Defense Daily International articles from February 2007

Defense Daily International archives from February 2007

To Stay Globally-Competitive European Defense Industry Needs 'Radical' Change, Solana Says.
February 2, 2007... Major change is needed for the European defense industry to remain competitive on a global basis, the head of the European Defence Agency said. Javier Solana laid out figures saying it is "unlikely that we can sustain a...

Norway Becomes Sixth Partner Nation To Sign F-35 Follow-On Agreement.
February 2, 2007... By Michael Sirak Norway has signed the agreement that will govern the next phases of the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter program, becoming the sixth of the eight nations building the jet with the United States to codify the agreement...

BAE SYSTEMS Moves Forward On Swedish Artillery Program.(Swedish Defence Materiel Administration)(Brief article)
February 2, 2007... BAE SYSTEMS has received an approximately $14.3 million contract from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration for the next phase of the Archer artillery gun system program. The contract includes the next step in the development of the...

Germany Selects GD Antennas and Radio Equipment For Military SATCOM Program.(General Dynamics C4 Systems)
February 2, 2007... General Dynamics' [GD] C4 Systems unit has been selected by ND SatCom Defence GmbH of Friedrichshafen, Germany, to supply strategic and tactical antennas and radio support equipment to the German Armed Forces SATCOMBw Step 2 Program. ...

MDA Leader: China Can't Kill Systems By Shooting Down U.S. Satellites.
February 2, 2007... By Dave Ahearn China can't blind U.S. military forces communications or the U.S. ballistic missile defense (BMD) system by shooting down American satellites, Army Brig. Gen. Patrick O'Reilly, deputy director of the Missile Defense Agency...

Turkey Signs MoU For Future JSF Cooperation.(Joint Strike Fighter )
February 2, 2007... Turkey has signed on for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II program. Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and the Turkish Minister of National Defense Vecdi Gonul Jan. 26 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for...

Russia Has Nothing To Fear From European BMD: Obering.
February 2, 2007... By Dave Ahearn Russia wields hundreds of high-speed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and therefore has nothing to fear from the United States placing a mere 10 ballistic missile interceptors in Europe, the head of the U.S....

Chinese ASAT Test Worrisome, But No Seminal Event, Says Senior Air Force General.(Air Combat Command)
February 2, 2007... By Michael Sirak LANGLEY AFB, VA.--China's recent test of an anti-satellite missile is worrisome in highlighting the vulnerabilities of U.S. space-based assets, but is not a paradigm-shifting event that will usher in an abrupt change in...

F-22 Squadron Excited About First Overseas Stint, Says Unit's Commander.(F-22 Raptor )
February 2, 2007... By Michael Sirak LANGLEY AFB, VA.--The pilot in charge of the Air Force's first combat- ready F-22 Raptor stealth fighter squadron said the unit is eager to begin its inaugural overseas deployment to support the U.S. military's security...

AeroVironment Completes Aqua Puma Sea UAS Trials For Australian Navy.
February 9, 2007... AeroVironment [AVAV], successfully completed sea trials of its Aqua Puma unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to explore adding a UAS capability to the RAN's new Armidale-class patrol boats, the company...

Canada Signs Contract For Four C-17s.
February 9, 2007... The Canadian government signed an agreement with Boeing [BA] recently for the purchase of four C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft, the company announced on Friday. "Boeing is pleased that Canada joins its international partners--the...

U.K. Releases BAE SYSTEMS From Undertakings For Marconi Electronic Merger.(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... BAE SYSTEMS has been released from most of the 17 statutory undertakings it gave March 28, 2000 to remedy competition and public interest concerns from its merger with General Electric's [GE] Marconi Electronic Systems business, the Minister...

Australia Seeking 24 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, Engines.
February 9, 2007... Australia is looking to spend upward of $3.1 billion for 24 Boeing [BA] F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, along with engines and additional equipment, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). Along with the Super Hornets,...

Boeing, Finmeccania Sign MoU For Next-Generation Chinook.(Boeing Co. and AgustaWestland to jointly work on next- generation Chinook helicopter)
February 9, 2007... Boeing [BA] and Finmeccanica's AgustaWestland on Tuesday announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for joint work on the next- generation Chinook helicopter for the Italian Army and other future rotorcraft opportunities....

Dutch Become First International Buyer For Boeing CH-47F.(Dutch Ministry of Defense. Defence Materiel Organization)
February 16, 2007... Boeing [BA] yesterday signed a direct commercial sales agreement with the Defence Materiel Organization of the Dutch Ministry of Defense for six new-build CH-47F (NL) Chinook helicopters. The agreement, which marks the first international...

Belgium Becomes Fifth Foreign Buyer of Lockheed Martin's Sniper Targeting Pod.
February 16, 2007... By Michael Sirak Belgium has signed a contract with Lockheed Martin [LMT] to purchase eight Sniper advanced targeting pods (ATP), becoming the fifth international customer of the system, the company announced recently. Terms of the...

Air Force Leadership: Chinese ASAT Test Marked Turning Point; Space No Longer Sanctuary.(chinese anti-satellite weapon testing)(Brief article)
February 16, 2007... By Michael Sirak ORLANDO, Fla.--Last month's test by China of an anti-satellite weapon marked "a turning point" in how the United States should view space, the Air Force's two top officials said last week. "The Chinese have sent the...

Arrow Aces Test, Israel Says.(Israel tests Arrow Weapon System)
February 16, 2007... The Arrow Weapon System recently passed another test, according to the Israeli Ministry of Defense. That test, the 15th for the interceptor, the 10th for the complete weapon system, is part of the Arrow System Improvement Program, ASIP,...

U.K. Backs Aerospace Technology Development.(U.K. invests in Aerospace Technology Development and CFMS Core Programme)
February 16, 2007... The U.K. is investing in an approximately $34 million project to provide computer technology to bring the next generation of aircraft into production. The project, also expected to boost the U.K.'s car and boat industries, comes on top...

ITT, Thales Netherlands Partner To Get Smart S Band Mk II Radar On LCS.(Littoral Combat Ship)
February 16, 2007... By Geoff Fein ITT [ITT] is hoping its partnership with Thales Netherlands will help land the U.S. company 's Smart S Mk II radar atop the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). In January, ITT Gilfillan in Van Nuys, Calif., and Thales...

Oshkosh Truck To Provide Special Trucks For Egypt.
February 16, 2007... Oshkosh Truck Corporation [OSK] said this week it has received a $4.9 million contract from the Egyptian Ministry of Defense to provide 30 specially designed military trucks for its logistics and transport requirements. This is the first...

EADS Sells Stake In Embraer.
February 16, 2007... The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. (EADS) said this week it sold its 2.12 percent stake in Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer. Before taxes and bank fees, EADS generated total proceeds of about $163 million. After changes...

United Arab Emirates Selects Airbus A330 Tanker Over Boeing KC-767.
February 23, 2007... By Michael Sirak The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced this week it has chosen the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co.'s (EADS) Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker/Transport over Boeing's [BA] KC-767 Tanker to be its next-generation...

Coalition Air Forces Postured To Support Surge of Forces In Iraq, Says CENTAF Head.(U.S. Central Command Air Forces (CENTAF))
February 23, 2007... By Michael Sirak The Air Force and its coalition partners are well positioned to support the needs of commanders in Afghanistan and Iraq as the numbers of ground troops there swell under recent plans put forward by the White House, the...

Oshkosh Truck To Refurbish FHTV In Kuwait.(Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicle)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... Oshkosh Truck [OSK] recently announced it has been selected by the U.S. Army for Theater Provided Equipment Refurbishment (TPER) of the Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicle (FHTV) units under a four-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity...

BAE SYSTEMS Moves Into Second Phase of Mobile Communications Contract.
February 23, 2007... The Slovak Ministry of Defence (MoD) awarded BAE SYSTEMS a $30 million contract for the second phase of an interoperable mobile military communications system known as MOKYS, the company said recently. The work is to develop and deliver...

L-1 Completes Purchase of ComnetiX.(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... L-1 Identity Solutions [ID] recently completed its $17.8 million acquisition of Canada-based ComnetiX Inc., giving it a foothold in the Canadian biometric market and expanding its customer and geographic base for fingerprint services in the...