Pictures of The Day

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract To Boeing Ten C-17 Transport Aircrafts For Indian Air Force

2012-02-02T22:14:00.002-05:00

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract To Boeing Ten C-17 Transport Aircrafts For Indian Air Force

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 2, 2012: The Boeing Co., Long Beach, Calif., is being awarded a $1,781,413,723 firm-fixed-price contract for a modification is a Foreign Military Sales requirement for the Indian Air Force.

Ten C-17 aircraft will be procured for the IAF. The location of the performance is Long Beach, Calif.

Work is expected to be completed by Jul. 28, 2014. ASC/WLMK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8614-06-D-2006, DO 0009).

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-defense-news-us-dod-awarded_962.html

DTN News - SINGAPORE DEFENSE NEWS: Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Steps Up Deterrent Capabilities

2012-02-02T16:10:00.000-05:00

DTN News - SINGAPORE DEFENSE NEWS: Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Steps Up Deterrent Capabilities

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 2, 2012: This month's Singapore air show falls on the 70th anniversary of the fall of Singapore to Japan in the Second World War. While Asia is an unimaginably different place now, Singapore's leaders have never forgotten the speed with which Singapore fell - or the three years of brutal occupation that followed.

Memories of the war have played no small part in the development of Singapore's world-class military, backed with what is unquestionably southeast Asia's most powerful air force. While Singapore will never have the strategic depth of a larger nation, its advanced military will create a "poison shrimp" dynamic to give any aggressor pause.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is unique in southeast Asia. Apart from being the region's largest, it is also the best trained, led, and equipped. It places a high priority on maintaining its equipment to ensure both readiness and safety. While political concerns are inevitably a part of acquisition decisions, it chooses aircraft and weapons systems based mainly on their utility in combat - something that is not always the primary consideration in other countries.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-singapore-defense-news.html

DTN News - PAKISTAN TALIBAN CONNECTION: Taliban Vows To Retake Afghanistan - Report

2012-02-02T05:58:00.002-05:00

DTN News - PAKISTAN TALIBAN CONNECTION: Taliban Vows To Retake Afghanistan - Report

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada / KABUL, Afghanistan- February 2, 2012: The Taliban, backed by Pakistan, remains confident despite a decade of NATO efforts that it will retake control of Afghanistan, NATO said in a new classified report that raises more questions about Afghanistan's future as foreign forces withdraw.

"Taliban commanders, along with rank and file members, increasingly believe their control of Afghanistan is inevitable. Though the Taliban suffered severely in 2011, its strength, motivation, funding and tactical proficiency remains intact," according to an excerpt of the report, published by the Times of London and the BBC.

"While they are weary of war, they see little hope for a negotiated peace. Despite numerous tactical setbacks, surrender is far from their collective mindset. For the moment, they believe that continuing the fight and expanding Taliban governance are their only viable courses of action," the published excerpts said.

Lieutenant Colonel Jimmie Cummings, a spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, confirmed the existence of the document, but military officials downplayed it as a depiction of the views of thousands of Taliban detainees who were interviewed by NATO officials.

"The classified document in question is a compilation of Taliban detainee opinions," Cummings said. "It's not an analysis, nor is it meant to be considered an analysis."

Still, the published excerpts paint a troubling picture of the Afghan war more than 10 years after the Taliban government was toppled, and as foreign forces begin to go home in earnest.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Wednesday the United States was aiming to complete its combat role in Afghanistan by mid- to late 2013, shifting to a training role.

The report's findings - including assertions that the Taliban had not formally split from international extremists - could also reinforce the view of Taliban hard-liners that they should not negotiate with the United States and President Hamid Karzai's unpopular government while in a position of strength.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-pakistan-taliban-connection.html

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract To Northrop Grumman Amounting $157,942,000 For E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aircrafts

2012-02-02T00:34:00.000-05:00

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract To Northrop Grumman Amounting $157,942,000 For E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aircrafts

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 1, 2012: Northrop Grumman Corp., Integrated Systems, Bethpage, N.Y., is being awarded a not-to-exceed $157,942,000 advance acquisition contract for long lead material and related support for the full rate production of five E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft (Lot 1).

Work will be performed in Syracuse, N.Y. (32.6 percent); Bethpage, N.Y. (15.5 percent); Dallas, Texas (12.4 percent); Menlo Park, Calif. (9.8 percent); Woodland Hills, Calif. (6 percent); and various locations within the United States (23.7 percent).

The work is expected to be completed in March 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-12-C-0063).

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-defense-news-us-dod-awarded_02.html

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Boeing Begins Production Of F/A-18E/F Distributed Targeting System

2012-02-01T16:40:00.000-05:00

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Boeing Begins Production Of F/A-18E/F Distributed Targeting System

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada / ST. LOUIS, - February 1, 2012: Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that it has started production of the new Distributed Targeting System (DTS) for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter.

DTS provides enhanced targeting capability for the Super Hornet. It is part of the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18E/F Network Centric Warfare Upgrades program and the F/A-18E/F Flight Plan, which will ensure that the Super Hornet remains ahead of emerging threats in coming decades.

The Navy granted approval for Low Rate Initial Production of DTS following successful completion of initial operational assessment flight testing at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Calif., and NavalAir Station Patuxent River, Md., between September 2010 and March 2011. Air Test and Evaluation Squadrons VX-31 and VX-23 conducted the tests.

“Distributed targeting is going to be a real game-changer for Super Hornet aircrews,” said Kevin Fogarty, Boeing F/A-18 and EA-18G Mission Systems director. “DTS increases pilot and aircrew situational awareness and precision targeting when engaging air-to-ground targets, in part by using geo-registration technology.”

Geo-registration technology compares images taken from tactical sensors with an onboard imagerydatabase to produce highly accurate target coordinates.

DTS is on schedule to achieve Initial Operational Capability in January 2013.

The Boeing Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft, able to perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions. Boeing has delivered more than 480 F/A-18E/Fs to the U.S. Navy. Every Super Hornet produced has been delivered ahead of schedule and on budget.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-defense-news-boeing-begins.html

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract Amounting $62,956,540 Covering Logistics Support For C-130J To Lockheed Martin Corp

2012-02-01T06:15:00.003-05:00

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract Amounting $62,956,540 Covering Logistics Support For C-130J To Lockheed Martin Corp

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 1, 2012: Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga., is being awarded a $62,956,540 firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-award-fee, time-and-material, and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for sustaining services including logistics support, program management support, engineering services, repairs, spares and technical data in support of the C-130J unique systems.

The location of the performance is Marietta, Ga. Work is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2014.

WR-ALC/GRBKA, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity (FA8504-06-D-0001-P00020; Delivery order FA 8504-06-D-0001-0700).

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-defense-news-us-dod-awarded_01.html

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract Amounting $112,224,520 Covering Technical Support For C-130J To Rolls-Royce Corp

2012-02-01T06:12:00.002-05:00

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract Amounting $112,224,520 Covering Technical Support For C-130J To Rolls-Royce Corp

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 1, 2012: Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Ind., is being awarded a $112,224,520 firm-fixed-price, requirements type contract for covering sustaining services including logistics support, program management support, engineering services, spares and technical data in support of the C-130J propulsion systems which include the AE2100D3 engine and R-391 propeller system.

This modification is to exercise Option V (Year 6). The location of the performance is Indianapolis, Ind.

Work is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2013. WRALC/GRBKA, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity (FA8504-07-D-0001; Delivery Order 0600).

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-defense-news-us-dod-awarded.html

DTN News - PAKISTAN TALIBAN CONNECTION: Pakistan Is Helping Afghan Taliban, Says Nato Report

2012-01-31T21:48:00.002-05:00

DTN News - PAKISTAN TALIBAN CONNECTION: Pakistan Is Helping Afghan Taliban, Says Nato Report

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 31, 2012: The Taliban in Afghanistan are being directly assisted by Pakistani security services, according to a secret Nato report seen by the BBC.

The leaked report, derived from thousands of interrogations, claims the Taliban remain defiant and have wide support among the Afghan people.

It alleges that Pakistan knows the locations of senior Taliban leaders.

A BBC correspondent says the report is painful reading for international forces and the Afghan government.

Pakistan has strenuously denied any links with the Taliban on previous occasions.

"We have long been concerned about ties between elements of the ISI and some extremist networks," said US Pentagon spokesman Captain John Kirby, adding that the US Defence Department had not seen the report.

'Informational'

The BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Kabul says the report - on the state of the Taliban - fully exposes for the first time the relationship between the Pakistani intelligence service (ISI) and the Taliban.

The report is based on material from 27,000 interrogations with more than 4,000 captured Taliban, al-Qaeda and other foreign fighters and civilians.

It notes: "Pakistan's manipulation of the Taliban senior leadership continues unabatedly". It says that Pakistan is aware of the locations of senior Taliban leaders.

The report states: "As this document is derived directly from insurgents it should be considered informational and not necessarily analytical."

Continue reading the main story

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Despite Nato's strategy to secure the country with Afghan forces, the secret document details widespread collaboration between the insurgents and Afghan police and military.

Lt Col Jimmie Cummings, a spokesman for Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan, said the document was "a classified internal document that is not meant to be released to the public".

"It is a matter of policy that documents that are classified are not discussed under any circumstances," he said.

The report also depicts the depth of continuing support among the Afghan population for the Taliban, our correspondent says.

It paints a picture of al-Qaeda's influence diminishing but the Taliban's influence increasing, he adds.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-pakistan-taliban-connection.html

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract For MTVR To Oshkosh

2012-01-31T20:47:00.001-05:00

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract For MTVR To Oshkosh

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 31, 2012: Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., is being awarded a $6,998,250 firm-fixed-price contract to supply 217 diesel engines, which will be installed in newly manufactured Medium Tactical Vehicle replacement variants.

Work will be performed in Corinth, Miss., and is expected to be completed in June 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

This contract was not competitively awarded. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-12-C-0217)

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-defense-news-us-dod-awarded.html

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: The Rafale Selected To Power The Indian Air Force

2012-01-31T16:51:00.000-05:00

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: The Rafale Selected To Power The Indian Air Force

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada / Saint-Cloud (France), January 31, 2012: Following the announcement of the final selection of the Rafale program MMRCA, Dassault Aviation and its partners are grateful to the Indian authorities and people of India to give them the opportunity to continue to strengthen their partnership history. Dassault Aviation and its partners reaffirm their commitment to meet the operational needs of the Indian Air Force and recall their pride in contributing to the defense of India for over a half century.

About DASSAULT AVIATION With over 7500 military and civilian aircraft delivered for nearly 60 years in 75 countries and have made nearly 20 million flight hours, Dassault Aviation has an expertise and a recognized experience in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, the Rafale fighter to the family of business jets upscale Falcon. With its unique architectural complex airborne systems, Dassault Aviation is able to make strategic, operational solutions and innovative approach to efficient cooperation.

As part of a phased approach pursued for many years, its expertise in technology systems and control of airborne vectors allow users to offer optimized solutions. Finally, the pragmatic approach of the partnership has led to a vast network of cooperation with many companies, thus promoting the success of today's programs and helping to unite the defense industries of tomorrow.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-defense-news-rafale-selected.html

DTN News - IRAN DEFENSE NEWS: Iran To Equip Navy with New Flying Boats BAVAR 2 To Monitor Oil Tanker Traffic Through Straits Of Hormuz

2012-01-31T08:09:00.002-05:00

DTN News - IRAN DEFENSE NEWS: Iran To Equip Navy with New Flying Boats BAVAR 2 To Monitor Oil Tanker Traffic Through Straits Of Hormuz

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 31, 2012: Iran has three squadrons of new flying boats, Iranian news agencies reported. The craft, dubbed the Bavar 2, is armed with a machine gun and carries surveillance cameras, according to a report from the Iranian Student News Agency

"Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the few countries which managed to design, build and use flying boats in a short time," said Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, who oversaw the delivering of the aircraft at the Bandar Abbas naval facility on the Persian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz. The delivery comes as Iran celebrates its Week of Sacred Defense, which commemorates its eight-year-long resistance to the 1980 Iraqi invasion, according to the Fars News Agency

While there is little available information as to the performance characteristics of the flying boats, and the only known weapon system is a good old-fashioned machine gun (some reports say they can carry missiles, but certainly nothing heavy enough to sink a major warship), it would be a mistake to discount these new vessels. While they might not have much chance of ever winning a battle against Western warships or aircraft, they are well suited to a task believed to be the most likely response to Iran if war with America were to come — massed suicide attacks.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-iran-defense-news-iran-to.html

DTN News - NORWAY TERROR PLOT: Norway Convicts Two Men Over al-Qaeda Plot On Danish Newspaper

2012-01-31T02:50:00.001-05:00

DTN News - NORWAY TERROR PLOT: Norway Convicts Two Men Over al-Qaeda Plot On Danish Newspaper

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 31, 2012: Two men were found guilty on Monday of involvement in an al-Qaeda plot to attack a Danish newspaper that caricatured the Prophet Muhammad, the first convictions under Norway's anti-terror laws.

A third defendant was acquitted of terror charges but convicted of helping the others acquire explosives.

Investigators say the plot was linked to the same al-Qaeda planners behind thwarted attacks against the New York subway system and a shopping mall Manchester in 2009.

The Oslo district court sentenced alleged ringleader Mikael Davud, to seven years in prison and co-defendant Shawan Sadek Saeed Bujak to three and a half years.

Judge Oddmund Svarteberg said the court found that Davud, a Chinese Muslim, "planned the attack together with al-Qaeda". Bujak was deeply involved in the preparations, but it couldn't be proved that he was aware of Davud's contacts with al-Qaeda, the judge said.

The third defendant, David Jakobsen, who assisted police in the investigation, was convicted on an explosives charge and sentenced to four months in prison – time he's already served in pretrial detention.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-norway-terror-plot-norway.html

DTN News - DEFENSE ACCOUNTABILITY: U.S. Defense Department Can't Account For Billions For Iraq, Audit Finds

2012-01-30T05:30:00.002-05:00

DTN News - DEFENSE ACCOUNTABILITY: U.S. Defense Department Can't Account For Billions For Iraq, Audit Finds

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 30, 2012: The U.S. Defense Department cannot account for about $2 billion it was given to cover Iraq-related expenses and is not providing Iraq with a complete list of U.S.-funded reconstruction projects, according to two new government audits.

The reports come from the office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.

The Iraqi government in 2004 gave the Department of Defense access to about $3 billion to pay bills for certain contracts, and the department can only show what happened to about a third of that, the inspector general says in an audit published Friday.

Although the Department of Defense (DoD) had "internal processes and controls" to track payments, the "bulk of the records are missing," the report says, adding that the department is searching for them.

Other documents are missing as well, including monthly reports documenting expenses, the audit says.

"From July 2004 through December 2007, DoD should have provided 42 monthly reports. However, it can locate only the first four reports."

A letter accompanying the report is signed by Stuart Bowen, the inspector general. The audit was overseen by Glenn Furbish, assistant inspector general for audits.

In a response letter also contained in the report, Defense Under Secretary Mark Easton acknowledges "a records management issue."

The audit says it believes records management is to blame, and "has been an ongoing problem for DoD in Iraq. By all accounts, DoD established good internal processes and controls to account for and report on" the funds it was given after the Coalition Provisional Authority dissolved.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-defense-accountability-us.html

DTN News - SYRIA UNREST: Syrian Forces Battle To Retake Damascus Suburbs

2012-01-29T11:08:00.002-05:00

DTN News - SYRIA UNREST: Syrian Forces Battle To Retake Damascus Suburbs

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 29, 2012: Syrian soldiers killed 19 people in fighting to retake Damascus suburbs from rebels on Sunday, activists said, a day after the Arab League suspended its monitoring mission in Syria because of mounting violence.

Around 2,000 soldiers in buses and armored personnel carriers, along with at least 50 tanks and armored vehicles, moved at dawn into the Ghouta area on the eastern edge of Damascus to reinforce an offensive in the suburbs of Saqba, Hammouriya and Kfar Batna, activists said.

The army pushed into the heart of Kfar Batna and four tanks were in its central square, they said, in a move to flush out rebels who had taken over districts just a few kilometers from President Bashar al-Assad's centre of power.

"It's urban war. There are bodies in the street," said one activist, speaking from Kfar Batna. Activists said 14 civilians and five insurgents from the rebel Free Syrian Army were killed there and in other suburbs.

The Arab League suspended the work of its monitors on Saturday after calling on Assad to step down and make way for a government of national unity. It said Arab foreign ministers would discuss the Syrian crisis on February 5.

Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby left for New York on Sunday where he will brief representatives of the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday to seek support for an Arab peace plan that calls on Assad to step aside after 10 months of protests.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-syria-unrest-syrian-forces.html

DTN News - ISRAEL DEFENSE NEWS: Boeing And Israel Aerospace Industries Mark 10 Years Of Cooperation

2012-01-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

DTN News - ISRAEL DEFENSE NEWS: Boeing And Israel Aerospace Industries Mark 10 Years Of Cooperation

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 27, 2012: The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced that it has renewed its work agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) on the Arrow Weapon System, and enhanced the IAI-Boeing Strategic Teaming Agreement to explore and develop new opportunitiesin the missile defense arena. Leaders of both companies gathered at IAI headquarters in Tel Aviv on Jan. 19 for a signing ceremony that also marked the 10th anniversary of the Boeing and IAI partnership.

"The Arrow program demonstrates Boeing's commitment to developing international missile defense partnerships around the globe," said Boeing Network & Space Systems President Roger Krone. "We are pleased to mark this 10-year milestone by expanding our cooperation on missile defense initiatives with our partner IAI."

Over the past 10 years, Arrow, the world's first operational national missile defense system, has become a vital anti-ballistic-missile defense strategy for Israel's national defense. IAI is the prime contractor for the Arrow Weapon System. It initiated, developed and deployed the in-service Arrow 2 program and, together with Boeing, is developing the Arrow 3 system -- a crucial asset in Israel's multi-tier anti-ballistic-missile defense strategy.

"This new agreement is the next logical step in our relationship with Boeing and a strong opportunity for both companies to play a bigger role in the missile defense market. It is based on a strong foundation of successful cooperation," said Itzhak Nissan, IAI president and CEO.

"Boeing's relationship with IAI has produced an innovative, versatile and affordable advanced missile defense capability. We look forward to our continued partnership and the development of the next generation of Arrow interceptor," said Greg Hyslop, vice president and general manager of Boeing Strategic Missile and Defense Systems.

The Arrow program has been a cooperative effort between the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and the Israel Missile Defense Organization since 2002.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-israel-defense-news-boeing-and.html

DTN News - US DEFENCE BUDGET CUTS: More Drones But 80,000 Fewer Troops

2012-01-27T07:57:00.003-05:00

DTN News - US DEFENCE BUDGET CUTS: More Drones But 80,000 Fewer Troops

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 27, 2012: The United States is to increase its fleet of unmanned drones by nearly a third and rely more on small, specially trained ground units as part of a slimmed down military.

As part of massive cuts to its budget, the army plans to shed 80,000 soldiers over the next few years, defence secretary Leon Panetta announced yesterday.

But he added the enforced belt-tightening would be an opportunity to modernise the military, with a focus on technology and the use of agile, rapid-deployment combat teams.

The US would also be refocusing it attention towards China and the Pacific, while seeking strategic partnerships in areas in which it will be cutting its presence, such as Europe.

The rethink was prompted by the need to find $487 billion (£310bn) in spending cuts over the next decade. Mr Panetta conceded it meant slashing the number of soldiers in the army from about 570,000 to 490,000 over the next decade.

Speaking from the Pentagon, he said: “The military will be smaller and leaner. But it will be agile, flexible, rapidly deployable and technologically advanced. It will be a cutting-edge force”.

He said he refused to allow the “hollowing out” of the US’s military might, and that the new strategy would “emphasise special operation forces”.

The effectiveness of these small, dedicated units was seen in the assassination of terror chief Osama bin Laden last year and the rescue of a US aid worker and her Danish colleague from Somali pirates this week.

The envisaged refocusing on smaller rotational bases will be at the expense of larger military sites, with closures expected to take place as part of the budget cuts.

There will be more money available for technologically advanced weapons and measures to counter cyber-terrorism.

Mr Panetta did not say how many more drones would be developed under the plan, but an increase of about 30 per cent has previously been reported.

Any rise in the use of umanned aircraft is likely to be met with suspicion by those who believe that their use endangers innocent life.

Figures from the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism show CIA drones stuck Pakistan 75 times in 2011, causing up to 655 fatalities. The majority of those killed were alleged militants, but as many as 126 civilians may also have lost their lives, the figures suggest.

The shrinking of the US army was signalled earlier this month in comments made by president Barack Obama.

Outlining plans to trim the armed forces, he said the US was ”turning a page on a decade of war”, with the end of hostilities in Iraq and the drawdown of troops in Afghanistan.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-us-defence-budget-cuts-more.html

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Military Parade On India's 63rd Republic Day Celebrations

2012-01-26T18:55:00.001-05:00

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Military Parade On India's 63rd Republic Day Celebrations

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 26, 2012: Indian soldiers march during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi on January 26, 2012. India celebrated its 63rd Republic Day under heavy security and a large military parade, with Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra as the chief guest of the event.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/

DTN News - UKRAINE DEFENSE NEWS: Ukraine Boosts Military Budget By 30%

2012-01-26T17:50:00.001-05:00

DTN News - UKRAINE DEFENSE NEWS: Ukraine Boosts Military Budget By 30%

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 26, 2012: Ukraine’s 2012 military spending will increase by around 30 percent, to about $2 billion or 1.1 percent of GDP, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s financial department said on Wednesday.

The ministry expects to spend about $120 million for purchases and modernization of military equipment, as well as scientific and military design projects, including the production of L-39 Albatros jet trainers and MiG-29 fighter jets. Ukraine’s existing fleet of MiG-29, L-39 and Su-25 close air support aircrafts will also be modernized.

Head of Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s Financial Department Lt. Gen. Yvan Marko said 21 jets, five helicopters and 612 vehicles will be repaired and modernized this year.

Ukraine’s 2012 state defense order will stand at $184 million, four times more than last year, including $54 million to build a corvette-class ship and $13 million for the construction of the Sapsan multifunctional missile system.

Ukraine’s military budget amounted to 0.8 percent of GDP on average over the past few years, substantially less than the average 1.3 percent of other Eastern European states.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-ukraine-defense-news-ukraine.html

DTN News - DRONES DEFENSE NEWS: New Drone Has No Pilot Anywhere, So Who's Accountable?

2012-01-26T17:40:00.002-05:00

DTN News - DRONES DEFENSE NEWS: New Drone Has No Pilot Anywhere, So Who's Accountable?

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 26, 2012: The Navy's new drone being tested near Chesapeake Bay stretches the boundaries of technology: It's designed to land on the deck of an aircraft carrier, one of aviation's most difficult maneuvers.

What's even more remarkable is that it will do that not only without a pilot in the cockpit, but without a pilot at all.

The X-47B marks a paradigm shift in warfare, one that is likely to have far-reaching consequences. With the drone's ability to be flown autonomously by onboard computers, it could usher in an era when death and destruction can be dealt by machines operating semi-independently.

GRAPHIC: How the X-47B lands

Although humans would program an autonomous drone's flight plan and could override its decisions, the prospect of heavily armed aircraft screaming through the skies without direct human control is unnerving to many.

"Lethal actions should have a clear chain of accountability," said Noel Sharkey, a computer scientist and robotics expert. "This is difficult with a robot weapon. The robot cannot be held accountable. So is it the commander who used it? The politician who authorized it? The military's acquisition process? The manufacturer, for faulty equipment?"

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-drones-defense-news-new-drone.html

DTN News - AFGHAN WAR NEWS: Afghan-Led Combined Force Captures Taliban Leader

2012-01-26T13:15:00.001-05:00

DTN News - AFGHAN WAR NEWS: Afghan-Led Combined Force Captures Taliban Leader

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 26, 2012: An Afghan-led and coalition-supported security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province today, military officials reported.

The leader coordinated roadside bomb and ambush attacks against Afghan forces along Route 1 in Helmand province, officials said.

The security force also seized 15 pounds of opium and detained an additional suspected insurgent.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined patrol seized about 500 pounds of marijuana and about 45 pounds of marijuana seeds in the Panjwai district of Kandahar province.

-- In the Zharay district of Kandahar province, a combined force seized 300 pounds of marijuana and detained several suspects while searching for a Taliban facilitator who plans attacks against coalition forces and moves weapons and ammunition throughout Kandahar.

-- A combined force captured a Taliban leader and detained another suspect in the Sayyidabad district of Wardak province. The leader planned assassinations and direct-fire attacks against Afghan government officials.

In Afghanistan operations yesterday:

-- A coalition airstrike killed an insurgent after he attacked coalition forces with small-arms fire in the Alishing district of Laghman province.

-- Coalition forces arrested six people found with Afghan army uniforms and weapons in the Alingar district of Laghman province.

-- Coalition troops detained three people suspected of being bomb makers in the Terezaki district of Khost province.

-- Afghan police detained a man who had two assault rifles and ammunition in the Zurmat district of Paktia province.

-- Coalition troops detained a man for having bomb-making materials Khost’s Khost district.

-- Afghan border police detained a man as a person of interest in Paktia’s Jaji district.

-- A combined patrol found about 550 pounds of hashish and multiple 82 mm mortar rounds in Kandahar’s Panjwai district.

-- A combined patrol found and destroyed about 1,000 pounds of hashish in Kandahar’s Zharay district.

-- A combined force found and destroyed about 660 pounds of hashish in Helmand’s Musa Qalah district.

In other Afghanistan news, Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, International Security Assistance Force commander, joined Afghan President Hamid Karzai in condemning a recent insurgent rocket attack on a home in the Allasai district of Kapisa province that killed a woman and a child and injured seven other people.

"Continued deliberate attacks on the people of Afghanistan that result in the brutal murder of defenseless women and children clearly show that this heartless insurgency has no moral compass whatsoever," Allen said. "I join President Karzai in extending my deepest sympathies to the families of those who were killed, and in praying for the fastest recovery of those who were injured in this needless tragedy.”

Allen added that Taliban leader Mohammed Omar's “deafening silence and inaction in stopping these ongoing attacks against innocent Afghan civilians shows that his foot soldiers are now giving the orders while he and his inner circle reside in comfort, allowing the killing of their own brothers and sisters."

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-afghan-war-news-afghan-led.html

DTN News - IRAN NEWS: Iran Defiant As EU Imposes Oil Embargo

2012-01-26T05:11:00.001-05:00

DTN News - IRAN NEWS: Iran Defiant As EU Imposes Oil Embargo

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 26, 2012: Iran has accused the European Union of waging "psychological warfare" after the bloc banned imports of Iranian oil over Tehran's controversial nuclear programme.

The oil ban, which was approved at a meeting in Brussels on Monday, along with sanctions against Iran's central bank and other measures, came as Western powers stepped up pressure on Iran to return to negotiations amid concerns that it is moving closer to building nuclear weapons.

"The method of threat, pressure and unfair sanctions against a nation that has a strong reason for its approach is doomed to fail," Ramin Mehmanparast, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, told the state broadcaster.

"European Union sanctions on Iranian oil is psychological warfare," Mehmanparast said.

"Imposing economic sanctions is illogical and unfair but will not stop our nation from obtaining its rights."

Iran's oil ministry issued a statement saying the sanctions did not come as a shock. "The oil ministry has from long ago thought about it and has come up with measures to deal with any challenges," it said, according to the IRNA news agency.

Mehmanparast said: "The European countries and those who are under American pressure, should think about their own interests. Any country that deprives itself from Iran's energy market, will soon see that it has been replaced by others."

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-iran-news-iran-defiant-as-eu.html

DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Norwegian Carrier Aims High With 222 Aircraft Orders

2012-01-26T05:01:00.002-05:00

DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Norwegian Carrier Aims High With 222 Aircraft Orders

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 26, 2012: Norwegian Air Shuttle plans to buy 222 new aircraft worth $21.1bn from Boeing and Airbus in a move that heralds its ambition to become one of Europe’s leading low-cost airlines. Boeing secured its largest ever European deal through a firm order by the Oslo-based airline for 122 737 narrow-body aircraft, worth $11.4bn at list prices.

Norwegian also departed from its previous policy of only operating Boeing aircraft by making a commitment to purchase 100 A320 narrow-body aircraft from Airbus, worth $9.7bn at list prices.

Analysts said Norwegian’s orders looked like a bet on the demise of SAS, the struggling Scandinavian carrier.

Norwegian’s shares closed up almost 13 per cent at NKr74.5. Shares in SAS dropped 1 per cent to SKr9.

Bjorn Kjos, Norwegian’s chief executive and one of its founders, told the Financial Times that the airline would focus its expansion on Nordic countries, although he highlighted plans to open a new operating base this March in Malaga, Spain.

“If we have the newest equipment and one of the best cost bases in the world, we can more or less set up operations wherever we want,” said Mr Kjos, a former fighter pilot in the Norwegian air force, who is also a lawyer and author of a spy thriller.

Mr Kjos also highlighted Norwegian’s plans to begin long-haul operations next year, with flights linking Scandinavia with Asia and the US.

Norwegian started its low-cost carrier operations in 2002. It has operating bases in Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden, although Norwegian’s routes reach beyond Europe into north Africa and the Middle East.

Its fifth-largest shareholder is Finnair, Finland’s flag carrier.

Aircraft financing has become more difficult to obtain since the financial crisis, but Mr Kjos expressed confidence that Norwegian’s orders with Boeing and Airbus would secure loan guarantees from European and US export credit agencies.

Norwegian’s orders should increase its fleet from the current 64 to between 150 and 200 by 2020, because some of the new aircraft will replace existing ones.

Ryanair, Europe’s leading low-cost airline by passenger number, has 277 aircraft, while EasyJet, the second largest, has 204.

Andrew Lobbenberg, analyst at RBS, said Norwegian’s orders looked like “a gamble on SAS failing”.

The deals with Boeing and Airbus underline how airlines are keen to buy fuel-efficient aircraft because of high oil prices.

Norwegian is buying planned new aircraft that should burn between 10 and 15 per cent less fuel than existing ones.

Airbus will start delivering its A320neo aircraft to Norwegian in 2016, and Boeing will begin supplying its 737 Max jets in 2017.

Boeing on Wednesday announced strong fourth-quarter results, although it said profitability would be dented in 2012 by higher pension costs.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-airlines-news-norwegian.html

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Russia Hands Over Nerpa Nuclear Submarine To India

2012-01-23T17:31:00.001-05:00

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Russia Hands Over Nerpa Nuclear Submarine To India

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 23, 2012: Russia’s K-152 Nerpa nuclear-powered attack submarine has been handed over to the Indian Navy, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported on Monday.

In line with the contract worth over $900 million, the Project 971 Shchuka-B (NATO: Akula II) class sub has been leased to India’s Navy for ten years. It will be renamed the INS Chakra.

The ceremony took place in the Far Eastern Primorye Territory. Russian submariners trained their Indian colleagues to steer the Nerpa in the Pacific Ocean.

The event was attended by Indian ambassador to Russia Ajai Malhotra, United Shipbuilding Corporation head Roman Trotsenko, Eastern Military District commander Admiral Konstantin Sidenko and other officials.

The submarine’s displacement is 8,140/12,770 tons. Its maximum speed is 30 knots, maximum operating depth, 600 m; its endurance is 100 days with a crew of 73. The vessel is armed with four 533mm torpedo tubes and four 650mm torpedo tubes.

India has become the sixth operator of nuclear submarines in the world, after the United States, Russia, France, Britain and China, though it previously leased another Russian submarine which was then returned.

Twenty sailors died on the Nerpa in 2008 after the vessel’s fire-suppression systems were accidentally triggered during sea trials, releasing toxic gases.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-india-defense-news-russia.html

DTN News: 2012 Chinese New Year ~ Year Of The Dragon Being Celebrated In Beijing China

2012-01-22T23:23:00.001-05:00

DTN News: 2012 Chinese New Year ~ Year Of The Dragon Being Celebrated In Beijing China

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 22, 2012: A Chinese young performer dressed in dragon costumes prepares to perform at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Dragon on January 22, 2012 in Beijing, China. Falling on January 23 this year, the Chinese Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, which is based on the Lunisolar Chinese calendar, is celebrated from the first day of the first month of the lunar year and ends with Lantern Festival on the Fifteenth day. (Photo - Getty)

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/

DTN News: 2012 Chinese New Year ~ Year Of The Dragon Being Celebrated In Beijing China

2012-01-22T22:33:00.003-05:00

DTN News: 2012 Chinese New Year ~ Year Of The Dragon Being Celebrated In Beijing China

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/

DTN News: 2012 Chinese New Year ~ Year Of The Dragon Being Celebrated In Semarang Indonesia

2012-01-22T22:10:00.001-05:00

DTN News: 2012 Chinese New Year ~ Year Of The Dragon Being Celebrated In Semarang Indonesia

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 22, 2012: Soldiers perform a dragon-dance in front of Tay Kei Sek temple in Semarang, Central Java January 23, 2012. The Lunar New Year begins on January 23 and marks the start of the Year of the Dragon, according to the Chinese zodiac. (Photo - Reuters)

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/

DTN News: 2012 Chinese New Year ~ Year Of The Dragon

2012-01-22T13:21:00.001-05:00

DTN News: 2012 Chinese New Year ~ Year Of The Dragon

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 22, 2012: Chinese travellers wait to catch a train at the West Railway Station in Beijing, China, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Millions of Chinese are expected to cram onto China's bus and train network to return home for the Chinese Lunar New Year which falls on Jan. 23, 2012. (Photo - AP)

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/

DTN News: 2012 Chinese New Year ~ Year Of The Dragon

2012-01-22T12:44:00.000-05:00

DTN News: 2012 Chinese New Year ~ Year Of The Dragon

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 22, 2012: A man carries his belongings to Beijing West Railway Station to catch a train in Beijing, China, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Millions of Chinese are expected to cram onto China's bus and train network to return home for the Chinese Lunar New Year which falls on Jan. 23, 2012. (Photo - AP)

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/

DTN News - SYRIA UNREST: Syrian Blasts Kill 14, Arab Monitors May Stay

2012-01-21T21:14:00.000-05:00

DTN News - SYRIA UNREST: Syrian Blasts Kill 14, Arab Monitors May Stay

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 21, 2012: Bombs killed at least 14 prisoners in a Syrian security vehicle on Saturday, and fierce battles erupted between rebels and state forces as the Arab League considered whether to keep monitors in place.

The League looks set to extend its monitoring mission in Syria, given the lack of any Arab or world consensus on how to halt the bloodshed there, an Arab diplomatic source said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the 10-month-old revolt against President Bashar al-Assad, said an explosive device planted on a road in the northwestern province of Idlib had killed 15 detainees and wounded dozens.

Syria's state news agency SANA said a "terrorist" group had set off two explosions on the road between the towns of Idlib and Ariha, killing 14 prisoners and wounding 26. Six police guards were also wounded, some critically.

Activists in Idlib offered a very different account, saying the vehicle had actually been carrying dead bodies. They uploaded videos of corpses on the bloodied floors of a hospital morgue, some of which appeared to be decomposing, and said they had come from the vehicle.

Foreign journalists are mostly banned from Syria and such reports are impossible to verify.

Elsewhere in Idlib, clashes broke out between rebels and troops in the city of Maarat Noaman.

"Ten soldiers were trying to desert and their escape sparked clashes between the army and the rebels. One rebel was martyred when he helped give the defectors cover and nine army personnel were killed," the Observatory's head Rami Abdelrahman told Reuters by telephone from Britain.

The Observatory said troops had clashed with army deserters who had joined the insurgency in the town of Jebel al-Zawiya, also in Idlib province, which borders Turkey.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-syria-unrest-syrian-blasts.html

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Panetta~ U.S. Military Best In World, But Threats Remain

2012-01-21T09:34:00.002-05:00

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Panetta~ U.S. Military Best In World, But Threats Remain

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 21, 2012: The U.S. military is the world’s best and it’s on the right path to face the challenges ahead, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said here today.

Speaking to a crowd of service members, civilians and local leaders at a town hall meeting, Panetta said the military “has to be able to make that turn as we head into the future.”

“We're at a point, as you know, where the Iraq mission was brought to an end, and it's now clearly up to the Iraqi people, to the Iraqi leaders to make sure they stay on the right track,” he said. “That was the whole point of the mission, was to make Iraq be able to govern and secure itself.”

The defense secretary also cited U.S., coalition and Afghan progress made in Afghanistan and NATO’s success in helping to topple a dictator in Libya.

“In Afghanistan, we are making good progress there in transitioning to Afghan control and security, and we remain committed to making sure that happens,” Panetta said. “In Libya, we had a successful NATO mission that helped bring down Gadhafi and return Libya to the Libyan people.”

Panetta noted the U.S. military has “significantly impacted” al-Qaida operations. Al-Qaida chieftain Osama bin Laden was killed in May 2011 in Pakistan by U.S. troops.

“Its leadership is decimated,” Panetta said of al-Qaida. “It doesn't have the ability to put command and control together to make the kind of plans for the kind of attacks we saw on 9/11.

“We have successfully gone after their leadership, and it's not just bin Laden, but a number of leaders,” he continued. “But we need to continue that pressure.

“We need to keep going after them wherever they go, whether it's Yemen or Somalia or North Africa,” he added. “We need to continue the pressure on them. But we are working to significantly weaken their capability. We've been good at it.”

The defense secretary noted that “we’re moving in the right direction” by virtue of the men and women in uniform doing “everything we've asked them to do.”

Panetta also said the current drawdown isn’t like previous drawdowns following World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War or the collapse of the Soviet Union.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-defense-news-panetta-us.html

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Panetta Lifts F-35 Fighter Variant Probation

2012-01-21T09:03:00.002-05:00

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Panetta Lifts F-35 Fighter Variant Probation

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 21, 2012: Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced today he’s lifted probation from the Short Takeoff, Vertical Landing variant of the fifth generation F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter which is absolutely vital to maintaining air superiority.

Speaking during a town hall-style meeting here, the defense secretary discussed the latest development in the progress of the joint strike fighter program as service members, politicians and the civilian workforce listened.

“Early in 2011 DOD was compelled to put [the Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing] … on probation,” he said.

“Over the course of last year, you here at Pax River helped make an incredible difference by completing tremendous amounts of STOVL testing,” Panetta noted. “You demonstrated that we've made real progress towards fixing some of the known problems that we had with STOVL.”

Panetta lauded the joint strike fighter’s workforce at NAS Patuxent River for their efforts to bring the STOVL variant up to the standards of the two other existing versions of the F-35, the Conventional Takeoff and Landing and Carrier Variant.

“We now believe that because of your work, that the STOVL variant is demonstrating the kind of performance and maturity that is in line with the other two variants of the JSF,” Panetta said.

“As a result of your hard work and the hard work of JSF's government and industry team … the STOVL variant has made, I believe and all of us believe, sufficient progress so that as of today, I am lifting the STOVL probation,” he announced.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-defense-news-panetta-lifts-f.html

DTN News: Happy Chinese New Year ~ Year Of The Dragon

2012-01-20T17:40:00.001-05:00

DTN News: Happy Chinese New Year ~ Year Of The Dragon

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 20, 2012: We Wish All our Readers and Viewers a Happy Chinese New Year with Great Prosperity and Good Luck in the Year of the Dragon!

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-happy-chinese-new-year-year-of.html

DTN News - WIKILEAKS NEWS: Various Articles From International Media Originated From Wikileaks For January 19, 2012

2012-01-19T21:16:00.001-05:00

DTN News - WIKILEAKS NEWS: Various Articles From International Media Originated From Wikileaks For January 19, 2012

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 19, 2012: The international non-profit organization Wikileaks became world renown as a whistleblower publishing submissions of private, secret and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks and whistleblowers.

WikiLeaks states that its "primary interest is in exposing oppressive regimes in Asia, the former Soviet bloc, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, but we also expect to be of assistance to people of all regions who wish to reveal unethical behaviour in their governments and corporations".

Here are the news on various subjects on Wikileaks by global media/web/blogs and reactions respectively for DTN News readers and viewers;

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-wikileaks-news-various.html

DTN News - ISLAMIC MILITANTS: A Hezbollah Threat In Thailand?

2012-01-19T13:25:00.001-05:00

DTN News - ISLAMIC MILITANTS: A Hezbollah Threat In Thailand?

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 19, 2012: On Jan. 12, Thai authorities arrested a man they say was a member of the Lebanon-based Shiite militant group Hezbollah who was plotting an attack in Bangkok. In uncovering the plot, Thai police cite cooperation with the United States and Israel going back to December 2011. Bangkok is indeed a target-rich environment with a history of terrorist attacks, but today Hezbollah and other militant and criminal groups rely on the city as more of a business hub than anything else. If Hezbollah or some other transnational militant group were to carry out an attack in the city, it would have to be for a compelling reason that outweighed the costs.

The suspect was identified as Atris Hussein, who was born in Lebanon but acquired Swedish citizenship and a passport after marrying a Swedish woman in 1996. Hussein was arrested on immigration charges as he was trying to board a plane at Suvarnabhumi airport, Bangkok's main international airport. Police said another suspect is still at large and possibly already out of the country. Hussein's arrest on Jan. 12 was followed by a statement the next day from the U.S. Embassy warning U.S. citizens in Bangkok of the potential foreign terrorist threat in the country and encouraging them to avoid tourist areas. Other countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Israel, issued similar warnings. Thai police have responded by increasing security in tourist areas like Bangkok's Khao San Road and the island of Phuket.

Then, on Jan. 16, some 200 Thai police officers searched a three-story commercial building in a town along the coast 32 kilometers (about 20 miles) southwest of Bangkok. Information on the location and contents of the building was said to have been provided by Hussein after two days in custody. On the second floor of the building, officers found 4,380 kilograms (about 10,000 pounds) of urea-based fertilizer and 38 liters (about 10 gallons) of liquid ammonium nitrate -- enough materials to construct several truck bombs comparable to the one detonated at the Marriott hotel in Islamabad in 2008. Urea fertilizer can be used to manufacture the improvised explosive mixture urea nitrate, which was the main charge used in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The compound is also frequently used in improvised explosive devices in Iraq and to some extent in Afghanistan. On the ground floor of the same building, police found reams of printing paper and 400 electric table fans in cardboard boxes.

The following day, a Bangkok court charged Hussein with illegal possession of explosive materials. As in many other countries, a permit is required for handling such large amounts of fertilizer in Thailand.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-islamic-militants-hezbollah.html

DTN News - ISLAMIC MILITANTS: A Hezbollah Threat In Thailand?

2012-01-19T13:23:00.001-05:00

DTN News - ISLAMIC MILITANTS: A Hezbollah Threat In Thailand?

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-islamic-militants-hezbollah.html

DTN News - CHINA DEFENSE NEWS: How China Is Advancing Its Military Reach

2012-01-19T07:01:00.005-05:00

DTN News - CHINA DEFENSE NEWS: How China Is Advancing Its Military Reach

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 19, 2012: As the US shifts its focus to Asia, Alexander Neill, head of the Asia Security Programme at the Royal United Services Institute, sets out the Chinese military advances challenging the regional balance.

At the Pentagon recently, US President Barack Obama announced deep cuts to the US military and set out a shift in attention towards the Asia-Pacific region, in a thinly-veiled message to China.

Despite a narrative of peaceful intent, China's leaders have struggled to reassure the US over the direction of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Both countries admit that their military dialogue falls well behind other aspects of the relationship.

So the shift has brought renewed scrutiny of the PLA's latest capabilities against US dominance in the Pacific.

In recent years the PLA has demonstrated impressive new capabilities at sea and in space, aimed at showcasing the success of its modernisation effort.

The obvious message is to deliver a powerful warning if Taiwan were to declare formal independence.

But Pentagon planners are now concerned that the Taiwan contingency has been eclipsed by China's broader maritime territorial claims and demands for more international space to protect the arteries feeding China's growth.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-china-defense-news-how-china.html

DTN News - WHITE HOUSE NEWS: Obama Receives Baseball Jersey Honoring 2011 World Series Champions - The St. Louis Cardinals At White House

2012-01-18T19:12:00.001-05:00

DTN News - WHITE HOUSE NEWS: Obama Receives Baseball Jersey Honoring 2011 World Series Champions - The St. Louis Cardinals At White House

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 18, 2012: U.S. President Barack Obama (C) holds up a uniform given to him by the 2011 Major League Baseball World Series champions St. Louis Cardinals while posing for photographs with the team and first lady Michelle Obama at the White House January 17, 2012 in Washington, DC. Noticably absent from the congratulatory event are the team's former 1st baseman Albert Pujols and former manager Tony La Russa. The Cardinal's visit to Washington will include a stop at Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, to visit with patients and their families.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/

DTN News - BOEING DEFENSE NEWS: 4th Boeing Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite Ready For Liftoff

2012-01-18T10:30:00.001-05:00

DTN News - BOEING DEFENSE NEWS: 4th Boeing Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite Ready For Liftoff

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 18, 2012: Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that the fourth Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellite the company is delivering to the U.S. Air Force has successfully completed prelaunch testing and is ready for launch. WGS-4, the first spacecraft in the program's upgraded Block II series, is scheduled to launch at 7:38 p.m. Eastern time on Jan. 19 aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

The Block II satellites (WGS 4-6) add a switchable radio frequency bypass that supports the transmission of airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance imagery at data rates approximately three times greater than those currently available on Block I satellites.

"This launch will be another important step in advancing communications capabilities for U.S. warfighters and allies around the world," said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems. "When it enters service, WGS-4 will join three other WGS satellites that deliver critical communications to help warfighters execute missions with greater safety and efficiency."

Boeing built and tested the WGS-4 spacecraft at its manufacturing facility in El Segundo. Upon arrival at Cape Canaveral on Nov. 15, the satellite was moved into a processing facility to complete a series of prelaunch tests that validated the satellite's operational readiness, including its ability to communicate with the ground control segment and launch site.

Boeing has delivered three WGS satellites and is under contract for six more, including WGS-4. They are built on the proven Boeing 702HP platform, which features highly efficient xenon-ion propulsion, deployable thermal radiators, and advanced triple-junction gallium-arsenide solar arrays that enable high-capacity, flexible payloads. The WGS communications payload has unique flexibility that is important to the military, as well as the ability to interconnect terminals that operate in different frequency bands and to reposition coverage beams based on evolving mission needs. WGS supports missions ranging from tactical communications to and between ground forces, to relaying data and imagery from airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 63,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-boeing-defense-news-4th-boeing.html

DTN News - AFGHAN WAR NEWS: Failing To Learn ~ US Resumes Drone Attacks In Pakistan

2012-01-17T18:24:00.004-05:00

DTN News - AFGHAN WAR NEWS: Failing To Learn ~ US Resumes Drone Attacks In Pakistan

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 17, 2012: When Pakistan’s Express Tribune wrote this week that the CIA was likely to resume drone strikes for the first time since November, it included a quote from an unnamed Pakistani official saying that Pakistani authorities believed drones were “strategically harmful but tactically advantageous”. I tweeted the link and asked who would explain to the Pakistani public that the drone strikes – which have fuelled intense anti-Americanism – were seen even in their own country as “tactically advantageous”.

One of the answers was particularly telling. It was from a supporter of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) of former cricketer Imran Khan – who has risen in popularity on a wave of anti-Americanism, opposition to drone strikes, and belief the government of President Asif Ali Zardari has sold out to the United States. Here is the tweet:

“I find this so infuriating. It is about time the present #Zardari administration was shown the door. #PTI for #Pakistan”

Yet the popular view that American money is being used to bribe Zardari into allowing the country to be attacked by U.S. missiles has no basis in reality. In as much as drone strikes are discussed with Pakistan – and there is a great deal of disagreement about how far they should be used - the “red lines” have been negotiated with the Pakistan Army, which controls foreign and security policy. Such is the lack of transparency in Pakistan.

But if that seems too strange, then let’s look at the approach in the United States to drones. We might, perhaps, have expected it to use the pause in drone strikes to improve their transparency. Indeed, given their impact in fuelling anti-Americanism, Washington might have considered publishing some photographs to prove its contention that the drone strikes do not cause the kind of civilian casualties assumed in Pakistan? After all, if Iran could down a drone and gain access to U.S. technology, how much more can be given away in a photograph?

Yet instead, we had a leaked story from the New York Times that the pause in drone strikes was allowing al Qaeda and Pakistani militants to regroup. (Note to the U.S. administration – rightly or wrongly, a leaked story in the NYT is seen in Pakistan as a statement of policy so it would be far better to come out and say it yourself.) And sure enough, just days after that story, the United States resumed drone attacks.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-afghan-war-news-failing-to.html

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: MEU Marines Seize Airfield During Helicopter Raid

2012-01-16T19:41:00.003-05:00

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: MEU Marines Seize Airfield During Helicopter Raid

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada / IE SHIMA ISLAND, OKINAWA, Japan - January 16, 2012: They charged through the turbulent sea of grass under the thunderous rotor wash of a helicopter behind them, clutching their weapons and choosing the proper spots to take cover. Kneeling and steadying their sights on the tree line beyond, they remained aware of the positions of the Marines to their left and right. Once all were in place, the helicopters rose away, leaving the Marines to face one of their many pre-deployment trials: capturing an enemy encampment.

The Marines of Company C, known as “Helo Co.,” Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, successfully executed a helicopter raid exercise here, Jan. 12. The exercise was in support of Marine Expeditionary Unit Exercise, a multi-week training exercise conducted before every 31st MEU deployment.

“Today we were conducting an amphibious and airborne assault against an enemy insurgent camp,” said 2nd Lt. Joshua Elliott, platoon commander and assault element leader with Company C. “They were harassing the local Ryukyu government, and our mission was to come in, cordon off the objectives. As the assault element, we would come in, breach any objectives, kill or capture the bad guys, conduct tactical site exploitation and extract with all our personnel.”

For the better part of a day, Marines armed with M249 squad automatic weapons and M16-A4 service rifles overtook various enemy-held positions throughout the training area. Although the day’s operation was one in a long line of training scenarios, the Marines acted with a sense of urgency that is seen in actual combat conditions.

“This training prepares us for any action we might see on the MEU,” said Elliott. “We are America’s expeditionary force-in-readiness, ready to conduct those amphibious assaults, knock the door in and lead the way for follow-on forces. When we deploy with the MEU, we are ready for real-time objectives.”

Sgt. Rafael Navarrete, a squad leader with 2nd platoon, Company C., knows that while the training may be repetitive, it is still worthwhile in the end.

“You can rehearse a million times, but the plan is always going to change,” said Navarrete. “We always have to be prepared to make those adjustments on the move. Nothing’s going to go according to plan.”

To further enhance the training these Marines receive, role players are used as the enemy resistance rather than static targets. Having a retaliatory enemy adds to the quick reaction experience these Marines are expected to have.

“Having an opposition force adds that force-on-force realism,” said Navarrete. “Targets won’t allow you to see how the enemy might act. Role players make the training more realistic.”

As the events of the day drew to a close, not only were the people of the Ryukyu government safe from radicals, but the Marines of Company C., BLT 1/4, 31st MEU, further honed their skills before boarding ship.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-defense-news-meu-marines-seize.html

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: MEU Marines Seize Airfield During Helicopter Raid

2012-01-16T19:39:00.002-05:00

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: MEU Marines Seize Airfield During Helicopter Raid

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada / IE SHIMA ISLAND, OKINAWA, Japan - January 16, 2012: They charged through the turbulent sea of grass under the thunderous rotor wash of a helicopter behind them, clutching their weapons and choosing the proper spots to take cover. Kneeling and steadying their sights on the tree line beyond, they remained aware of the positions of the Marines to their left and right. Once all were in place, the helicopters rose away, leaving the Marines to face one of their many pre-deployment trials: capturing an enemy encampment.

The Marines of Company C, known as “Helo Co.,” Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, successfully executed a helicopter raid exercise here, Jan. 12. The exercise was in support of Marine Expeditionary Unit Exercise, a multi-week training exercise conducted before every 31st MEU deployment.

“Today we were conducting an amphibious and airborne assault against an enemy insurgent camp,” said 2nd Lt. Joshua Elliott, platoon commander and assault element leader with Company C. “They were harassing the local Ryukyu government, and our mission was to come in, cordon off the objectives. As the assault element, we would come in, breach any objectives, kill or capture the bad guys, conduct tactical site exploitation and extract with all our personnel.”

For the better part of a day, Marines armed with M249 squad automatic weapons and M16-A4 service rifles overtook various enemy-held positions throughout the training area. Although the day’s operation was one in a long line of training scenarios, the Marines acted with a sense of urgency that is seen in actual combat conditions.

“This training prepares us for any action we might see on the MEU,” said Elliott. “We are America’s expeditionary force-in-readiness, ready to conduct those amphibious assaults, knock the door in and lead the way for follow-on forces. When we deploy with the MEU, we are ready for real-time objectives.”

Sgt. Rafael Navarrete, a squad leader with 2nd platoon, Company C., knows that while the training may be repetitive, it is still worthwhile in the end.

“You can rehearse a million times, but the plan is always going to change,” said Navarrete. “We always have to be prepared to make those adjustments on the move. Nothing’s going to go according to plan.”

To further enhance the training these Marines receive, role players are used as the enemy resistance rather than static targets. Having a retaliatory enemy adds to the quick reaction experience these Marines are expected to have.

“Having an opposition force adds that force-on-force realism,” said Navarrete. “Targets won’t allow you to see how the enemy might act. Role players make the training more realistic.”

As the events of the day drew to a close, not only were the people of the Ryukyu government safe from radicals, but the Marines of Company C., BLT 1/4, 31st MEU, further honed their skills before boarding ship.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-defense-news-meu-marines-seize.html

DTN News - IRAN NUCLEAR FACTOR: Major US-Israel Military Drill Postponed

2012-01-15T20:05:00.002-05:00

DTN News - IRAN NUCLEAR FACTOR: Major US-Israel Military Drill Postponed

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 15, 2012: Israel and the United States have agreed to postpone a major military defence exercise scheduled for spring, Israeli public radio reported Sunday, amid rising regional tension over Iran’s nuclear program.

The exercise, “Austere Challenge 12,” would be pushed back to the end of 2012 because of unspecified budgetary concerns, the radio said, citing military sources.

An Israeli defence ministry source speaking on condition of anonymity told AFP the delay had not been finalized.

“No final decision has been made yet, discussions with our American counterparts are ongoing,” he said.

But Israel’s army radio, citing a defence official, said the drill was being postponed to avoid “unnecessary headlines in such a tense period.”

The joint manoeuvre was to have been the biggest yet between the two allies, and was seen as an opportunity to display their joint military strength at a time of growing concern about Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Israel, the United States and much of the international community accuse Iran of using its nuclear program to mask a weapons drive, a charge Tehran denies.

The postponement appeared to suggest fears the exercise could dangerously ramp up regional tensions, at a time when Iran has already threatened to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint for one fifth of the world’s traded oil — in the event of a military strike or severe tightening of international sanctions over its nuclear program.

Meanwhile, the United States sent Iran a letter over its threatened closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said Sunday, without revealing the letter’s contents.

“The U.S. ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, sent a letter to Mohammad Khazaie, Iran’s UN representative, which was conveyed by the Swiss ambassador, and finally Iraqi President Jalal Talabani delivered its contents to officials” in Iran, the official IRNA news agency quoted Ramin Mehmanparast as saying.

“We are in the process of studying the letter and if necessary we will respond.”

Last month, the Israelis insisted the joint manoeuvres were planned in advance and denied they were related to Iran.

“The exercise scenario involves notional, simulated events as well as some field training and is not in response to any real-world event,” the military told AFP.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/dtn-news-iran-nuclear-factor-major-us.html

DTN News - IRAN NUCLEAR FACTOR: Major US-Israel Military Drill Postponed

2012-01-15T20:03:00.005-05:00