• Ceradyne, I3 and Oshkosh Team to run the Bull for MRAP II
• DRS Writes Off $37 Million on TWS II Program Modifications
• Financial Summary: Rockwell Collins, L-3
• Elbit Acquires UK Based Ferranti Technologies for £15 million
• Financial Summary: Boeing, General Dynamics, and Allegheny Technologies
• Financial Summary: Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Ceradyne
• International Accelerates MRAP Production To Maximize Output
• PVI's ShieldAll Armor Completes Counter IED Testing
• US Army Launches a Mobile High Energy Laser Weapon Demonstrator
• ScanEagle Deployment in Iraq Could Earn Boeing $381 Million
• FCS Team Gets Green Light To Prepare for Production
• US Navy Receives Short-Range Ballistic Missile Interceptor
• Industry Team Introduce an All-Composite HMMWV
• US-German Cooperation Focus on Advanced Radar Killer
• Predator Combat UAV Patrols to Nearly Double by 2010
• Initial Combat Experience Yields Positive Feedback for Land Warrior

Stumble It!

Recent News Analysis:

• Was Damascus meeting preparation for Shrewd anti-Siniora coup?
  Hezbollah is attempting in vain, at least sofar, to bring down the Government of Lebanon, at the behest of its allies, Syria and Iran. The assassination of Industry Minister, Pierre Gemayel, a Maronite Christian, on 21 November 2006, added boost to the story, the general assumption being that this act was prelude of an ongoing "coup" action plan
• 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.

To receive Defense Update newsbrief by Email please enter your Email: Powered by FeedBlitz Subscribe to get our upcoming features first Upcoming Events (July - August2007): NEW! 2008 Plan is now online AUVSI 2006 - 7-9 August, Washington, DC USA FPED 2007 - 14 - 18 August - Stafford, Virginia USA TADTE 2007 - 16-19 August - Taipei, Taiwan MAKS 2007 - 21 - 26 August, Moscow, Russia
	Ceradyne, I3 and Oshkosh Team to run the Bull for MRAP Ceradyne (NASDAQ:CRDN) and Ideal Innovations (I3) are teaming with Oshkosh Truck Corp. (NYSE:OSK) to provide a truck chassis for the Bull armored vehicle. Ceradyne and I3 developed the Bull addressing the more demanding protection requirements tto be addressed by MRAP II vehicles. With its main competitors, International Engines and Trucks and Armor Holding's Stewart & Stevenson contracted to produce hundreds of MRAPs, Oshkosh was left behind with a relatively small involvement in one of the Pentagon's largest acquisition programs in recent years. The new teaming will enable the Oshkosh to regain a major role in the next phase of the program, offering a mature platform and large production capacities.
	Army Launches a Mobile High Energy Laser Weapon Demonstrator 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.
	International Accelerates Production To Maximize MRAP Output 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.
	ScanEagle Deployment in Iraq Could Earn Boeing $381 Million 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.
	FCS Team Gets Green Light To Prepare for Production 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.
	PVI Introduces a New Armor Protecting Against EFPs 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.
	Predator Combat UAV Patrols to Nearly Double by 2010 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.
	US-German Cooperation Focus on Advanced Radar Killer 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.