Defense Daily International articles from December 2006

Defense Daily International archives from December 2006

Hunter To Hold Line On Buy America, Block EADS Bid To Make Tankers.(Duncan Hunter, European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co.)
December 1, 2006... By Jen DiMascio In his new roles as ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee and presidential candidate, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) intends to "hold the skirmish line" on provisions that boost manufacturing in the United...

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

Hunter Seeks Rise In Defense Spending; Procurement Must Counter China.
December 1, 2006... By Dave Ahearn Total U.S. defense spending should rise by roughly one-fourth, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said recently. Hunter, who is also mulling a White House run, also said that...

F-35 Partner Nations On Track to Sign New MOU, Says JSF Program Office.
December 1, 2006... By Michael Sirak Having recently secured the Dutch signature to the agreement that will govern the next phases of the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter program, the U.S.-led office overseeing its activities says it remains confident that...

Defense industry cheers Senate passage of U.S.-India nuclear bill.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... By Jen DiMascio Business groups are hailing the Senate's passage of a bill late last monthto draw U.S. and Indian nuclear interests closer together. Lawmakers still must create and approve a conference report on the bill before the end...

Action Aviation Appointed New MDHI Distributor.(MD Helicopters Inc.)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... MD Helicopters recently announced the appointment of Action Aviation as distributor for several regions, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Indian Sub Continent and Scandinavia. Action Aviation, principally working through its...

RAFAEL's SkyLite B Excels Down Under With Navy Eyes-On.(unmanned aerial vehicle)
December 1, 2006... By B.C. Kessner TEL AVIV, Israel--The SkyLite B mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) built by Israel's RAFAEL flew with excellent results during flight demonstrations held in Australia and New Zealand in October that the U.S. Navy also...

EADS Begins Delivering AWACS Aircraft Under $1.32 Billion NATO Deal.(European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co.)(North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
December 1, 2006... European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. has begun delivering Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft to NATO under a $1.32 billion contract, the company announced. The mid-term modernization production and retrofit program...

NATO, SAIC, Sign Contract For Theater Missile Defense Test Bed.
December 1, 2006... By Ann Roosevelt After two months of negotiation, officials from NATO and SAIC [SAI] yesterday signed a six-year, approximately $100 million contract that puts the Alliance on the path to a ballistic missile protection system by the end...

Boeing Wins $1.6 Billion Contract To Build Four 737 AEW&C Aircraft For South Korea.
December 1, 2006... By Michael Sirak Boeing [BA] announced on Monday that it has signed a $1.59 billion contract to provide South Korea by early next decade with four airborne early warning and control aircraft (AEW&C) that are based on a militarized version...

Canada Undertaking Significant S&T Efforts Including Release of A New Strategy.(science and technology, Rick Williams)(Interview)
December 1, 2006... By Geoff Fein Canada's military is pursuing a number of science and technology efforts ranging from the development of a single class of surface combatants for its navy to moving the army away from tracked vehicles, a top military...

Finmeccanica Company To Provide MB-339 Aircraft To Malaysia.(Alenia Aermacchi)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Alenia Aermacchi, a company of Italy's Finmeccanica recently said it has signed a contract with the Malaysian Defence Ministry for the supply of eight MB-339 CM trainer aircraft and related services and equipment worth about $116 million....

Elbit's Elop Selected By Samsung-Thales For Korean Tank Sensors.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Israel's Elbit Systems [ESLT] Tuesday said that its Elop subsidiary was selected by Samsung-Thales to supply thermal imaging kits for the Gunner Periscope Sights of the Korean K1A1 tank in a deal worth about $19 million. "This latest...

AIA To Lead Trade Mission To India.
December 8, 2006... By Jen DiMascio An Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) delegation has left for a trade mission to India, hoping to position American companies to compete on a level playing field for contracting opportunities as India modernizes its...

MDA Plans To Tap Boeing For European GBI Complex Work.(Missile Defense Agency)
December 8, 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 8, 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...

Tadiran Awarded $23.6 Million For IDF Radio Modules.(Tadiran Communications Ltd., Israel Defense Forces, Elbit Systems Ltd.)(Brief article)
December 8, 2006... Israel's Tadiran Communications recently said it received an order from Elbit Systems [ESLT] worth $23.6 million for the development and supply of certain modules and assemblies of the advanced tactical high-speed data radio for the Israel...

Romania Negotiating For C-27J Transports.
December 8, 2006... Italy's Finmeccanica recently 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...

Northrop Grumman Creates U.K. Company.(Northrop Grumman UK Ltd.)
December 8, 2006... Northrop Grumman [NOC] recently 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...

IAI New Name, Training System Unveiled At I/ITSEC.
December 8, 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...

U.S. Aerospace Exports Soar 25 Percent In '06; Export Control Change Sought.
December 8, 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.(Robin Hayes, Department of Homeland Security)
December 8, 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...

Rockwell Collins To Upgrade U.K. Army Aviation Command And Tactics Trainer.
December 8, 2006... Rockwell Collins [COL] has been awarded the $4.75 million fifth phase of the Mission Command Trainer (MCT) upgrade of the United Kingdom's Army Aviation Command and Tactics Trainer (ACTT). Rockwell Collins is the prime contractor for...

French DGA Successfully Fires Lockheed Martin Hellfire II Missile.
December 8, 2006... Lockheed Martin [LMT] recently announced the successful firing of the combat-proven HELLFIRE II air-to-ground missile by France's Delegation Generale pour l'Armement (DGA) in Australia. The first-time gunner, a French pilot, had a...

Elbit's Elop Wins German Laser Designator And Thermal Imager Contract.
December 8, 2006... Israel's Elbit Systems [ESLT] recently said its Elop subsidiary was awarded a contract worth about $5 million to supply Portable Lightweight Designator/ Rangefinders (PLDR) and the Coral thermal imager to the German Armed Forces. "This...

IAF Poised To Regain True AEW Capability.(Israel Air Force, airborne early warning)
December 15, 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 15, 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.(Joint Strike Fighter )
December 15, 2006... By Dave Ahearn Canada recently 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...

U.S. To Give JSF Technology To U.K.; Brits Don't Guarantee To Buy Planes.(Joint Strike Fighter )
December 15, 2006... By Dave Ahearn U.S. and U.K. leaders this week 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. ...

IAF SIGINT Bird Earns War Wings.(Israel Air Force, signals intelligence aircraft)
December 15, 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...

Aerospace Sales, Trade Balance, Jobs Increase in 2006, AIA Says.
December 15, 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...

German Parliament Approves Armor Vehicle Procurement.
December 15, 2006... Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) Wednesday 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...

U.S., Australian Connect Experimentation Networks.(Joint Forces Command, Australia's Defence Training and Experimentation Network )
December 22, 2006... U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) can now connect its Joint Training and Experimentation Network (JTEN) to Australia's Defence Training and Experimentation Network (DTEN). The U.S. Defense Information Systems Network Security...

KMW, Rheinmetall Contract For German Army Command & Control System.
December 22, 2006... Representatives of the German Federal Office for Information Management and Information Technology of the Federal Armed Forces (IT-AmtBw) and FuInfoSys Heer, a joint venture comprised of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall Landsysteme,...

U.S. VISIT Exit Implementation Faces Delays, GAO Says.(Government Accountability Office )(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... The Government Accountability Office (GAO), citing officials within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), says the exit procedures of the U.S. VISIT program, a key effort in determining the whereabouts of select foreign nationals who...

New Civitas Report Sees Continued Growth In Homeland Security Markets.
December 22, 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...

KMW Acquires Defense Division of Blohm + Voss.(Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH und Company KG)
December 22, 2006... Germany's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) has acquired the defense division of Blohm + Voss and has thereby decisively strengthened its key position on the military land systems market, the company said. Frank Haun, chairman of the KMW Board...

Israel's RAFAEL Hopes New Naval IRST System Lands On LCS And Abroad.
December 22, 2006... By B.C. Kessner TEL AVIV, Israel--An executive from RAFAEL last week said the company hopes its recently unveiled infrared staring (IRST) naval protection system catches the eye of program officials for the Israel navy's notional...

CBP Chief Wants Total Container Security Device.(Ralph Basham of Customs and Border Protection)
December 22, 2006... By Calvin Biesecker Diverging from his predecessor, the head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says any device developed to monitor the security of a shipping container must be able to detect unauthorized intrusions anywhere on...

BAE To Supply Howitzer Parts For Egypt.(BAE SYSTEMS )(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... BAE SYSTEMS has been awarded a $16.3 million contract modification from the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command to provide spare parts for M109A5 self-propelled howitzers for the Egyptian Land Forces. The contract, originally...