Defense and homeland security companies continued to outperform
the broader market in 2006 as the benchmark SPADE
Defense Index (AMEX: DXS) gained 19.33% and marked the seventh
consecutive year it has outperformed the S&P500. Defense
stocks are expected to continue to perform well in 2007, and
Merrill Lynch cited them among its top 10 picks for 2007.
Boeing Australia
Provides UAV Services for Australian Troops
Boeing Australia Limited is providing reconnaissance and surveillance
services to the Australian Army units deployed in Iraq, using
the ScanEagle UAV. These
services are currently provided to the Australian soldiers operating
with the Overwatch Battle Group (West)-2 in Operation Catalyst,
in southern Iraq. The service-based ScanEagle solution provides
immediate, operational imagery coverage for the Australian Army
while the next generation I-View
UAV system is being introduced.
The capabilities of both systems will complement each other
in terms of payloads and flight profiles.
MBDA
Gets SCALP/NAVAL French Cruise Missile order
France's general armament agency (Délégation
Générale pour l’Armement – DGA) concluded
a € 910 million contract with MBDA, for the development
and supply of 250 SCALP Naval missiles, a naval derivative of
the Anglo-French Storm
Shadow/SCALP cruise missile. 200 of the new missiles are
destined to equip the French Navy’s FREMM multi-mission
frigates and 50 for the new Barracuda
submarines. The missiles will be delivered in four tranches,
the first tranche covering the delivery of 50 missiles for the
FREMM frigates in 2013. At that time, SCALP Naval will become
Europe’s first naval cruise missile.
BAE Systems has successfully demonstrated a passive geo-location
capability that enables a single aircraft to quickly pinpoint
the location of enemy emitters positions (radars, communications
equipment etc) in crowded radio frequency (RF) environments.
The new system can spot such emitters almost instantaneously,
and construct a geo-location solution, based on data received
on a single platform.
India considers buying Russian made T-90Cs, while delaying
production of locally assembled T-90s. India considers buying
300 upgraded T-90C tanks to be produced by Uralvagonzavod in
Nizhni Tagil, Russia for $866 million during two years. According
to Russian sources, the Indian plant licensed to produce the
tanks has not yet built the capacity to ramp up serial production.
(Kommersant)
Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $619 million contract to
begin low rate production of two lead systems of the Terminal
High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapon System scheduled for
fielding by 2009. Once fielded, THAAD will network with other
systems and sensors to provide the layered missile defense capability
required for the future. The program is managed by the Missile
Defense Agency (MDA). As the system transitions into production,
Israel has informed the USA of its interest in possibly integrating
THAAD capabilities into its missile defense program, to extend
the country's defense against potential nuclear threats.
Egypt Receives
Final Delivery of Upgraded AH-64D
Boeing Company has delivered the final six remanufactured AH-64D
Apache helicopters, which concluded the modernization of 35
Apaches for the Egyptian air force (EAF). The AH-64D Apache
features numerous enhanced capabilities, including longer-range
weapons accuracy and all-weather/night operations, integrated
sensors, networking and digital communications for situational
awareness, and real-time combat management. Eleven nations,
including the United States, operate or have selected Apache
helicopters for their defense needs. More than 1,600 Apaches
have been delivered.
