Tuesday, August 24, 2010

DTN News: Aerospace/Defense Headlines - News Dated August 24, 2010

Defense News: DTN News: Aerospace/Defense Headlines - News Dated August 24, 2010
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources including latest updates Defense News, Aerospace/Defense Headlines - News & Yahoo
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - August 24, 2010: Comprehensive daily news related to Aerospace/Defense for the world of TODAY.

*Comprehensive daily news related on Aerospace/Defense for the world of TODAY.

Tuesday August 24, 2010

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated August 24, 2010

Defense News: DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated August 24, 2010
Source: U.S. DoD issued No. 756-10 August 24, 2010
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - August 24, 2010: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued August 24, 2010 are undermentioned;

CONTRACTS

NAVY

W.W. Gay Fire & Integrated Systems, Inc., Jacksonville, Fla. (N69450-10-D-0046); Wolverine Fire Protection Co., Mt. Morris, Mich. (N69450-10-D-0047); East Coast Fire Protection, Inc., Hanover, Md. (N69450-10-D-0048); and APi National Service Group, St. Paul, Minn. (N69450-10-D-0049), are each being awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award design-build construction contract for fire protection construction type projects in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Southeast area of responsibility (AOR). The maximum dollar value, including the base period and four option years, for all four contracts combined is $30,000,000. The work to be performed provides for fire protection installation or repairs (new construction and renovations) with some design capabilities. The preponderance of the work will include fire suppression systems (wet, dry, pre-action, wet chemical, deluge and high speed deluge and ultra high speed deluge); water supplies (fire pumps, tanks and underground water mains); low and high expansion foam; gaseous (carbon dioxide and clean agents) special hazard protection; and fire alarm systems (detection, reporting, and mass communication). W.W. Gay Fire & Integrated Systems, Inc., is being awarded task order #0001 at $1,022,656 for construction of the sprinkler, fire alarm, and mass notification system at 2200 complex at Marine Corp Logistics Base Albany, Albany, Ga. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by February 2012. All work on this contract will be performed within the NAVFAC Southeast AOR including, but not limited to: South Carolina (25 percent), Florida (25 percent), Texas (10 percent), Louisiana (10 percent), Mississippi (10 percent), Alabama (10 percent), and Georgia (10 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of August 2015. Contract funds for task order #0001 will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 15 proposals received. These four contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity.

Eagle Industries Unlimited, Inc., Fenton, Mo., is being awarded a maximum $18,496,842 firm-fixed-price contract for enhanced small arms protective inserts plate carrier spares. Work will be performed in Puerto Rico, and is expected to be completed August 2011. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is being awarded on a sole-source basis. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-10-C-3034).

Reyes Construction, Inc.*, Pomona, Calif., is being awarded $6,725,000 for firm-fixed-price task order #0002 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-10-D-5417) for repair of high temperature hot water piping at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms. Work will be performed in Twentynine Palms, Calif., and is expected to be completed by August 2011. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Six proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, Resident Officer in Charge of Construction, Twentynine Palms, Calif., is the contracting activity.

DTN News: Somalia TODAY August 24, 2010 - At Least 33 People Killed In Attack On Somali Hotel

Defense News: DTN News: Somalia TODAY August 24, 2010 - At Least 33 People Killed In Attack On Somali Hotel
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources including The New York Times By Jeffrey Gettleman & Mohamed Ibrahim contributed to this report from Galkaiyo, Somalia
(NSI News Source Info) NAIROBI, Kenya - August 24, 2010: Somali insurgents disguised in government military uniforms stormed a Mogadishu hotel on Tuesday and killed at least 30 people, including 6 lawmakers, laying bare how vulnerable the Somali government is, even in an area it claims to control.
Somali government forces walk outside the Muna Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia, Tuesday Aug, 24, 2010. A suicide bomber and a gunman stormed the hotel in Somalia's capital on Tuesday, killing at least 15 people, including members of parliament, a military spokesman said.










Somali government forces walk outside the Muna Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia, Tuesday Aug, 24, 2010. A suicide bomber and a gunman stormed the hotel in Somalia's capital on Tuesday, killing at least 15 people, including members of parliament, a military spokesman said.

The insurgents methodically moved room to room, killing hotel guests who tried to bolt their doors shut, Somali officials said. When government forces finally cornered the gunmen, two insurgents blew themselves up with suicide vests.
The heaviest fighting in Mogadishu since the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan, causes the death of at least 36 civilians and the injury of 95 others. Mogadishu, Somalia. 24/08/2010
The heaviest fighting in Mogadishu since the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan, causes the death of at least 36 civilians and the injury of 95 others. Mogadishu, Somalia. 24/08/2010

The attack shows that “operational momentum has shifted to the insurgents, who can go anywhere they want except where the African peacekeepers are deployed,” said J. Peter Pham, senior vice president at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy.
Somalia's Islamist Shebab fighters patrol on August 23, 2010 near a camp in northern Mogadishu�s Suqaholaha neighborhood minutes before they engaged in an offensive against the Somali government forces which left at least 12 dead on August 23, 2010. Somalia's Shebab launched an offensive against government troops and African Union forces in Mogadishu Monday, sparking clashes that left 11 civilians dead and 53 wounded, medics said. The Al Qaeda-inspired insurgent group launched an offensive against government army barracks in the neighbourhoods of Hodan, in the south, and Bondhere, in the north, witnesses said.Somalia's Islamist Shebab fighters patrol on August 23, 2010 near a camp in northern Mogadishu�s Suqaholaha neighborhood minutes before they engaged in an offensive against the Somali government forces which left at least 12 dead on August 23, 2010. Somalia's Shebab launched an offensive against government troops and African Unionforces in Mogadishu Monday, sparking clashes that left 11 civilians dead and 53 wounded, medics said. The Al Qaeda-inspired insurgent group launched an offensive against government army barracks in the neighbourhoods of Hodan, in the south, and Bondhere, in the north, witnesses said.


Several Somali politicians said the government was so thoroughly under siege that it could only work from behind fortified, sandbagged positions, and that the shrinking government enclave in Mogadishu, the capital, could soon vanish altogether.
Somalia's Islamist Shebab fighters hold a position on August 23, 2010 at a camp in northern Mogadishu�s Suqaholaha neighborhood minutes before they engaged in an offensive against the Somali government forces which left at least 12 dead. Somalia's Shebab launched an offensive against government troops and African Union forces in Mogadishu Monday, sparking clashes that left 11 civilians dead and 53 wounded, medics said.

Somalia's Islamist Shebab fighters hold a position on August 23, 2010 at a camp in northern Mogadishu�s Suqaholaha neighborhood minutes before they engaged in an offensive against the Somali government forces which left at least 12 dead. Somalia's Shebab launched an offensive against government troops and African Unionforces in Mogadishu Monday, sparking clashes that left 11 civilians dead and 53 wounded, medics said.


“The problem is the government is not working hard on security; it’s the same old thing,” said Asha A. Abdalla, a member of parliament who was in Nairobi during the attack. Like many others in the 550-memberSomali parliament, she often stays in Kenya because of the dangers of living in her country.
Sheik Ali Mohamud Rage, a spokesman for the al-Shabab militia,Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010, in Mogadishu, Somalia who said that members of the group's "special forces" had carried out the attack against those "aiding the infidels." Scores of people were killed during the attack.AP

Sheik Ali Mohamud Rage, a spokesman for the al-Shabab militia,Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010, in Mogadishu,Somalia who said that members of the group's "special forces" had carried out the attack against those "aiding the infidels." Scores of people were killed during the attack.


“But I don’t know what the A.U. is doing either,” Mrs. Asha said, referring to the more than 6,000 African Union peacekeepers in Mogadishu. “If they are not protecting MPs, who are they protecting?”
UNAMID soldiers guard a high-level meeting with Chinese, European, United Nations and African Union officials in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur on July 5, 2010.
















UNAMID soldiers guard a high-level meeting with Chinese, European, United Nations and African Unionofficials in El-Fasher, the capital of NorthDarfur on July 5, 2010.

The most powerful insurgents are the Shabab, a militant Islamist group that has publicly stoned civilians to death and pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda. The Shabab seem to be constantly two steps ahead of Somalia’s transitional government, analysts say, despite the fact that the Somali government receives tens of millions of dollars in security assistance from the United States and other Western countries.
An African Union (AU) Peacekeeping Forces soldier patrols the Port of Mogadishu 09 December 2007 in Somalia. One person was killed today and three others wounded when Somali forces clashed with Islamist insurgents in a volatile area of the capital Mogadishu, witnesses said.
An African Union (AU) Peacekeeping Forces soldier patrols the Port of Mogadishu 09 December 2007 inSomalia. One person was killed today and three others wounded when Somali forces clashed with Islamist insurgents in a volatile area of the capital Mogadishu, witnesses said.

American officials have said the transitional government, however weak and disorganized, is the best bulwark against a Shabab-ruled Somalia, though in reality the Shabab already rule much of Somalia.
Residents in southern Mogadishu, Somalia, look at the dead body of a man, Somali government claimed to be an Islamist militant who was killed by a roadside bomb he was planting under a pile of garbage near a street in southern Mogadishu's Afisiyoni area, on Saturday Aug. 21, 2010.













Residents in southern Mogadishu, Somalia, look at the dead body of a man, Somali government claimed to be an Islamist militant who was killed by a roadside bomb he was planting under a pile of garbage near a street in southern Mogadishu's Afisiyoni area, on Saturday Aug. 21, 2010.

The battle now seems to be turning to Mogadishu, specifically the few neighborhoods that the government still marginally controls, like the areas around the presidential palace, seaport and airport. Earlier this year, Somali government officials promised to sweep the Shabab out of the capital and expand their zone.
But government forces have been plagued by defections and apathy, Somali commanders concede, and it seems that the Shabab are the ones on the offensive. The hotel raid followed intense shelling against government positions on Monday, which killed dozens of people and sent mortar bombs crashing into camps for internally displaced people.
“There’s been fierce fighting and the government is getting pushed back,” said Abdirizak Farah, a shopkeeper who fled his home at 4 a.m. Tuesday to seek shelter closer to government troops.
The three story hotel that was attacked, the Muna, was popular among Somali lawmakers because it was thought to be secure and is located less than a mile away from the presidential palace in a breezy seaside neighborhood. Witnesses said a group of about three to five insurgents appeared at the gate at 10:30 a.m. wearing government military uniforms, and that as soon as the hotel guards opened the way for them, the gunmen opened fire.
They then rushed into the hotel corridors, shooting everyone in sight. Government forces arrived a few minutes later and battled the insurgents room-by-room, eventually pushing the gunmen to the upper floor. According to witnesses, several lawmakers tried to lock themselves in their rooms, but they were hunted down and shot at close range with assault rifles.
“They killed everyone they saw inside the hotel and then blew themselves up,” said Abdirahman Omar Osman, Somalia’s information minister. Mr. Abdirahman called the attack “murder” and said it was “against Islamic religion,” especially during the holy month of Ramadan.
Another Somali official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said the Shabab were “using all tactics. They don’t care about Ramadan. They are criminals. They are terrorists.”
An 11-year-old shoeshine boy and a woman selling tea in front of the hotel were also killed, African Union officials said.
The hotel raid seemed to have been planned well in advance, and several residents living near the hotel said that Shabab fighters had been renting rooms for weeks in their neighborhood, leading them to expect a major attack.
A Shabab spokesman on Tuesday said that Shabab "special forces" were the ones who stormed the hotel. Earlier on Tuesday, the government claimed to have captured one of the attackers.
The last time the government was dealt such a deadly blow was in December, when the Shabab killed four government ministers in a suicide bombing at a medical school graduation in another hotel in the government zone.
Then in July, the Shabab claimed credit for killing dozens of World Cup fans in coordinated bombings in Uganda, saying it was revenge against Ugandan peacekeepers.
Analysts said that Tuesday’s raid on the hotel, though, was something different, with gunmen going toe-to-toe against government forces in an area teeming with government troops, which seemed to be a sign of increasingly brazen and confident insurgents.
Somalia has lurched from crisis to crisis since 1991, when the central government collapsed. Several Somali officials have conceded that if it were not for the African Union peacekeepers, the transitional government would fall, most likely in hours.
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

DTN News: US Coast Guard Orders Three Additional Airbus Military CN235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft

Defense News: DTN News: US Coast Guard Orders Three Additional Airbus Military CN235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft
* The US Coast Guard has ordered three additional Airbus Military CN235s through EADS-North America, which is the prime contractor for EADS military and defence products sold into the United States
Source: DTN News / EADS-CASA
(NSI News Source Info) MADRID, Spain - August 24, 2010: The US Coast Guard, which holds options for up to six more aircraft over the next four years, is using the CN235s as Maritime Patrol Aircraft, under the designation HC-144A Ocean Sentry. The contract
for the three HC-144As is valued at US $117 million.
The HC-144 is based on the CN235 of which more than 250 are in operation in 26 countries. It plays a crucial role in Coast Guard aviation missions that include maritime patrol, ntelligence/surveillance/reconnaissance, cargo and personnel transport, as well as disaster relief.The aircraft achieved initial operational capability last year, and has since distinguished itself with exceptional performance in a variety of situations, including the Coast Guard's responses to the Haiti earthquake and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. HC-144s have even been used to transport rehabilitated wildlife affected by the spill.
“The men and women of the Coast Guard have an incredibly wide-ranging and challenging mission, and we are proud to provide them with an aircraft that matches their flexibility and readiness,” said Sean O'Keefe, EADS North America CEO. “This year we've seen the Ocean Sentry tested in some very high-profile missions, and it has delivered every time.”
Adds Airbus Military Managing Director Domingo Ureña: “This repeat order by the US Coast Guard is a great honour for us. It demonstrates that the CN235 is delivering on its promises and that they are very confident in the value of their „Ocean Sentry' aircraft for their future needs. This is really a great success for our product.”
The Coast Guard currently operates ten Ocean Sentries and will receive another later this year. The newly ordered aircraft are to be delivered from 2011. Plans call for the Coast Guard to acquire a total fleet of 36 Ocean Sentries. The HC-144A is replacing the Coast Guard's aging fleet of HU-25 Guardian Falcon jets.
Based on the Airbus Military CN235 platform, the HC-144A will be fitted with a search radar, electro-optical and infrared cameras, an Automatic Identification System for data collection from vessels at sea, and a communications suite. A rear ramp allows for easy cargo operations, and also accommodates a roll-on-roll-off mission systems pallet that the Coast Guard is acquiring separately for the Ocean Sentry. The HC-144 offers superior range and loiter time, allowing it to stay on station longer during search and rescue, patrol or persistent surveillance operations.
About the CN235
Able to carry up to six tonnes of payload and a maximum cruise speed of 240 kt (450 km/h), the CN235 is able to take off from and land on short, semi-prepared runways with soft surfaces thanks to its Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) characteristics and the strong landing gear with tandem low-pressure tyre. Its excellent handling qualities, high manoeuvrability and fast engine (two General Electric GE CT7-9CE-3,1750 shp) response allow safe critical operations at a very low altitude. Outstanding reliability and supportability result in high aircraft availability and the lowest life cycle cost (LCC) in its class. The CN235 MPA is in operation with the USCG, the Irish Air Corps and the Civil Guard in Spain, among others.
About Airbus Military
Airbus Military is the only military and civic transport aircraft manufacturer to develop, produce, sell and support a comprehensive family of airlifters ranging from three to 45 tonnes of payload. Within Airbus, Airbus Military is responsible for the A400M programme, as well as the Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) A330 and for further military derivatives based on Airbus civil aircraft. Together with the smaller C295, CN235 and C212, Airbus Military is the global leader in the market segments for light and medium-sized military transport aircraft. Altogether Airbus Military has sold more than 1,000 aircraft with over 650 flying with more than 100 operators worldwide.
Contacts for the media
Jaime Perez-Guerra
Head of Communications Airbus Military
Airbus Military
Tel.: +34 91.5 85 77 89
Fax: +34 91.5 85 72 64
Barbara Kracht
Media Relations Airbus Military
Airbus Military
Tel.: +34 91.5 85 77 88
Fax: +34 91.5 85 72 64
Related EADS - CASA Press Releases
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http://www.eads.com/eads/int/en/our-company.html