (OA) systems, companies shouldn't worry they will be closed out of opportunities, according to a top Navy official. "There are always opportunities for companies. That's the...

Sypherlink Developing Ways To Share Data Across Hastily Formed Networks.(United States. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command)
September 12, 2008... By Geoff Fein The Space and Naval Warfare Systems (SPAWAR) in San Diego recently signed a three-year Cooperative Research Agreement (CRADA) with Ohio-based Sypherlink to find ways to rapidly share information across hastily formed secure...

Progress On Defense Authorization Bill In Senate Slow, X-Band Amendment Passes.
September 12, 2008... By Emelie Rutherford The Senate appears to have missed the majority leader's goal of passing the fiscal year 2009 defense authorization bill this week, with debate stalled yesterday after scant action Wednesday, when just a handful of...

Defense Watch.
September 15, 2008... The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense Nine For Fighting. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) last Friday filed for cloture to end gridlock on debating the defense authorization bill, which was held up...

Commission Wants Revamped Air Force Space Command To Take Over Nuclear Enterprise.
September 15, 2008... By Marina Malenic The Air Force should reconsolidate responsibilities for nuclear weapons management under a single command and re-energize interest in the nuclear career field, according to a review panel appointed by Defense Secretary...

New SATCOM Terminals Will Improve Navy's Ability To Perform Missions, Quality of Life.
September 15, 2008... By Geoff Fein In the coming year, the Navy is planning to outfit its surface fleet with the latest in commercial satellite communications (SATCOM) terminals to increase the amount of data transferred to ships at sea, according to a...

SAC-D Gives Money To Restart DDG-51 Line; Taylor Prods Navy On DDG-1000 Production Problems.(Gene Taylor)
September 15, 2008... By Emelie Rutherford While the Navy snagged support from a key Senate panel last week for its new plan to build one more DDG-1000 destroyer before restarting production of the older DDG-51s, a DDG-1000 critic in the House continues to...

Lockheed Martin Sees Annual Doubling In Rate of JSF As Optimal For Cost Saving.
September 15, 2008... By Marina Malenic Lockheed Martin [LMT] would like to see an annual doubling in the production rate of its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter until full-rate production is reached, according to the company's top executive on the program. ...

New Tanker Contract Could Be Up To Four Years Away, Air Force Chief Says.
September 16, 2008... By Marina Malenic A new contract to build the Air Force's next generation aerial refueling aircraft fleet could take up to four years to finalize, service Chief of Staff Norton Schwartz said yesterday. Following a bitterly contested...

Senate, House Defense Appropriations Panels Clash On Troubled Aircraft Efforts.
September 16, 2008... By Emelie Rutherford Senate defense appropriators have staked out different stances than their House counterparts on troubled aircraft efforts, including calling for greater funding reductions to the presidential helicopter and Armed...

General Dynamics UK Showcases Capabilities At U.K. Army Urgent Requirements Demo.
September 16, 2008... General Dynamics [GD] UK displays the latest rapid improvements it can deliver to soldiers in response to the urgent operational requirements (UOR) of British forces at a British Army demonstration Sept. 17-18. "General Dynamics UK has a...

U.S. Helicopters For Canada Reflects Partnership, Interoperability Goals, Officials Say.
September 16, 2008... By Ann Roosevelt Canadian Forces will receive six U.S. Chinook helicopters, an essential capability supporting their Afghanistan operations, while the U.S. Army supports a coalition partner and interoperability under a Letter of Offer...

New, Lightweight General Dynamics Land Warrior For 5/2.
September 16, 2008... General Dynamics' [GD] C4 Systems last week announced it was awarded a $70 million contract to equip the 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division Stryker Brigade Combat Team (5/2 SBCT) with a new, lighter-weight version of the Land Warrior...

Global Hawk Provides Imagery In Ike's Aftermath, Potential Future For Hurricane Tracking.
September 16, 2008... By Geoff Fein In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Ike, the Navy flew one of its two Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration (GHMD) platforms to take pictures of damaged areas and search for survivors, a Northrop Grumman [NOC] official...

DDG-1000 Lacks Ability To 'Talk' With SM-2, Can't Do Air Defense Mission, Official Says.(Barry McCullough)
September 17, 2008... By Geoff Fein While DDG-1000 can carry and shoot off the Standard Missile-2 (SM), it can't, as currently configured, communicate with the SM once it is fired, according to a top Navy official. The inability of DDG-1000 to "talk" with...

Air Force Announces UAV Pilot Training Plan To Begin Meeting 'Insatiable' Demand.(Conference news)
September 17, 2008... By Marina Malenic The Air Force plans to create a new career field for pilots of unmanned aircraft but will take immediate steps to kick-start the new program by diverting some conventional pilots to the effort, a top service official...

iRobot Acquires UUV-Maker Nekton Research LLC.
September 17, 2008... iRobot (IRBT) Sept. 8 acquired Nekton Research LLC, an unmanned underwater robot and technology company based in Raleigh-Durham, N.C. Nekton has been instrumental in shaping the underwater marketplace during the past six years by...

Lockheed Martin UK Highlights Equipment At British Army Demo.
September 17, 2008... Lockheed Martin UK will highlight equipment provided to the British Army through Urgent Operational Requirements (UOR) at the MoD's UOR demonstration Sept.17-18. Through the UOR process, Lockheed Martin successfully delivered a number...

House Panel Dubious About Reprogramming Pakistani Funds To Bolster F-16s.
September 17, 2008... By Emelie Rutherford Members of a House subcommittee raised serious doubts yesterday about Pakistan's request to rejigger some of its U.S. aid to beef up its F-16 fighter jets, and the panel's head suggested objecting to the money shift....

Air Force, Navy Sign MoA To Streamline Global Hawk Acquisition Process.
September 17, 2008... Navy and Air Force Global Hawk-based unmanned aircraft system (UAS) program officials have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to streamline their joint acquisition processes, according to the Navy. The MoA, signed Aug. 28, strengthens the...