• ICS Computer is Ready for FCS Mobile Platforms
• Thales, BAE Systems Team For Combat ID Prospects
• Israel Air Force Receives First Strategic UAV from IAI/Malat
• Mobile User Objective System (MOUS) On Track for Review
• U-ADD Completes First Test Flight
• BAE Systems Unveil Vehicle Power Management System
• Germany Exercises Option for 22 PacBot EOD Robots
• Force protection Offload Production to Armor Holdings

Analysis:

• Russian Journalist Mystery
  Russia is among the most dangerous countries for journalists these days, plagued by attacks on reporters who seek to expose official corruption and other murky abuses.
  
• Ethnic Opposition on the rise in Iran
  While no definite proof has surfaced over any direct, or indirect involvement of American intelligence agencies in the latest bombing in Zahedan, the US should certainly be interested inflaming ethnic and political opposition inside Iran.
  

ICS Computer is Ready for FCS Mobile Platforms

Bradley fighting vehicles, Abrams main battle tanks and Command Variant HMMWVs will be equipped with ICS as part of the fThe first Integrated Computer Systems (ICS) were delivered last week to the U.S. Army’s Future Combat Systems (FCS) program. The prototype units supplied by the ICS team will provide mobile FCS elements with computing, networking and information assurance resources to enable current force vehicles to be a part of the FCS network.irst spin-out of FCS future force technologies in 2008. The ICS team include General Dynamics C4 (NYSE:GD) and Rockwell Collins (NYSE:COL).

Thales, BAE Systems Team For Combat ID Prospects

BAE Systems and Thales have formed a teaming arrangement to provide combat identification technologies for ground vehicles. Such capabilities are pursued by NATO forces as well as the US Army and Marine Corps. The U.S. Army is expected to seek proposals later this year. The team plans to offer the battlefield target identification (BTID) device that combines a millimeter-wave CID technology developed by Thales. BAE Systems will provide vehicle and network integration services, based on its extensive experience with the US Army.

Israel Air Force Receives First Strategic UAV from IAI/Malat

The Israel Air Force (IAF) received this week the medium-altitude, long endurance Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) system developed and produced by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The Heron UAV (IAF designation "Shoval") has already been operational with the IAF through since the 2006 conflict in Lebanon, when an IAI owned Heron was employed by joint IAI / IAF teams throughout the conflict. Its performance, endurance, payload capacity and multi-sensor carrying capability introduce new potential for the multi-task usage of UAVs. Heron is the largest and heaviest of the IAF's UAV fleet, capable of carrying the largest payloads, introducing more flexible payload mix, compared to other UAVs in IAF service.

Mobile User Objective System (MOUS) On Track for CDR

The Lockheed Martin-led Mobile User Objective System (MOUS) team is on-schedule toward completion of the Critical Design Reviews (CDR) phase in March 2007, where the detailed design of the U.S. Navy's MOUS is examined, ensuring all requirements are met. The ground system and terminal waveform software developed by team member General Dynamics C4 have recently passed the CDR for all segments of the ground system as well as the terminal waveform software to be inserted into waveform libraries to be used in future JTRS radios. When fielded, MOUS will establish the U.S. military's next-generation narrowband global mobile satellite communications system.

U-ADD Completes First Test Flight

Textron Systems U-ADD guided dispenser was flown through a full mission for the first time during a demonstration held by the US Air force UAV Battlelab in October 2006. U-ADD was controlled throughout its flight by the GuideStar flight control system, developed by Athena Technologies. A U-ADD Product Improvement activity will be ongoing starting in 2007 with the US Air Force’s UAV Battlelab, Creech AFB, NV.

BAE Systems Unveil Vehicle Power Management System

BAE Systems has developed a prototype advanced power management system designed to provide military tactical wheeled vehicles with substantial capacity to generate electric power, addressing a critical warfighter need. When installed in a standard HMMWV the new power system delivers sufficient electricity to operate electronic mission systems on board combat vehicles, including subsystems such as electronic warfare, situational awareness, communications, and vehicle prognostics and diagnostics, eliminating the need to operate dedicated generators to power the mission equipment.

Germany Exercises Option for 22 PacBot EOD Robots

The German Federal Defense Force (Bundeswehr) is exercising an option to buy 22 additional PacBot EOD robots from iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ:IRBT). The company reported the receipt of an order worth over US$2.8 million for the follow-on order. In 2006 the Germans procured 18 robots from the company. iRobot expects to deliver the robots in Q2 2007. To date, iRobot has delivered more than 800 PackBot robots to a broad range of military and civilian customers around the world.

Force protection Offload Production to Armor Holdings

Force Protection Industries, Inc. awarded Armor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AH) a production order worth US$40.7 million for the production of Cougar Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles for the USMC. This is the first order resulting from the teaming agreement announced by the two companies last year. The companies are discussing continuation of the cooperation on follow-on Cougar production, should Force Protection receive additional U.S. Marine Corps MRAP orders. Deliveries will be made in 2007. Force Protection has also reached teaming agreement with General Dynamics, for joint production of Cougar vehicles.