DTN News - BOEING NEWS: Boeing Announces Sixth Leg of 787 Dream Tour

DTN News - BOEING NEWS: Boeing Announces Sixth Leg of 787 Dream Tour

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 11, 2012: Boeing (NYSE: BA) will bring the 787 Dreamliner to seven more cities on the sixth leg of the Dream Tour later this month and continuing into May. Stops include cities in the U.K., Norway, Italy and the U.S.

"The Dream Tour has provided us with a great platform to show customers, partners, government officials and other stakeholders just what the team has achieved with the 787," said Larry Loftis, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. "It's an honor to showcase this airplane as we bring it around the world."

The airplane will depart from Seattle on April 21. The dates listed below are landing dates for each city or airport. Customers, employees, partners, government officials and other stakeholders will be invited to attend tour events at each location. There are no general public tour opportunities.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.ca/2012/04/dtn-news-boeing-news-boeing-announces.html

DTN News - ISRAELI DEFENSE NEWS: The Israeli Red Flag

DTN News - ISRAELI DEFENSE NEWS: The Israeli Red Flag

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 24, 2012: For the third time in the last six months the Israeli Air Force has hosted foreign fighter pilots for tactical training. Israeli fighter pilots are considered the best trained in the world, and Israel maintains a special training program, complete with pilots trained and equipped to operate as likely foes would, to train their own pilots. The latest nation to send fighters and pilots for training is Poland, flying F-16s in for that purpose. Previously, Italy had sent Typhoons and Tornados and Greece F-16s.

The Israeli training center is based on the one pioneered by the U.S. Air Force Red Flag program and the U.S. Navy's Top Gun training. Using American aircraft for "aggressor (or dissimilar) training" began in the 1960s. The original "Top Gun" fighter pilot school was established in 1969, by the U.S. Navy, in response to the poor performance of its pilots against North Vietnamese pilots flying Russian fighters. What made the Top Gun operation different was that the training emphasized how the enemy aircraft and pilots operated. This was called "dissimilar training". In the past, American pilots practiced against American pilots, with everyone flying American aircraft and using American tactics. It worked in World War II because the enemy pilots were not getting a lot of practice and were using similar aircraft and tactics anyway. Most importantly, there was a lot of aerial combat going on, providing ample opportunity for on-the-job training. Not so in Vietnam, where the quite different Russian-trained North Vietnamese were giving U.S. aviators an awful time. The four week Top Gun program solved the problem. The air force followed shortly with its Red Flag school.

Over the last 40 years the two training programs have developed differently, and the entire concept of "dissimilar training" has changed. The navy kept Top Gun as a program to hone a fighter pilot's combat skills. The air force made their Red Flag program more elaborate, bringing in the many different types of aircraft involved in combat missions (especially electronic warfare). But after the Cold War ended it became increasingly obvious that none of America's potential enemies was providing their fighter pilots with much training at all.

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Strategy Page

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.ca/2012/03/dtn-news-israeli-defense-news-israeli.html 

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: 10 Companies Profiting Most From War

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: 10 Companies Profiting Most From War

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 7, 2012: Global sales of arms and military services by the 100 largest defense contractors increased in 2010 to $411.1 billion, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The increase reflects a decade-long trend of growing military spending. Since 2002, total arms sales among the 100 largest arms manufacturers have increased 60 percent.

The institute recently published its annual report on the leading arms producing companies in the world -- SIPRI Top 100. The report identifies the largest companies in the sector and provides each company’s arms sales as a percentage of its total sales. Based on the report, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 10 companies with the highest revenue from arms sales. These companies alone account for $230 billion -- over half of all arms sales that year.

While many industries continued to suffer in 2010 as a result of the financial crisis, leaders in the arms and military services were largely unaffected. According to SIPRI arms industry expert Susan Jackson, when sales dropped, it was not because of the financial crisis. Instead, Jackson notes that loss in sales was due to “the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq and the subsequent expected decrease in related equipment sales.”

The composition of the 10 largest manufacturers reflects the state of modern warfare. More and more, battles are fought remotely through air surveillance and strikes rather than on-the-ground combat. As a consequence, seven of the 10 largest companies are among the leading aerospace companies. Surveillance and battlefield communications also are increasingly important in modern warfare. All of the companies in the top 10 have significant electronics divisions.

Of the 100 companies on the list, 44 are based in the U.S., including Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin. The American companies account for more than 60 percent of arms sales revenue of the 100 manufacturers. Seven of SIPRI’s top 10 are American, one is British, one is Italian and one is a multinational EU conglomerate. The U.S. federal government has contract deals with all seven American companies. These seven are among the top 10 U.S. federal contractors by amount procured, according to the government’s Federal Procurement Data System.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/03/dtn-news-defense-news-10-companies.html

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Third MEADS Battle Manager Arrives In Huntsville For Integration Testing DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Third MEADS Battle Manager Arrives In Huntsville For Integration Testing

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Third MEADS Battle Manager Arrives In Huntsville For Integration Testing

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada /ORLANDO/MUNICH/ROME - February 22, 2012: Lockheed Martin has begun integration testing on the third completed Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS)  battle manager at its facility in Huntsville, Ala.  

Integration testing on the third battle manager will continue throughout 2012 in support of a ballistic missile intercept test planned at White Sands Missile Range in 2013. Two other battle managers are already supporting system testing at Pratica di Mare Air Force Base in Italy and Orlando, Fla.

The MEADS battle manager controls an advanced network-centric open architecture that allows any combination of sensors and launchers to be organized into a single air and missile defense battle element. Through a capability called plug-and-fight, sensors, shooters or other battle managers act as nodes on the network. From the MEADS battle manager, a commander can add or subtract nodes as the situation dictates without shutting down the system.

MEADS International President David Berganini said, “Following the successful first MEADS flight test in November, the team continues to evolve MEADS’ battle management software and the plug-and-fight network, demonstrating coverage and flexibility that other systems cannot provide, including a 360-degree defense that protects our warfighters against next-generation threats.”

Using its 360-degree defensive capability, the advanced MEADS radars and  PAC-3 MSE

Missile, MEADS defends up to eight times the coverage area with far fewer system assets and significantly reduces demand for deployed personnel and equipment, which reduces demand for airlift.

MEADS International, a multinational joint venture headquartered in Orlando, Fla., is the prime contractor for the MEADS system. Major subcontractors and joint venture partners are MBDA in Italy and Germany, and Lockheed Martin in the United States.

The MEADS program management agency, NAMEADSMA, is located in Huntsville, Ala.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-defense-news-third-meads.html

DTN News - ISRAEL DEFENSE NEWS: Israel’s Decision To Buy Italian Trainer Planes Dampen T-50 Sale Efforts

DTN News - ISRAEL DEFENSE NEWS: Israel’s Decision To Buy Italian Trainer Planes Dampen T-50 Sale Efforts


(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 18, 2012: Israel has decided to purchase 30 Italian-made trainer aircraft in its $1 billion procurement project, snubbing South Korea’s efforts to sell its homegrown planes overseas.


Israeli defense officials told the media on Thursday that their government had reached a preliminary deal to buy the M-346 military training planes built by the Italian firm Alenia Aermacchi. 


Israeli officials, quoted in news reports, cited the suitability of the Italian jets to the direct needs of the Israeli air force, the cost and other factors as the reason for the choice.


With support from the Seoul government, Korea Aerospace Industries, the country’s sole aircraft maker, has made aggressive efforts to sell its T-50 supersonic trainer jets to Israel. 


KAI developed the T-50 with technological assistance from the U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin. It has a maximum speed of Mach 1.5 with a maximum range of about 1,500 kilometers.


“We have yet to receive any formal notification about Israel’s decision to purchase Italy’s trainer aircraft. I understand officials in Israel told local reporters about it,” a KAI official told The Korea Herald on condition of anonymity.


“There Israeli government did not carry out an official bidding process. We have sought to tap into the market and Israel just considered the two trainer jets. So, it is not right to say we have lost in any official competition there.”


He downplayed any negative impact from Israel’s decision on the overseas marketing efforts.


“Israel was just one of the countries to which we have sought to export our T-50. In the defense industry, there are political, diplomatic variables as well, which are apparently as important as (equipment’s) actual qualities,” he said.


Israel has long maintained strong traditional ties with Italy. Industry insiders said it was a tough battle for Seoul to overcome the limits stemming from the close relationship between the two countries.


KAI is currently seeking to sell T-50 aircraft to the U.S., Chile, the Philippines and other nations. Last May, it signed a $400 million contract with Indonesia to for 16 T-50s. 


Having developed the FA-50 light combat plane based on the T-50 platform, the firm has also been working to tap into the countries that have to replace their aging F-4 and F-5 fighters.


Experts have estimated that the global demand for trainer jets and light fighters over the next three decades will amount to around 3,300 units. KAI aims to export around 1,000 units during that period.


http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-israel-defense-news-israels.html

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Italy Widely Expected To Scale Back F-35 Orders

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Italy Widely Expected To Scale Back F-35 Orders

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 12, 2012:  Italy seems certain to scale back its major investment in Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, heightening uncertainty over the troubled stealth jet's future.

Defence Minister Giampaolo Di Paola has said repeatedly since January that the country's originally planned order of the 131 supersonic warplanes by 2018 was being "reviewed" because military spending cuts were necessary as part of Prime Minister Mario Monti's austerity plan to shore up public accounts.

General Claudio Debertolis, secretary general of the Defence Ministry and the country's armaments chief, confirmed to lawmakers on Tuesday that cuts were expected.

"There will be a revision of this Joint Strike Fighter programme to align it with disposable resources," he said.

Italy will ask for about 30 fewer planes, Corriere della Sera daily reported on Friday, without citing its source. Panorama magazine gave the same number on Jan. 18.

Government sources and lawmakers told Reuters that it was premature to say how many of the F-35 fighters Italy will order because of uncertainty over the version of the aircraft designed for short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL).

This version is supposed to replace ageing Harrier jets on Italy's new hi-tech Cavour aircraft carrier.

On Tuesday Monti's Cabinet will examine the Defence Ministry's new spending plan that includes reducing F-35 outlays and personnel cuts, according to a government source. The minister will then detail the package to parliament on Wednesday.

The Pentagon's F-35 program office declined comment on Italy's plans, saying all of the partner countries would meet in Australia in March to discuss their production plans.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-defense-news-italy-widely.html

DTN News - LOCKHEED MARTIN DEFENSE NEWS: Eleventh C-5B Inducted To Become Super Galaxy

DTN News - LOCKHEED MARTIN DEFENSE NEWS: Eleventh C-5B Inducted To Become Super Galaxy
 (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 7, 2012: Lockheed Martin inducted the 11th aircraft to the C-5M Super Galaxy production line on Feb. 1, 2012. 
Based at Dover Air Force Base, Del., this aircraft has supported the warfighter’s operations across the globe. It has delivered cargo in locations such as Iraq, Italy, Germany, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Spain and Turkey. 
Aircraft 86-0017 has accumulated more than 18,000 flight hours and more than 4,300 full-stop landings
Mission The C-5 Galaxy is one of the largest aircraft in the world and the largest airlifter in the Air Force inventory. The aircraft can carry a fully equipped combat-ready military unit to any point in the world on short notice and then provide the supplies required to help sustain the fighting force. 


http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-lockheed-martin-defense-news.html