Defense Daily International articles from October 2003

Defense Daily International archives from October 2003

Poland Mulls Aviation Trainer Options.
October 3, 2003... By Sharon Weinberger With Poland's purchase of 48 new F-16 aircraft already in the works, the country's air force is now giving a closer to look to its plans to buy new trainers, although if costs prove prohibitive, the new NATO member may...

Air Force To Spend $1 Million To Study Air and Trade Show Feasibility.
October 3, 2003... The Air Force is budgeted to spend $1 million in FY '04 to study the feasibility of starting a new international air and trade show in the United States. The defense secretary will select where the show will be held and "that preference...

Finland Awards IAI Contract For Ranger UAV.(Israel Aircraft Industries, unmanned aerial vehicle)
October 3, 2003... Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Tuesday said its Malat division was awarded a contract to supply a second Ranger unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system to the Finnish Defense Forces (FDF). Finland signed a contract with the Ranger-producing...

Middle East Tops Asia Again For Arms Imports.(Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 1995-2002 report)
October 3, 2003... The Middle East has now displaced Asia as the world's number one arms buyer in the developing world, according to an annual government report released last week. The report, called Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations,...

SAIC Team To Lead NATO Missile Defense Study.(Science Applications International Corp.)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... A Science Applications International Corp.,-led team was selected over a team led by Lockheed Martin [LMT] to conduct a $17 million NATO Missile Defense Feasibility Study, the alliance said Friday. The 18-month study will examine options to...

Australia-Japan Sign Defense Exchange Memorandum.(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... The defense ministers of the Japan Defense Agency and the Australian Department of Defense signed a memorandum on defense exchange yesterday. The memorandum recognizes both nations' common strategic interests in the peace and stability of...

Raytheon's ESSM Passes Navy T&E, Ready For Full-rate Production.(Evolved SeaSparrow Missile)(Testing and Evaluation)
October 3, 2003... Raytheon [RTN] last week said its Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) was deemed "suitable and effective" by the Navy's Operational Testing and Evaluation Forces, paving the way for full-rate production scheduled for later this month. "The...

French Tap ThalesRaytheonSystems To Develop Next-Generation Radar.(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... ThalesRaytheonSystems, a joint venture between France's Thales and Raytheon [RTN], said yesterday it has signed an $81 million contract with the French defense procurement agency, Delegation Generale pour L'Armement (DGA), to develop a...

GD To Acquire Austrian Combat Vehicle Supplier; Expands European Presence.(General Dynamics Corp., Steyr Daimler Puch)
October 3, 2003... By Calvin Biesecker General Dynamics [GD] recently said it would acquire Austrian combat vehicle manufacturer Steyr Daimler Puch tomorrow in a deal that furthers the company's penetration into the European and international markets for...

Administration Officials Reject New 'Buy America' Compromise.
October 3, 2003... By Sharon Weinberger Administration officials this week rebuffed a compromise forged by Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz on the so-called "Buy America" restrictions, according to congressional sources. The newest draft...

No F-16s for Pakistan, Says FMS Head.(Foreign Military Sales program)
October 10, 2003... By Sharon Weinberger Although foreign military sales to Pakistan have picked up over the past year, the head of the Pentagon's foreign military sales (FMS) program said recently that there are still no plans to sell additional Lockheed...

Lockheed Martin To Provide $46 Million Forecast System To Romania.(hydrological forecasting)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2003... Lockheed Martin [LMT] has been picked to provide a hydrological forecast system to Romania as part of a $46 million program, "DEStructive WATers" (DESWAT), the company said yesterday. It will install as many as 600 hydrological sensor...

Three Countries Interested In SDB, Air Force Says.(Small Diameter Bomb)
October 10, 2003... By Lorenzo Cortes At least three countries have expressed interest in the Boeing [BA]250-pound Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), according to the the Air Force's program manager. According to Col. Jim McClendon, those countries have expressed...

F-16 Takes Second Shot at Czech Market.
October 10, 2003... By Sharon Weinberger In a bid to win the Czech Republic's new competition for upgraded fighters, the Defense Department last week notified Congress of its offer to sell the new NATO country 12 older model Lockheed Martin [LMT] F-16...

Brazil Meets Bidders To Discuss $700 Million F-X Program.
October 10, 2003... By Lorenzo Cortes The Brazilian air force said that the selection committee for the $700 million F-X fighter acquisition program met with the competing bidders last week to outline parameters for updated presentations from the competitors...

U.K. Firms Seek Cooperation Opportunity.
October 10, 2003... By Ann Roosevelt The United Kingdom wants a "level playing field" for its defense industry in the United States, which would benefit both nations, the head of the U.K's defence export services, is expected to tell a press briefing today....

Malaysia Signs $70 Million Contract For 11 A109 LOHs.(Light Observation Helicopters)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2003... AgustaWestland, a joint venture between Britain's GKN and Italy's Finmeccanica, said last week that Malaysia had signed a contract worth $70 million for 11 A109 Light Observation Helicopters (LOH), a deal that include a technological package...

Army Considers Using MEADS Components On Patriot System.(MEADS International)
October 10, 2003... By Sharon Weinberger As the Pentagon prepares to integrate the military's two terminal missile defense systems into one weapon oversight program, Army officials are already holding discussions with officials at MEADS International on how...

LCS Could Replace Corvette-Type Ships in Foreign Navies, Lockheed Martin Team Says.(Littoral Combat Ship)
October 10, 2003... By Lorenzo Cortes Should the team led by Lockheed Martin [LMT] win the prime contract to produce the future Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) for the Navy, officials in the team see a market for over 50 ships in Navy service and the possibility...

Australian Submarine Corp. Awarded $3.5 Billion Collins-Class Sub Refit Deal.
October 17, 2003... Australia's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said yesterday it had awarded a 25-year, $3.5 billion contract to Australian Submarine Corp. (ASC) to execute the retrofit of Collins-class attack submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy. "The...

BAE SYSTEMS' APKWS Seeker Hit Bull's-eye In August Test.(Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... The North American branch of Britain's BAE SYSTEMS said recently the Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker (DASALS) it is designing for the Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS) program headed by General Dynamics [GD] guided a...

Singapore Picks F-15T, Rafale and Eurofighter For Fighter Replacement.
October 17, 2003... By Lorenzo Cortes Singapore recently chose the F-15T iteration of Boeing's [BA] F-15E fighter-bomber, the Rafale by France's Dassault Aviation and the Eurofighter Typhoon by the Eurofighter consortium for the final stage of that country's...

Elbit Lands First FLIR Contract For U.S. Commercial Air Transport.(forward looking infrared enhanced vision system)
October 17, 2003... By B.C. Kessner The U.S. EFW subsidiary of Israel's Elbit [ESLT] recently said its forward looking infrared (FLIR)-based Enhanced Vision System (EVS) will be the first of its type to be installed on large air transport class aircraft...

'EuroHawk' Makes German Landing, Prepares for ELINT Tests.(drone aircraft prepared for electronic intelligence testing)
October 17, 2003... By B.C. Kessner Northrop Grumman [NOC] recently said a Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured for its "EuroHawk" initiative landed in Germany after flying about 21 hours from Edwards AFB, Calif., in preparation for flight...

Raytheon Unit, IAI Seek To Supply Anti-Missile Systems On Commercial Planes.(Israel Aircraft Industries )
October 17, 2003... By Calvin Biesecker Raytheon [RTN] recently said its Electronic Warfare (EW) Systems unit is working with Israel Aircraft Industries to combine technologies for anti-missile warning and protection on commercial planes in the United States...

Elbit Seeking Growth In Domestic Munitions And UAV Markets.
October 24, 2003... By B.C. Kessner Israel's Elbit [ESLT], through its Fort Worth, Texas-based EFW subsidiary, is looking to expand its presence through new ventures into several U.S. defense market areas including munitions and unmanned aerial vehicles...

Gripen Team Opens Production Line For South African Buy.
October 24, 2003... The Gripen International team of Sweden's Saab and Britain's BAE SYSTEMS said this week it recently commissioned the production line in Sweden for the 28 Gripen multi-role fighters being produced for South Africa's air force. "The first...

AAI Corp. Teams With Giat Industries To Develop 105mm Gun For U.S.
October 24, 2003... By Ann Roosevelt AAI Corp. [UIC] said yesterday it is teaming with French land-weapon maker Giat Industries to produce a new, mobile, rugged and lightweight 105mm artillery gun for U.S. forces. AAI will develop, produce and market a...

Airbus Military Delivers A400M Quality Plan to OCCAR.(multi-national military transport aircraft program)(Joint Organization for Armaments Cooperation)
October 24, 2003... European aerospace consortium Airbus Military said last week it delivered the quality plan for the A400M multi-national military transport aircraft program to Europe's Joint Organization for Armaments Cooperation (OCCAR) authority on Aug. 29....

Navy Intends To Increase Contract Value With AgustaWestland On Egyptian H-3 Work.(Brief Article)
October 24, 2003... The Navy plans to increase the value of the indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract ceiling it has with AgustaWestland to $48.5 million to perform maintenance work on Egyptian air force H-3 Commando Mk 1 and Mk 2 helicopters,...

Romania Formally Accepts National Weather System Built By Lockheed Martin.(Brief Article)
October 24, 2003... Romania on Tuesday formally accepted a national weather system built by Lockheed Martin [LMT] in a ceremony in Bucharest, the company said. Earlier this month, Romania said that it had picked Lockheed Martin to provide a hydrological...

Defense Brief.(Brief Article)
October 24, 2003... General Dynamics [GD] said yesterday its Electric Boat group was awarded a $23 million contract modification by Britain to provide design assistance in the development and eventual production of the Astute-class nuclear attack submarine. Ninety...

Export Exemption For U.K., Australia A Year Away.(the United States may be near providing the United Kingdom and Australia with a broad exemption to its arms export regulations)
October 31, 2003... By Sharon Weinberger After almost three years of negotiations, the United States may finally be moving into the last stages needed to provide the United Kingdom and Australia with a broad exemption to U.S. arms export regulations, although...

European Commission Notifies Bush of `Buy America' Concerns.(European Commission President Romano Prodi is concerned about proposed US legislation)(Brief Article)
October 31, 2003... European Commission (EC) President Romano Prodi last week told President Bush of continued "strong concerns" over legislation pending in Congress that threatens to further limit foreign participation on key U.S. defense programs and eliminate...

New Zealand Accepts General Dynamics' Light Armored Vehicle.(Brief Article)
October 31, 2003... New Zealand last week officially accepted the wheeled, light armored vehicle (NZLAV) by General Dynamics Canada, [GD] and delivered under a $241 million contract. General Dynamics Canada will supply 105 NZLAVs to replace the army's fleet...

Raytheon Initiates Production Run For ASPIS II Suites For Greece.(Raytheon receives a $64.6 million initial payment from Greece's Ministry of Defense)(Brief Article)
October 31, 2003... Raytheon [RTN] said yesterday it had received an initial payment of $64.6 million from Greece's Ministry of Defense to begin the production run of the Advanced Self-Protection Integrated Suite II (ASPIS II) electronic warfare suites for...

Canada To Buy Mobile Gun Systems.(from General Dynamics Land Systems Canada)
October 31, 2003... Canada plans to spend more than $380 million to buy mobile gun systems, likely to be built by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada [GD]. "The acquisition of a mobile gun system is an important project that will take Canada's Army further...

ITT Industries Wins Night Vision Contracts From Canada, United Kingdom.
October 31, 2003... ITT Industries' [ITT] Night Vision division said it recently received contracts from the Canadian Army and the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense for night vision devices. The Roanoke, Va.-based firm last month won the Canadian Army's...