FACTBOX-Endeavour to carry final space station hub, cupola

Defense News ~ Feb 6 (Reuters) - Space shuttle Endeavour is set to launch on Sunday on a 13-day mission to deliver a final connecting hub and a viewing port to the International Space Station.
The flight is the 130th for the U.S. space shuttle program, with four more missions remaining before the fleet is retired at the end of this year. Highlights of the mission include:
* Installing Tranquility, the International Space Station's last connecting hub, which will house life support equipment, a toilet and exercise gear to support the live-aboard crew.
The module was built by Franco-Italian group Thales Alenia Space (TCFP.PA)(SIFI.MI).
* Installing what has been called the crowning gem of the orbiting station -- a dome-shaped module with six trapezoidal side windows and a 31.5-inch (80-cm) circular top window, the largest viewing port ever flown in space. The cupola, which also was built by Thales Alenia Space, is intended as a robotics control station and viewing nook.
* Conducting three spacewalks to hook up the new modules. Veteran astronauts Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick are paired for all three spacewalks, which will be overseen by crewmate Stephen Robinson from inside the station.
* Delivering new parts for the space station's broken water recycling system, designed to purify urine and other wastewater into potable water for drinking, cooking and other uses.
* Delivering new scientific experiments including a study on the Jatropha curcas plant, used for producing biofuel, to see if its breeding process can be sped up for commercial use.

(Reporting by Irene Klotz; editing by Pascal Fletcher and Mohammad Zargham)

/C O R R E C T I O N -- Aviation Week/

Defense News ~ February 5, 2010, In the news release, Under Secretary Aston Carter to Keynote AVIATION WEEK's Defense Technology & Requirements Conference Feb. 17 in DC, issued 05-Feb-2010 by AVIATION WEEK over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that the headline should read "Under Secretary Ashton Carter" rather than "Aston Carter" as originally issued inadvertently. The complete, corrected release follows:
Under Secretary Ashton Carter to Keynote AVIATION WEEK's Defense Technology & Requirements Conference Feb. 17 in DC
Conference will address U.S. Department of Defense's plans for 2011 spending, priority programs, new technologies, and military requirements
NEW YORK, Feb. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- AVIATION WEEK announced today that Ashton Carter, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, will present the keynote address on defense programs at the Defense Technology & Requirements Conference (DT&R) on February 17 in Washington, D.C. Dr. Carter will review Fiscal Year 2011 defense appropriations, with regard to spending priorities and oversight and management of defense programs.
"We are honored to have Under Secretary Carter join us for this important annual event," said Tom Henricks, president, AVIATION WEEK. "Following Secretary Gates' statements this week and the unveiling of President Obama's budget, the entire A&D industry is interested to know what programs will continue to be a priority, and what will be cut. DT&R will help define what we can expect in 2010 and 2011."
Panel discussions and speakers will cover the FY2011 Defense Budget; the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR); U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps requirements and resource allocations; Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR); cybersecurity; tactical aircraft; airlift and refueling tankers; ground combat vehicles and more.
In addition to Under Secretary Carter, attendees can expect to hear from top Department of Defense officials including General James E. Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Robert F. Hale, Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller); and Zachary J. Lemnios, Director of Defense and Engineering and Chief Technical Officer for the Defense Department.
Hosted by AVIATION WEEK, the annual Defense Technology & Requirements Conference will be held at the Marriott Washington Metro Center in Washington, D.C. on February 17-18. A mainstay for defense planning and discussion, the conference attracts 200 senior defense executives from business, military, and government agencies.
For more information or to register, visit http://www.aviationweek.com/conferences/dtarmain.htm or call 212-904-3195. Discounts are available for government and active military personnel. Press passes can be requested through Lisa Jaycox at +1 212-512-3272. Video interviews and news from the event will be available online at AviationWeek.com and Twitter: @aviationweek, #DTAR. For ongoing coverage of the global defense industry visit the AviationWeek.com defense channel and the ARES defense technology blog.
DT&R is produced by AVIATION WEEK with the media support of Defense Technology International. Sponsors include Accenture and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
About AVIATION WEEK
AVIATION WEEK, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies, is the largest multimedia information and services provider to the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries, and includes http://AviationWeek.com, Aviation Week & Space Technology, Defense Technology International, Business & Commercial Aviation, Overhaul & Maintenance, ShowNews, Aviation Daily, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, The Weekly of Business Aviation, World Aerospace Database, AVIATION WEEK Intelligence Network, and MRO Prospector. The group also produces major events around the world.
About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts, Capital IQ, J.D. Power and Associates, McGraw-Hill Construction and Aviation Week. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2009 were $5.95 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.


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Wall Street cuts losses, closes up with techs, materials

By Angela Moon

Defense News ~ NEW YORK February 5, 2010, (Reuters) - Stocks erased a midday drop to end slightly higher on Friday, closing out a volatile week punctuated by mixed signals from the labor market data and growing anxiety over fiscal problems in Europe.
Major indexes turned positive heading into the close, as investors scooped up shares in the technology and materials sectors -- two of the worst perforomers during the market's latest pullback.
"It's bargain hunting in an oversold market," said Cleveland Rueckert, market analyst at Birinyi Associates in Stamford, Conneticut. "At least in the short term, selling was overdone."
Earlier, the major indexes dropped more than 1 percent on the initial interpretation that January's payrolls data was another sign of a sluggish job market recovery, and concerns about the euro zone's sovereign debt problems persisted.
U.S. employers unexpectedly cut 20,000 jobs in January, but the unemployment rate dropped to a five-month low of 9.7 percent, the Labor Department reported.
The Dow Jones industrial average (DJI:^DJI - News) closed up 10.05 points, or 0.10 percent, at 10,012.23. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index (^SPX - News) ended up 3.08 points, or 0.29 percent, at 1,066.19. The Nasdaq Composite Index (Nasdaq:^IXIC - News) gained 15.69 points, or 0.74 percent, to close at 2,141.12.
STOCKS' FOURTH WEEKLY SLIDE
For the week, the Dow fell 0.6 percent, the S&P 500 slid 0.7 percent and the Nasdaq lost 0.3 percent, marking their fourth consecutive weekly drop.
With some investors betting that the sell-off of recent days may have run its course, sectors that were beaten down headed higher late in the session.
Cisco Systems (NasdaqGS:CSCO - News) and Intel Corp (NasdaqGS:INTC - News) ranked among the Dow's top advancers, and helped the Nasdaq erase losses. Cisco rose 2.3 percent to close at $23.70 and Intel gained 2.4 percent to end at $19.47.
Materials stocks also rebounded after falling throughout most of the day, with Alcoa Inc (NYSE:AA - News) up 2.1 percent at $13.18.
European policy-makers scrambled to reassure markets about the stability of the 16-nation currency bloc, and Portugal backed a law that may push its swollen deficit higher.
The biggest losers included industrial shares, with General Electric Co (NYSE:GE - News) off 1.6 percent at $15.79 and Boeing Co (NYSE:BA - News) down 1.6 percent at $58.40.
On Thursday, the Dow briefly slipped below the crucial 10,000 mark as stocks suffered their worst daily declines in more than nine months.
Total volume of 12.44 billion shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, well above last year's estimated daily average of 9.65 billion. It was the heaviest trade since Dec 18.
Declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by a ratio of 17 to 13, while on the Nasdaq, about seven stocks rose for every six that fell.
(Reporting by Angela Moon; editing by Jan Paschal)

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CORRECTING and REPLACING Non-Traditional ISR Summit to Discuss New Platforms Increasing Warfighter Survivability and Seamless Operations

Defense News ~ NEW YORK--February 5, 2010, (BUSINESS WIRE)--Please replace the release dated February 2, 2010 with the following corrected version due to changes in the quote in the third graph of the release.
The corrected release reads:
NON-TRADITIONAL ISR SUMMIT TO DISCUSS NEW PLATFORMS INCREASING WARFIGHTER SURVIVABILITY AND SEAMLESS OPERATIONS
The Institute for Defense and Government Advancement (IDGA) is pleased to announce the inaugural Non-Traditional ISR Summit, scheduled for March 22 – 24, 2010 in the Washington, DC Metro Area.
The event, sponsored by BAE Systems and Digital Results Group, will offer the vital opportunity to gain first-hand insight into ISR support into strike operations, discover the new immediate need for integration of Non-Traditional ISR, receive detailed updates on challenges between EW and Non-Traditional ISR, and engage in joint efforts through briefings on the most advanced research and development.
“At this year’s Non-Traditional ISR Summit, we are very excited to bring together the key stakeholders and end-users from the ISR community. Speakers from the FBI, DoD ISR Task Force, Air Force ISR Agency, Electronic Warfare Operations, Naval Research Laboratory and many more will discuss manned vs. unmanned ISR, benefits of ISR, current programs and future plans for Non-Traditional ISR activities," said Luis Hernandez, IDGA’s Non-Traditional ISR Project Manager.
Confirmed Speakers Include:
*Lieutenant General Craig Koziol, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense - Intelligence
*Colonel Dan Johnson Commander, 480th ISR Wing, Langley Air Force
*Colonel Eric Mathewson, Director of the Air Force UAS Task Force
*Lieutenant Colonel Wesley A. Ardt, Chief of Electronic Warfare Operations - Analysis
*James Shircliffe Jr., FBI, Critical National Assets/Technology Unit
For more information on sponsoring or attending the Non-Traditional ISR Summit please visit http://www.NonTraditionalISR.com or contact Alexa Deaton at alexa.deaton@idga.org.
The Institute for Defense & Government Advancement (IDGA) is a non-partisan information-based organization dedicated to the promotion of innovative ideas in public service and defense through live conferences and events. We bring together speaker panels and events comprised of military and government professionals while attracting delegates with decision-making power from military, government, and defense industries.
In addition to our live events, IDGA also offers an online community dedicated to providing defense industry professionals with breaking news, business opportunities, introductions, podcasts, webinars, and presentations from key industry leaders. Members of our online community are able to extend their live event experience and interact with the defense industry by leveraging the opportunity to network, share ideas, best practices, and business solutions.
For more information, please visit http://www.idga.org.

Contact:
IDGAAlexa Deaton, 212-885-2725
alexa.deaton@idga.org

RemoteMDx and STOP Announce Settlement of GPS Offender Tracking Patent Litigation

Defense News ~ SANDY, UT and HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwire - 02/05/10) - RemoteMDx, Inc. (OTC.BB:RMDX - News), together with its subsidiary SecureAlert, Inc. and Satellite Tracking of People LLC ("STOP") of Houston, Texas, announced today that they have settled lawsuits pending in Texas and California and entered into a settlement agreement which encompasses the cross-licensing of certain patents and related technology, inclusive of but not limited to the patents that were the subject of the litigation.
Under the settlement agreement, STOP and RemoteMDx have stipulated to the termination of all litigation between them, acknowledged infringement and validity of the patents-in-suit, and agreed to license a portfolio of certain of each other's patents and related technology. In consideration of the net value of the licenses and rights granted between the parties, RemoteMDx will pay STOP a settlement fee, as well as royalty payments based on future RemoteMDx one-piece GPS tracking device and related monitoring service revenues, subject to certain revenue thresholds, minimums and conditional adjustments.
The licensing agreement will provide RemoteMDx with access to STOP's RE39,909 one-piece patent and certain other STOP patents, while RemoteMDx grants rights in its U.S. Patent No. 7,330,122 and certain other RemoteMDx patents to STOP.
John Hastings, President and Chief Operating Officer of RemoteMDx, stated, "We are pleased to add depth to our patent portfolio with this settlement agreement. It adds significant value to our company, products and services, while permitting us to continue to develop important intellectual property strength throughout critical areas, as we provide our services to corrections and law enforcement agencies throughout the world." Mr. Hastings added, "The licensing of STOP and RemoteMDx intellectual properties will better serve the needs of a continuously expanding offender tracking marketplace and the agencies and customers served by both companies, which will allow us to better meet the needs of our respective customer bases. We can concentrate our resources and energies to focus on our future growth, which is in the best interests of our stakeholders."
Steve Logan, Chief Executive Officer of STOP, commented, "STOP has made significant investments in our acquisition and development of the patents around our GPS device. Our patents include the original one-piece tracking technology from the 1990s, an approach counter-intuitive to the offender GPS technology at that time that has since become the preferred standard for offender tracking. While STOP's focus is providing one-piece GPS devices and services directly to governmental agencies, we also pride ourselves in being in the position to supply technology and intellectual property to this growing industry." Mr. Logan added, "We are very pleased to have reached an agreement with RemoteMDx and SecureAlert, and believe this positions each company to better serve the offender tracking marketplace through enhanced and ever-evolving technologies."
About RemoteMDx, Inc.
RemoteMDx (website at www.remotemdx.com) is a leading edge, patented monitoring, case management and advanced communications technology company, widely utilized by approximately 15,000 offenders in over 625 law enforcement agencies, judicial districts and county jurisdictions across 35 states, with applications targeted for offender tracking and homeland security. Through its SecureAlert subsidiary, RemoteMDx observes and tracks offenders no matter where they may be -- in their car, home or office. SecureAlert offers the only single-piece device and GPS tracking technology integrated with 3-way voice, text and data communications, which interacts with real time intervention monitoring services, and is unrivaled in the industry. The SecureAlert programs allow convicted criminals to re-enter society by keeping them accountable 24 hours a day, every day, supporting rehabilitation initiatives and providing for enhanced public safety, while reducing the overall burdens and costs carried by the criminal justice and corrections systems. To learn more about RemoteMDx, visit www.remotemdx.com.
About STOP
Satellite Tracking of People LLC (STOP; website at www.stopllc.com) is a leading provider of Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking systems and services to government agencies. Our system offers these agencies the most recent technological one-piece GPS developments in offender tracking. STOP offers patented systems and one-piece GPS products unmatched in the industry. STOP was founded by a group of corrections and technology professionals who realized that although incarceration is sometimes the only alternative for violent criminals, too often it is used because it is the only safe sanction available. The founders of STOP were convinced that the criminal justice system required a technologically advanced, cost-efficient, electronic monitoring solution. STOP provides this desired alternative using BluTag� and its family of monitoring devices and our VeriTracks� application.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act, including future growth and earnings opportunities of the company. Examples of forward-looking statements in this release include references to the results of operations during future periods, the success of implementing cost-cutting plans, the goal for break-even operating results, future phases of the company's business plan, and the launch of new products. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the company's ability to retain and to promptly satisfy current backorders and other economic, competitive, governmental, technological, regulatory, manufacturing and marketing risks associated with the company's business and financial plans. The contents of this release should be considered in conjunction with the risk factors, warnings, and cautionary statements that are contained in the company's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact:

Jeffrey Peterson

Investor/Media Relations

866-451-6141

ir@remotemdx.com

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REMOTE MDX INC Files SEC form 8-K, Other Events, Financial Statements and Exhibits - EDGAR Online
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RemoteMDx, Inc. Announces Management Changes to Leverage $21.8 Million Recapitalization - Marketwire
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Opsens named as part of 2010 TSX Venture 50

Defense News ~ QUEBEC CITY, Feb. 5 /CNW Telbec/ - TSX Venture Exchange today announced that Opsens Inc. (TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE: OPS - News) has been named as one of the TSX Venture 50, a ranking of strong performers listed on TSX Venture Exchange. TSX Venture 50 is comprised of 10 emerging companies in five industry sectors that have been identified as leaders in Canada's public venture market.
"It is an honour to be named as part of this year's TSX Venture 50," said Pierre Carrier, President and CEO of Opsens. "Opsens became, almost four years ago, a public company dedicated to the development and the commercialization of patented fiber optic sensor systems for the measurement of pressure/temperature in the oil and gas, medical, laboratory and transformer markets. These markets have growing needs for the instruments we develop to improve and optimize their operations. Our products are unique and their effectiveness has been proven. Opsens works at increasing its market shares in each of these sectors."
Pierre Carrier continues: "Our products' performances and our attention to our clients' needs are the key elements in our progression. Our listing on TSX Venture Exchange has provided us with the ideal environment to meet our growth goals and objectives."
The 2010 TSX Venture 50 were selected based on four equally weighted criteria that include return on investment, trading, analyst coverage and market capitalization growth in Cleantech, Diversified Industries, Mining, Oil & Gas and Technology and Life Sciences sectors.
"We are pleased to celebrate the 2010 TSX Venture 50," said John McCoach, President, TSX Venture Exchange. "These outstanding companies are proven leaders in their respective sectors and we are proud to have them listed on TSX Venture Exchange. We wish them all continued success."
About Opsens (www.opsens.com)
Opsens is a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of a wide range of fiber optic sensors and associated signal conditioners based on proprietary patented and patent pending technologies. Opsens' sensors provide long-term accuracy and reliability in the harshest environments. Opsens provides sensors to measure pressure, temperature, strain and displacement to original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and end-users in the oil and gas, medical, high-power transformers, and laboratory fields. Opsens provides complete technical support, including installation, training, after-sales service, for its fiber optics systems that are regulated by the ISO 9001-2008 norm.
The information contained herein is for information purposes only and is not an invitation to purchase securities listed on TSX Venture Exchange and/or Toronto Stock Exchange. TMX Group Inc. and its affiliates do not endorse or recommend any securities referenced. Neither TMX Group Inc. nor its affiliated companies represents, warrants or guarantees the accuracy or the completeness of the information. You should not rely on the information contained herein for any trading, business or financial purposes. TMX Group Inc. and its affiliates assume no liability for any errors or inaccuracies herein or any use or reliance upon this information.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-looking statements contained in this press release involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance and achievements of Opsens to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the said forward-looking statements.

For further information
Pierre Carrier, President and CEO, (418) 682-9996
Louis Laflamme, CA, CFO, (418) 682-9996


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AeroMechanical Services Ltd. Named as Part of 2010 TSX Venture 50

Defense News ~ CALGARY, Alberta--February 5, 2010, (BUSINESS WIRE)--TSX Venture Exchange today announced that AeroMechanical Services Ltd. (“AMA”) has been named as the number one ranked company within the diversified industries sector of the TSX Venture 50, a ranking of strong performers listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. TSX Venture 50 is comprised of 10 emerging companies in five industry sectors that have been identified as leaders in Canada’s public venture market.
“It is an honour to be named as part of this year’s TSX Venture 50 and especially as the number one ranked company within AMA’s industry sector,” said Bill Tempany, CEO. “Our listing on the TSX Venture Exchange has provided us with the ideal environment to meet our growth goals and objectives.”
The 2010 TSX Venture 50 were selected based on four equally weighted criteria that include return on investment, trading, analyst coverage and market capitalization growth in Cleantech, Diversified Industries, Mining, Oil & Gas and Technology and Life Sciences sectors.
“We are pleased to celebrate the 2010 TSX Venture 50,” said John McCoach, President, TSV Venture Exchange. “These outstanding companies are proven leaders in their respective sectors and we are proud to have them listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. We wish them continued success.”
About AeroMechanical Services Ltd.
AeroMechanical Services Ltd. provides proprietary technological solutions and services designed to reduce costs and improve efficiencies in the aviation industry. The company has successfully commercialized three products and associated services currently marketed to airlines, manufacturers and maintenance organizations around the world. Its premier technology, afirs™ UpTime™, FLYHTStream™ and FIRSTTM allows airlines to monitor and manage aircraft operations anywhere, anytime, in real-time.
afirs, UpTime, FLYHT, FLYHTStream and aeroQ are Trade Marks of AeroMechanical Services Ltd.
The information contained herein is for information purposes only and is not an invitation to purchase securities listed on TSX Venture Exchange and/or Toronto Stock Exchange. TMX Group Inc. and its affiliates do not endorse or recommend any securities referenced. Neither TMX Group Inc. nor its affiliated companies represents, warrants or guarantees the accuracy or the completeness of the information. You should not rely on the information contained herein for any trading, business or financial purposes. TMX Group Inc. and its affiliates assume no liability for any errors or inaccuracies herein or any use or reliance upon this information.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6168979&lang=en
MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6168979

Contact:
AeroMechanical Services Ltd
Tom French, CFO, 403-291-7427
tfrench@amscanada.com
www.amscanada.com
or
The Howard Group Inc.
Bob Beaty, 1-888-221-0915
Info@howardgroupinc.com
www.howardgroupinc.com


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Eurocopter says Taiwan helicopters for civil use

Defense News ~ PARIS, Feb 5 (Reuters) - European helicopters being sold to Taiwan are civil models to be used for search and rescue missions, manufacturer Eurocopter said on Friday.
Taiwan said earlier it would buy up to 20 military helicopters from Europe less than a week after Washington infuriated China by proposing a $6.4 billion arms deal for the island which Beijing claims as its own."Eurocopter confirms that, following an international tender, it has been selected by Taiwan for the purchase of 3 EC225 civil helicopters, which will be used for search and rescue missions," Eurocopter said in a statement.
Eurocopter is a subsidiary of French, German and Spanish group EADS (EAD.PA).
Eurocopter said the EC225 was already being operated in China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam for search and rescue missions, offshore operations and VIP transport.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Dan Lalor)

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Hong Kong Airlines Selects Pratt & Whitney PW4000 Advantage70(TM) Engines in $470 Million Deal

Defense News ~ SINGAPORE, Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SINGAPORE AIR SHOW -- Hong Kong Airlines has selected Pratt & Whitney's PW4170 Advantage70™ engine to power six new Airbus A330 aircraft. The memorandum of understanding, valued at approximately $470 million at list prices, includes two spare engines and a fleet management program. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.
"We are very pleased with the fuel burn and environmental performance benefits of the PW4170 Advantage70 engine," said Wang Jun Shan, General Manager Purchasing Management Department, of HNA Group, parent company of Hong Kong Airlines. "We look forward to extending these benefits to our customers."
"Pratt & Whitney is proud that HNA Group is the second Chinese carrier to select the PW4170 Advantage70 engine to power its new Airbus A330 aircraft," said Todd Kallman, president, Commercial Engines & Global Services, Pratt & Whitney. "The Advantage70 engine has performed extremely well since entering service last year."
Pratt & Whitney offers the Advantage70 both as a new engine and as an upgrade kit for existing engines. The upgrade includes a suite of technology enhancements that can be incorporated into a fleet during engine overhaul. Advantage70 technology delivers superior engine performance, including a 2 percent thrust increase, a 1 percent reduction in fuel consumption, increased durability, and reduced maintenance costs.
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries.

Contacts;
Katy Padgett
Commercial Engines & Global Services
Int'l Cell +1-860-324-6121
kathleen.padgett@pw.utc.com
Greg Brostowicz
Pratt & Whitney
+860-565-1655
gregory.brostowicz@pw.utc.com


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France hopeful Brazil will buy its Rafale jets

* Minister says has reason to be confident on Rafale sale

* Brazil has said still undecided on French jets

Defense News ~ PARIS, Feb 5 (Reuters) - France is confident that Brazil will choose French-made Rafale jets as its next generation fighter planes, trade minister Anne-Marie Idrac said on Friday.
"Brazil's decision is not confirmed. We have indeed information that gives us reason to be confident," Idrac told reporters on the sideline of a news conference on trade figures.
"We think our plane has so many qualities that we have reason to be optimistic," she added.
Idrac was speaking one day after Brazil's Defense Minister Nelson Jobim denied his country had reached an agreement to buy Rafale jets from Dassault Aviation (AVMD.PA), and that his government was still undecided.
A local newspaper had earlier reported Brazil had agreed on a price to buy 36 Rafale jets.
The Rafale is in competition with the Gripen NG made by Sweden's Saab (SAABb.ST) and the Boeing Co (BA.N) F-18.

(Reporting by Veronique Tison and Dominique Vidalon; editing by Marcel Michelson and Jon Loades-Carter)

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Bombardier Aerospace Delivers 302 Aircraft in Fiscal Year 2009/10

Defense News ~ MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - 02/05/10) - - Business aircraft: 176 deliveries; 85 negative net orders
- Commercial aircraft: 121 deliveries; 88 net orders
- Amphibious aircraft: 5 deliveries; 8 net orders
Bombardier Aerospace announced today that it delivered 302 aircraft for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2010, compared to 349 aircraft deliveries in the previous fiscal year 2008/09 (year ending January 31, 2009). It received 11 aircraft orders, net of cancellations, compared to 367 orders, net of cancellations, for the previous fiscal year. With the aviation industry continuing to struggle in the current difficult economic environment, Bombardier Aerospace's performance was solid.
"The global economic crisis which began in 2008 continued to impact the civil aviation industry throughout 2009 as conditions remained challenging," said Guy C. Hachey, President and Chief Operating Officer, Bombardier Aerospace. "While indicators of market stabilization have started to emerge, we remain cautious as economic uncertainty still prevails. We have taken significant steps to strengthen our operations and continue to invest significantly in future programs. We strongly believe that through flawless execution and by creating a loyal customer base for our products and services, we will emerge from this crisis a stronger and more efficient company," he added.
Business Aircraft
In fiscal year 2009/10, Bombardier delivered 176 business jets, compared to 235 for the same period last fiscal year, in line with the 25 per cent decrease in business aircraft delivery guidance provided in 2009.
Business aircraft deliveries for the current fiscal year 2010/11 are expected to be approximately 15 per cent less than fiscal year 2009/10.
Commercial Aircraft
In fiscal year 2009/10, Bombardier delivered 121 commercial aircraft, compared to 110 for the previous fiscal year. This is in line with the 10 per cent increase in commercial aircraft delivery guidance provided last year.
Bombardier expects that most of the deliveries of its commercial aircraft will take place in the last three quarters of the current fiscal year 2010/11 as a result of the production rate reductions announced in 2009 and the delay in the certification and entry into service of the CRJ1000 aircraft to the second half of fiscal year 2011. Compared to the previous fiscal year, the Corporation expects to deliver approximately 20 per cent fewer commercial aircraft in fiscal year 2010/11.
Tables at the end of this press release provide delivery totals and net order totals for business, commercial and amphibious aircraft for the previous fiscal year 2009/10.
Note:
All fiscal year 2009/10 delivery and order numbers are unaudited.
About Bombardier
A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from commercial aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, systems and services, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2009, were $19.7 billion US, and its shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). Bombardier is listed as an index component to the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. News and information are available at www.bombardier.com.

Contact:
Contacts:Bombardier Aerospace
Marc Duchesne
514-855-7989
www.bombardier.com


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Qantas unit signs $3.5 bln order for engines, service

Defense News ~ SINGAPORE, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Jetstar Airways, a unit of Qantas (QAN.AX), has signed a $3.5 billion deal with International Aero Engines for V2500 engines and long-term services, it was announced at the Singapore Airshow on Friday.
The International Aero Engines consortium groups Pratt & Whitney (UTX.N) together with Rolls-Royce (RR.L), MTU Aero Engines (MTXGn.DE) of Germany and a trio of Japanese heavy engineering companies.
The announcement by the airshow organisers said the deal consisted of $1.5 billion for the engines and $2.0 billion for a long-term service agreement.

(Reporting by Raju Gopalakrishnan; Editing by David Fogarty)

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Neuro Kinetics Is Company 'To Watch,' Says Top Defense Publication

Heralds "Critically Important" Research into Early Diagnosis of Combat Brain Injuries
Defense News ~ PITTSBURGH, Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Defense Technology International, an influential publication serving the defense and military markets, says medical device manufacturer Neuro Kinetics, Inc. (www.neuro-kinetics.com) is a company "to watch" for its research into new methods of detecting traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) in wounded combat soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.
Neuro Kinetics is one of just eight companies serving the military to be highlighted by the magazine. (http://www.zinio.com/reader.jsp?issue=416111587&p=88)
"We're honored to be given this distinction by Defense Technology International," said J. Howison Schroeder, Neuro Kinetics president and CEO. "We believe our work with the military holds great promise. America's wounded soldiers deserve the best care possible and we are proud to be playing a part to improve early and accurate diagnosis of brain injuries that can have life-long consequences for them."
Defense Technology International notes that Neuro Kinetics' research "is critically important, since an estimated 20% of soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq suffer from mild TBIs."
Neuro Kinetics is collaborating with military medical specialists at U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL) at Fort Rucker (Alabama), Tripler Army Medical Center (Hawaii), The Traumatic Brain Injury Warrior Resilience and Recovery Center at Fort Campbell (Kentucky) and Walter Reed Army Medical Center (D.C.) in the comprehensive research effort.
The coordinated research focuses on using Neuro Kinetics' I-Portal® NOTC (Neuro-Otologic Test Center) system to evaluate and characterize neuro-otologic and neuro-physiologic, conditions that appear to indicate otherwise hard-to-detect mTBI as a result of blast exposure.
A portion of the research is being supported financially by grants from the T.R.U.E. Research Foundation (http://trueresearch.org), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that assists the military medical community.
A number of other U.S. military hospitals have installed the I-Portal NOTC system to improve diagnosis and monitoring of returning brain-injured military personnel. Other federal government medical facilities, including those operated by the Veterans Administration and the National Institutes of Health, also rely on Neuro Kinetics equipment for conducting daily clinical evaluations of patients as well as undertaking a range of research projects.
ABOUT NEURO KINETICS, INC.
Neuro Kinetics, Inc. (www.neuro-kinetics.com) is a fast-growing manufacturer of noninvasive medical test equipment used worldwide by audiologists, neurologists, neuro-otologists, ophthalmologists, otolaryngologists and other medical specialists in the detection and evaluation of neurological, otological and vestibular disorders. The privately owned company, originating in the 1970s, pioneered the development of vestibular and neuro-otologic testing equipment, including the renowned Barany (rotational) chair. The company's patented products include the I-Portal® NOTC system (Neuro-Otologic Test Center), I-Portal® VNG (Video Nystagmography) system and I-Portal® VOG (Video Oculography) system, along with related accessories, software, training and support services. Users include doctors and researchers in universities and government facilities as well as specialists in fields such as audiology, neurology, neuro-otology, ophthalmology and otolaryngology.

John Buckman
Buckman Communications, for Neuro Kinetics, Inc.
+ 1 412-381-2900
jbuckman@buckman.biz


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Photo Release -- Northrop Grumman Facilities Honored by California Environmental Agency for Recycling Activities

Defense News ~ LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Several Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC - News) sites have been honored by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery as Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) winners.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://media.globenewswire.com/noc/mediagallery.html?pkgid=7060
Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) Winners. Established in 1993 by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, the Waste Reduction Awards Program annually recognizes those California businesses that have made outstanding efforts to reduce the volume of paper, cardboard and other recyclable waste products that otherwise might end up in local landfills.
For the fourth consecutive year, Northrop Grumman's Navigation Systems Division in Woodland Hills was cited for its comprehensive waste reduction and recycling activities, including recycling approximately 660 tons of waste and the reuse of more than eight tons of green waste each month as compost at its 58-acre Woodland Hills facility.
Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sites in El Segundo and Palmdale each won the WRAP award for the 12th consecutive year. The two sites, which together employ about 8,000 people, recycled approximately 1,000 tons of waste in 2009.
Northrop Grumman's Defense Systems Division was cited for its comprehensive waste reduction and recycling activities including diverting nine tons of waste in 2008 at its 20-acre Carson facility. The Carson facility has been recognized for its WRAP efforts since 1998.
"We are very proud that several of our facilities have been recognized and continue to be recognized for their waste reduction efforts," said Tom McCabe, corporate director, Environmental, Health and Safety for Northrop Grumman. "We feel that those efforts not only benefit Northrop Grumman but also the communities in which we live and work."
As part of Northrop Grumman's long-standing environmental initiatives, employees are encouraged to actively support environmentally-friendly initiatives at work, at home and in their local communities. Several volunteer employee resource groups at the company are focused on the continued development and implementation of a wide range of "green" initiatives of benefit to both the company and the surrounding community.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Contact:
Gina Piellusch
Northrop Grumman Corporation
(818) 715-2285
gina.piellusch@ngc.com


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Lockheed Martin Receives $243 Million from the U.S. Air Force for Joint Air-To-Surface Standoff Missile Lot 8 Production

Defense News ~ ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has received a U.S. Air Force contract valued at $243.5 million for an eighth production lot of the JASSM cruise missile. The award brings the total contracted quantities of the cruise missile to over 1,200.
The Lot 8 contract is for 158 JASSM missiles, along with fuze reliability, parts obsolescence efforts, test instrumentation kits, system reliability and flight test support. In recent flight tests on B-52 and F-16 aircraft, the stealthy standoff cruise missile proved its reliability and capabilities across a wide variety of targets – including hardened, underground bunkers and air defense systems.
"This contract enables Lockheed Martin to continue to provide the critical capabilities of JASSM to the Warfighter," said Alan Jackson, JASSM program director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "JASSM's combination of standoff range, low observable flight and high lethality provides an unrivaled precision engagement capability and a greater range of options to combatant commanders."
"With the recent success of Lot 7 reliability testing, a successful test flight of a production upgrade vehicle, and the award of this contract, JASSM is back on track," said Lt. Col. Jeff Gates, U.S. Air Force Deputy Program Manager for JASSM.
JASSM is a critical weapon for the U.S. Air Force, with eight production lots already under contract toward a total objective of 4,900 JASSM and JASSM-ER (Extended Range) missiles. Lockheed Martin also produces the baseline JASSM for foreign military sale customers. JASSM has been successfully demonstrated on the B-1, B-2, B-52 and F-16 aircraft. Future platforms include the F-15E, F/A-18 and F-35.
A 2,000-pound class weapon with a penetrator/blast fragmentation warhead, JASSM cruises autonomously in adverse weather, day or night, using a state-of-the-art infrared seeker in addition to the anti-jam GPS to find a specific aimpoint on the target. Its stealthy airframe makes it extremely difficult to defeat.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2009 sales of $45.2 billion.
For additional information, visit our website: http://www.lockheedmartin.com

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GE Aviation Completes Second GPS-Independent Navigation System Flight Test for Automated Aerial Refueling Applications

Defense News ~ GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--February 4, 2010, (BUSINESS WIRE)--GE Aviation successfully completed a second flight test of its Electro-Optical Grid Reference System (EOGRS) in support of future automated aerial refueling applications in late December 2009. This activity further expands the EOGRS operational envelope and demonstrated performance enhancements beyond those which were successfully achieved during the first flight test conducted in late July 2009.
"These flight tests confirm the viability of our technology for aerial refueling drogue stabilization and tanker-relative navigation, including in a GPS-denied scenario,” said Stuart Mullan, president, Military Business for GE Aviation Systems. “This is the second successful airborne test of proprietary GE laser-grid technology and the wealth of data that was gathered confirms robustness and field of view improvements over the first flight.”
This second flight test enabled GE to confirm refinements made to the grid navigation system transmitter and detectors. An Omega Aerial Refueling Services Inc K-707 tanker was again used for the flight test. It was modified by adding GE’s EOGRS transmitter and a form, fit, and function replacement US/NATO MA-3 refueling drogue with EOGRS detectors.
This flight test provides high fidelity refueling drogue motion and position data, allowing GE to validate EOGRS navigation accuracy, integrity, continuity and availability.
Advances in automated aerial refueling technology, such as GE’s EOGRS, will increase the safety of manned refueling as well as facilitate unmanned refueling operations. This technology is a key enabler of persistent, world-wide aerial refueling operations. In addition, EOGRS solves the complex portion of the automated refueling equation by providing a system capable of performing terminal guidance between the tanker and receiver aircraft. The GE EOGRS tanker-relative navigation system is on a path toward certification as a sole and/or supplemental means of navigation.
GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE - News), is a world-leading provider of jet engines, components and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings. GE Aviation Systems LLC and GE Aviation Systems Ltd are subsidiaries of General Electric Company. For more information, visit us at www.ge.com/aviation.

Contact:
GE Aviation
Jennifer Villarreal, +1 616 241 8643
jennifer.villarreal3@ge.com


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Kubotek USA Donates Software for SkillsUSA Championships Contestants

Defense News ~ MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--February 4, 2010, (BUSINESS WIRE)--Kubotek USA is pleased to be providing its KeyCreator software to support SkillsUSA Championship competitions and students nationwide. The donation will provide KeyCreator software to local, statewide and national level SkillsUSA competitions for use by students, and fully licensed versions of KeyCreator will be given as prizes to student winners of state and national level contests.
“It’s important for students to be exposed to 3D direct CAD, especially as companies in the supply chain begin shifting away from popular history-based CAD software,” states Scott Sweeney, Vice President, Kubotek USA. “KeyCreator is a 3D Direct Modeler that is perfect for students—easy to learn, easy to use and great for conceptualizing new designs. Students can focus their energy into learning how to apply design concepts and not just a software package.”
SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization serving teachers and high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, including health occupations. Students can showcase their occupational and leadership skills in competitions, culminating with the annual national level SkillsUSA Championships. The vision of SkillsUSA to bring students, teachers and industry together to ensure America has a skilled workforce resonates profoundly with Kubotek.
Mark Parent, COO, Kubotek USA says, “Kubotek is very interested in helping educational institutions train the next generation of workers. We believe that design, engineering and manufacturing are critical to a strong economy in the US. SkillsUSA helps us reach out to those students who see the value in technical know-how.”
Adds David Worden, Program Director, SkillsUSA Championships, “We are happy to have the support of Kubotek USA. We rely on like-minded business and industry sponsors to help us continually grow and improve our programs and competitions.”
Students competing in the following contests will be eligible for KeyCreator, as well as free, online training: Architectural Drafting, Automated Manufacturing Technology, Engineering Technology, Technical Drafting, Precision Machining Technology, CNC Milling and CNC Turning. Interested students can visit Kubotek’s website to fill out a grant form.
About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA has more than 305,000 members annually, organized into 13,000 chapters and 54 state and territorial associations (including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands).
SkillsUSA prepares America’s high performance workers. It provides quality education experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development. It builds and reinforces self-confidence, work attitudes and communications skills.
SkillsUSA programs also help to establish industry standards for job skill training in the classroom, and promote community service. SkillsUSA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and is cited as a successful model of employer-driven youth development training program by the U.S. Department of Labor.
For more information: www.skillsusa.org.
About Kubotek
The Kubotek Corporation Creation Engineering Division is the leading pioneer in geometry-based engineering software. Kubotek’s flagship KeyCreator 3D direct modeling product introduced the first-ever capabilities for real-time feature inference in 2005 and direct dimension-driven editing in 2007. KeyCreator is used by design and manufacturing professionals to innovate new solutions, improve quality, and reduce time-to-market in a broad range of applications from jet aircraft to medical prosthetics to consumer packaging. Other Kubotek software products include Validation Tool™ for precise CAD model comparison and Spectrum multi-CAD viewer.
Visit Kubotek USA at: www.kubotekusa.com.
Kubotek, KeyCreator, Validation Tool, Kubotek Spectrum and CADKEY are registered trademarks or trademarks of Kubotek Corporation. All other brand or product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

Contact:
Kubotek USA, Inc.
Andrea Giles, 508-229-2020
marketing@kubotekusa.com


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