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Recent News Analysis:
- Turkey's
Democracy Put to Crucial Test
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) has
won a convincing victory in the July 2007 elections, but despite
the opposition's claims, it plans to allow only few Islamic
values in future government institutions. Turkey is concerned
with the fundamentalist rise sponsored by neighboring Iran's
radical regime. Therefore, as Erdogan's moderate leadership
maintains its wise and balanced political leadership, Turkey
could be on the right track.
- The Jordanian
Badr Brigade - Can it Save Abu Mazen's West Bank?
The Palestinian Fatah movement is eager to project
a new image - no longer brutal terrorists - meet the new Fatah
- ordinary cops with polished boots and well-pressed uniforms,
assisting in the splendidly routine business of maintaining
law and order among their own people. They May be able to sell
this image abroad but can they hold against their own millitants,
from Hamas and the Islamic Jihad?
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Boeing [NYSE: BA] won a $7 million US Army contract to
design key elements for a truck mounted High Energy Laser
(HEL) that will demonstrate the capability to destroy rockets,
artillery shells and mortar rounds. The Army US Army Space
and Missile Defense Command has yet to announce its selection
of the Solid State Laser provider for the program. Boeing's
share of the program could increase up to $50 million if
both phase I and II options are exercised. The Army US Army
Space and Missile Defense Command has yet to announce its
selection of the Solid State Laser provider for the program.
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International Military and Government (IMG), of Warrenville,
Illinois is accelerating its production and suppy base to
increase capacity in respose to the urgent and growing demand
for the highly protected vehicles. Last week the company
received a fourth production order for 755 Mine
Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Category I vehicles
bringing the total orders MRAP awarded to IMG to over $1.045
billion, placing it the first place among all MRAP suppliers.
The Pentagon expects to receive all vehicles produced by
IMG, including 1,955 Category I and 16 heavier (Category
II), before February 2008.
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The Pentagon has awarded Boeing with a framework for UAV
reconnaissance and surveillance services in support of the
US Marine Corps' I and II Marine Expeditionary Forces (MEFs)
deployed in Iraq . The framework order is worth $10 million
for services provided till the year's end. This contract
includes options for continued services until 2010, which,
if exercised, would bring the cumulative orders value up
to $381.5million. Boeing is providing these services with
the ScanEagle tactical UAV system.
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Boeing [NYSE: BA] and partner Science Applications International
Corporation (SAIC), Lead Systems Integrator for the U.S.
Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) program, today announced
that the US Army has authorized planning for FCS low-rate
initial production, including long-lead items for the first
FCS capability Spin Out and Manned Ground Vehicle (MGV)
early production units which will carry the Non-Line-of-Sight
Cannon (NLOS-C) planned for fielding in 2010, according
to a Congressional mandate.
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PVI's ShieldAll armor
system developed by Battelle and PVI, is designed to
offer broader protection, in a relatively lightweight and
compact application - this armor solution is 1/3 lighter
than steel armor, yet provides EFP protection which standard
steel armor does not. The new armor recently completed a
series of testing where it demonstrated its resilience against
IED effects. The new armor is part of the two MRAP type
vehicles (Golan
and Alpha)
built by PVI and its partners (RAFAEL and Oshkosh) for teh
US Military.
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The Air Force is seeking the acceleration in fielding of
Combat Air Patrols (CAP) maintained by MQ-1
armed Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, from 12 orbits
currently operating in Iraq and Southwest Asia to 21 Predator
combat air patrols by December 2009. Three additional CAPs
will be deployed soon to Iraq, boosting full motion video
and rapid strike capability to the Joint Force Commander.
Two of these CAPs are expected to be active this summer
or by early fall.
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Alliant Techsystems (NYSE:ATK) and German defense contractor
MBDA LFK-Lenkflugkorpersysteme GmbH will jointly pursue
potential international sales of the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation
Guided Missile (AARGM). The cooperation focuses particularly
on the interest of the German Ministry of Defense in product
improvement of the AARGM and additional derivatives of the
AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM). Italy has
already partnered with ATK on the AARGM two years ago. The
AARGM program plans a series of additional launches during
the SD&D phase and expects to begin Low Rate Initial
Production in FY08.
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