Tuesday, May 24, 2011

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated May 24, 2011

Defense News:
DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated May 24, 2011
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - May 24, 2011: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued May 24, 2011 are undermentioned;

CONTRACTS

AIR FORCE

Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems of Redondo Beach, Calif. is being awarded a $427,900,000 contract modification which authorizes Northrop Grumman to perform design and development, including the incorporation of Department of Defense mission assurance and compliance requirements, to modify the National Polar Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System baseline to establish the Defense Weather Satellite System baseline. Work will be performed at Redondo Beach, Calif. At this time, $11,652,000 has been obligated. The contracting activity is SMC/PKW, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. (FO 4701-02-C-0502 PO0145)

Aerojet General Corporation of Rancho Cordova, Calif. is being awarded a not to exceed $31,778,418 firm fixed price contract modification for the procurement of warhead cases and internal components to support the Precision Lethality MK82 Quick Reaction Capability program. This effort will cover delivery of 50 test warhead cases and internal components as well as post initial operation capability support for the Air Force and up to 70 test warhead cases and internal components for the Navy. This effort also includes the procurement of 400 warhead cases and internal components, support for first article inspection of warheads manufactured on steel mandrels and configuration control boards. Work will be performed at Rancho Cordova, Calif. At this time, $15,571,424 has been obligated. The contracting activity is AAC/EBSK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (FA8677-10-C-0335-PO0007)

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems of Poway, Calif. is being awarded a $13,721,224 cost plus fixed fee contract for the purchase of 8 Linux processors, 41 improved display kits and associated spares for the ground control stations under the Predator/Reaper program. Work will be performed at Poway, Calif. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. The contracting activity is ASC/WIIK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. (FA8620-05-G-3028 002511)

NAVY

Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wisc. is being awarded a ceiling price total $111,450,983 ($97,146,579.11 Obligated) Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Delivery Order 0010 under contract W56HZV-09-D-0111 for 177 each MRAP – All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV) with underbody improvement kits in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The U.S. Army TACOM Contracting Center, Warren, Mich. is the contracting activity, Oshkosh Corp. Contract No., W56HZV-09-D-0111.

Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors, Moorestown, N.J., is being awarded an $11,354,238 modification to previously awarded contract (N63394-06-D-1158) for additional contractor support for design agent and engineering services in support of the Mk 92 Fire Control System program. This effort includes provision of materials and services to refurbish and repair Mk 92 Fire Control System equipment (i.e. ordnance alteration kits), engineering services, and field services in support of in-service engineering requirements as well as material and services required for equipment changes, repair, and spare and repair parts. The contractor will also provide drawings, software engineering, and documentation development. Lastly, field engineering services are required to support Navy, Coast Guard, and foreign navies through Foreign Military Sales. Work will be performed in Moorestown, N.J., and is expected to be completed by August 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $4,344,731 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Port Hueneme Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, Calif., is the contracting activity.

MN-FST Joint Venture (Moffatt & Nichol (MN), Fay, Spofford & Thorndike (FST)), Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a maximum amount $10,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract for civil/structural/waterfront services in support of projects at military installations throughout the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic area of responsibility (AOR). Task order 0001 is being awarded at $274,440 for support preparing a Request for Proposal (RFP) and 35 percent design development for the government’s preparation of Pier 4 design build RFP for the Philadelphia Naval Business Center, Philadelphia, Pa. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by Nov. 2011. All work will be performed in the Mid-Atlantic Northeast AOR including, but not limited to R.I. (20 percent), Maine (20 percent), Conn. (15 percent), N.J. (15 percent), Pa. (10 percent), N.Y. (5 percent), N.H. (5 percent), Mass. (5 percent), Vt. (3 percent), and Del. (2 percent),and is expected to be completed by May 2016. Contract funds in the amount of $274,440 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with eight proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic Northeast Integrated Product Team, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N40085-11-D-7243).



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DTN News -STRATFOR DEFENSE NEWS: China Blocks U.N. Report On Missile Technology Transfers

Defense News: DTN News -STRATFOR DEFENSE NEWS: China Blocks U.N. Report On Missile Technology Transfers
**ANALYSIS: This article is well analyzed by STRATFOR, China is now aiming to unseat the lone super-power U.S. and is in direct competition on stealth aircraft J-20 in comparison to F-22, very soon will test fly stealth helicopter, courtesy Pakistan and Osama bin Laden's Abbottabad mansion raided by SEALs. Enable for China to pursue it's objective, there are two factors - vast consumers market and vast forex (foreign exchange) reserves amounting to $3 trillion, which is one third of the world's forex. Sooner or later, without any doubt - China will make it's presence felt in every factor from military hardware, aviations, automobiles etcetera in the global arena as an economy super power, as of now - second in GDP (ppp), predicted by 2016 would replace U.S. to number one position; Roger Smith DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - May 24, 2011: China blocks U.N. report on Missile Technology Transfers.

Nathan Hughes: Predictable denials, from Iran to China, quickly ensued following the leak of the existence of a confidential U.N. report on ongoing cooperation between Iran and North Korean on ballistic missile development as well as Chinese facilitation of the exchange of materiel between the two countries.

Trilateral cooperation between not just North Korea and Iran, but Pakistan as well, in ballistic missile development has been long established and long known, as has Chinese facilitation. But it is this trilateral relationship that is the most overt, not in any official sense but in the simultaneous existence of near-identical medium-range ballistic missiles in each country’s arsenal, in each case, the longest-range operationally fielded missile in the countries. Alternately known as the Shahab-3 to Iran, the Nodong series to North Korea and the Ghauri to the Pakistanis, these missiles have their roots in Soviet SCUD technology, and Soviet SCUD technology is really a fairly rudimentary extension of Nazi V-2 technology from World War II.

North Korea has been the most successful earliest in extending and expanding this technology beyond the intentions of its original designers, using SCUD technology as the basis for its earliest attempts at putting a small satellite into orbit. All three countries are heavily invested in improving and expanding their ballistic missile arsenals, both through ongoing efforts to acquire newer technologies, techniques and designs from abroad as well as domestic innovation, development and manufacturing.

STRATFOR’s Vice President of Strategic Intelligence, Rodger Baker, will take a closer look at the situation from China’s perspective.

Rodger Baker: The Chinese have several reasons for trying to block this report, or the release of the report, at this time. One of the first is, of course, North Korea is an ally of China, and the Chinese have been working behind the scenes to try to restart the Six-Party Talks, restart nuclear talks with North Korea; if this report comes out, it could throw those off balance again. Perhaps one of the more pressing elements for the Chinese, however, is how this report could reinvigorate something like the U.S. proliferation security initiative. That initiative, which was set up under the previous U.S. president, basically gives a sense of permission for the U.S. and its allies to interdict foreign ships that they consider to be carrying clandestine materials, particularly North Korean ships. The Chinese don’t want to see an increase of this type of activity in the South China Sea or the East China Sea, where Beijing is becoming more active in asserting its own claims; they don’t want to see this as a justification for the U.S. to increase its naval presence in these areas.


The Chinese may not directly support North Korean missile development or Iranian development or Pakistani development, but there are some benefits that they can gain from this. Certainly, North Korea remains a very important issue on the global front, and the Chinese are the ones who can step in and then play that for their own particular political benefits, being the only country that can negotiate on behalf of the North Koreans or calm the North Koreans down. On the Pakistani front, the Chinese are always looking at ways to counterbalance the potential rise of Indian power, particularly to keep India out of expanding its naval capabilities into the Indian Ocean basin, and by having a land power that keeps them busy, that helps. From the Iranian program, again, this keeps the United States locked down in the Middle East; it keeps the U.S. less active in East Asia.

The Chinese really don’t have a lot to lose in trying to block this report. It’s not necessarily out of the normal realm of behavior, so we don’t expect a lot of political fallout from it, but certainly the U.S. and other countries are already going to be using the information from the report, whether it has its official release or not.


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DTN News - ROMANIA DEFENSE NEWS: Elbit Systems To Upgrade Romanian Air Forces' C-130 Transport Aircraft Under Contract Valued At $18.6 Million

Defense News: DTN News - ROMANIA DEFENSE NEWS: Elbit Systems To Upgrade Romanian Air Forces' C-130 Transport Aircraft Under Contract Valued At $18.6 Million
(NSI News Source Info) HAIFA, Israel, - May 24, 2011: Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ and TASE: ESLT) ("Elbit Systems") announced today that it was awarded a contract valued at approximately $18.6 million to upgrade the Romanian Air Forces' C-130 transport aircraft. According to the agreement, the C-130 aircraft will be installed with various types of advanced electronic systems, including those produced by Elbit Systems' wholly owned subsidiary - Elisra Electronic Systems Ltd.

The project, to be performed over four years, will be executed in cooperation with local companies in Romania, lead by the Romanian Aeronautical Industry.

Yoram Shmuely, Co-General Manager of Elbit Systems' Aerospace Division, commented: "We are very proud of this award, which marks an additional milestone in the projects Elbit Systems has performed for the Romanian Air Force in collaboration with Romanian local industry. This new contract attests to the trust and satisfaction we have gained, based on the quality of the projects we have executed for the Romanian Air Force in recent years". Shmuely added: "The global demand for transport aircraft upgrades and the experience we have accumulated in performing various similar projects, including for the Korean C-130 and the Brazilian C-95, position us as market leaders, and we hope other similar projects will follow."

Elbit Systems has been operating in Romania for the past 15 years and executes large scale projects, especially in avionics, in cooperation with many defense industries in Romania, including IAR BRASOV, Avioane Craiova, Aerostar and others. These programs have been performed for the Romanian Ministry of Defense and for other customers in Romania, as well as for customers in other countries. Elbit Systems' activities in Romania are primarily carried out through its wholly-owned Romanian subsidiaries, Elbit Systeme S.A., A-E Electronics S.A, Elmet International SRL and Simultec SRL, which employ approximately 400 employees.

About Elbit Systems

Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international defense electronics company engaged in a wide range of programs throughout the world. The Company, which includes Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries, operates in the areas of aerospace, land and naval systems, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance ("C4ISR"), unmanned aircraft systems ("UAS"), advanced electro-optics, electro-optic space systems, EW suites, airborne warning systems, ELINT systems, data links and military communications systems and radios. The Company also focuses on the upgrading of existing military platforms, developing new technologies for defense, homeland security and commercial aviation applications and providing a range of support services.

For additional information, visit: http://www.elbitsystems.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) regarding Elbit Systems Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries (collectively the Company), to the extent such statements do not relate to historical or current fact. Forward Looking Statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results, performance and trends may differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation: scope and length of customer contracts; governmental regulations and approvals; changes in governmental budgeting priorities; general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates or sells, including Israel and the United States among others; differences in anticipated and actual program performance, including the ability to perform under long-term fixed-price contracts; and the outcome of legal and/or regulatory proceedings. The factors listed above are not all-inclusive, and further information is contained in Elbit Systems Ltd.'s latest annual report on Form 20-F, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.


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DTN News - ISRAEL DEFENSE NEWS: Netanyahu To Outline Peace Vision In Speech To Congress

Defense News: DTN News - ISRAEL DEFENSE NEWS: Netanyahu To Outline Peace Vision In Speech To Congress
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON- May 24, 2011: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would set forth his view of a future Middle East peace in an address to Congress on Tuesday and reaffirmed Israel would never return to its old, narrow borders.

"I will outline a vision for a secure Israeli-Palestinian peace," the right-wing Israeli leader said on Monday about his planned address to a joint meeting of Congress.

"I intend to speak the unvarnished truth. Now more than ever what we need is clarity."

Addressing the annual policy conference of the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobby group, Netanyahu appeared to keep alive a public dispute with President Barack Obama over the shape of a future Palestine.

"(A peace agreement) must leave Israel with security, and therefore Israel cannot return to the indefensible 1967 lines," he said, repeating a term he had used at a testy meeting with Obama at the White House on Friday.

Obama drew Israeli anger a day earlier when he said a Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip should largely be drawn along lines that existed before the 1967 war in which Israel captured those areas and East Jerusalem.

On Sunday, Obama presented that blueprint in his own address to AIPAC on Sunday. But he seemed to ease Israeli anger somewhat when he made clear Israel would likely be able to negotiate keeping some settlements as part of a land swap in any final deal with the Palestinians.

Peace talks are frozen, largely over the issue of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Neither Obama nor Netanyahu have offered a concrete plan to try to revive them.

Netanyahu has a mostly sympathetic ear in Congress, where few lawmakers in either party speak up for the Palestinians, hewing to decades of close U.S.-Israeli ties.

"Support for Israel doesn't divide America, it unites America. It unites the old and the young, liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans," Netanyahu told AIPAC.

"Netanyahu will most likely try to tone down any perceived differences between his position and the president's, because his disagreements with President Obama have become counterproductive for both and ultimately undermine Israel's own interests," said Haim Malka, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

But Republicans in Congress, including leaders in the House of Representatives, are not about to drop their criticism of the Democratic president's newly articulated Mideast vision.

House Republican Leader Eric Cantor said Monday that Obama's comments on Middle East borders left "most Americans ... just questioning what kind of strategy there is. It doesn't make sense to force a democratic ally of ours into negotiating with now a terrorist organization" about land swaps.

Cantor was referring to a unity deal last month between Western-backed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement and Hamas, an Islamist group viewed by the United States as a terrorist organization.

Republican Senator Orrin Hatch's office says he will introduce a resolution saying that it is not U.S. policy to have Israel's borders return to the boundaries of 1967.

Speculation had been high in Israel that Netanyahu would offer new ideas on peacemaking to try to display flexibility and rally opposition to the Palestinians' plan to ask the United Nations to recognize a Palestinian state in September.

In his AIPAC address, Netanyahu reiterated his demand that Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state, a step they fear could impinge on their claim of a right of return for Palestinian refugees displaced by the Israeli-Arab conflict.

Netanyahu first addressed a joint meeting of Congress in 1996 during his first term as prime minister.

While Obama won the Jewish vote overwhelmingly in 2008, some prominent Jewish Americans were rethinking their support for his re-election after this week's events.

Israeli leaders have long regarded AIPAC as a valuable advocacy group in the United States and have frequently attended its annual conventions.

Listing a membership of 100,000, the group has worked with Congress and the White House on securing foreign aid for Israel and legislation to strengthen what it describes as the vital U.S.-Israel relationship.

AIPAC's dominant voice in advocating for Israel has been challenged by J Street, a pro-Israel lobby founded in 2009.

J Street leaders have said the group provides a way for liberal American Jews critical of Israeli government policies to support the Jewish state.

Unlike AIPAC, the group supports President Obama's demand that Israel cease settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, while calling on the Palestinians to end incitement and violence.



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