SeaWaves Naval News June 23, 2006

Maritime Chemical Spills Clean Up - International Preparedness, Response and Cooperation Protocol in 2007

London June 21, 2006 - The Protocol on Preparedness, Response and Co-operation to Pollution Incidents by Hazardous and Noxious Substances (OPRC-HNS Protocol), 2000, has now achieved enough ratifications for entry into force on 14 June 2007, twelve months after its accession by Portugal, on 14 June 2006, the 15th State to ratify the treaty.

The OPRC-HNS Protocol is aimed at providing a global framework for international co operation in combating major incidents or threats of marine pollution from ships carrying hazardous and noxious substances (HNS), such as chemicals.

The OPRC-HNS Protocol follows the principles of the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co operation (OPRC), 1990, which itself entered into force in 1995.

As in the OPRC Convention, Parties to the OPRC-HNS Protocol will be required to establish measures for dealing with pollution incidents, either nationally or in co operation with other countries. Ships will be required to carry a shipboard pollution emergency plan to deal specifically with incidents involving HNS, which are defined as any substance other than oil which, if introduced into the marine environment is likely to create hazards to human health, to harm living resources and marine life, to damage amenities or to interfere with other legitimate uses of the sea.

The entry into force of the OPRC-HNS Protocol will bring one step closer the completion of an international regime which will ensure that ships carrying hazardous and noxious substances will be covered by measures similar to those already in existence for oil incidents, concerning preparedness and response to spills as well as liability and compensation, which, in the case of HNS, is dealt with under the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea (HNS), adopted in 1996 and providing for a compensation and liability regime for incidents involving specifically defined HNS substances. (It has not yet entered into force).

Liability and compensation regimes for oil pollution incidents are covered by the 1992 Protocols (updated by the 2000 Protocols) to the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, 1969, the International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage, 1971, as well as the 2003 Protocol on the Establishment of a Supplementary Fund for Oil Pollution Damage.

Female Naval Cadet to Enter US Naval Academy

Seoul June 22, 2006 - A Korean Naval Academy female cadet has, for the first time, been accepted into the US Naval Academy, the Navy said on Wednesday (June 21).

Jo Seon-hye, a sophomore at the Republic of Korea Naval Academy in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province, received permission from the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, after a final interview with a US military attaché stationed here, a Navy spokesman said.

It is the first time a female Korean naval cadet has entered the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, since the two academies began a good-will exchange program for students in 1966, the Navy's public affairs officer Choi Yong-soo said.

"It's a great honor for me. Of course, I'm kind of nervous now, but I will do my best to show the Korean naval cadets' passion and high spirit there," Jo said.

She leaves for Annapolis later this month for a seven-week preliminary training session. After finishing four years of training, Jo will be commissioned as an ensign.

So far, nine Korean male cadets have graduated from the US Naval Academy. One is enrolled there as a junior under the exchange program aimed at boosting mutual understanding and relations, Choi noted.

"The Naval Academy, which marks its 60th anniversary this year, plans to run exchange programs with German and French counterparts from next year, as part of efforts to promote relations with other countries' navies," Choi added.

Illustrious in Indian Ocean Rescue Operation

London June 22, 2006 (KUNA) - A British Royal Navy aircraft carrier Thursday rescued two fishermen after their boat was in peril off the coast of a tiny island in the Indian Ocean, a Royal Navy spokesman said.

In the rescue operation, crewmembers from "HMS Illustrious" boarded the stricken fishing vessel, which was in a precarious position at the Yemeni Island of Abd Al Kuri.

HMS Illustrious, commanded by Captain Bob Cooling, was alerted through the regional Maritime Commander and Joint Search Rescue Center, in Illinois, in the US, last night, but the vessel was not located until early this morning.

An initial rescue attempt by two of the warship's helicopters was called off because it was deemed too dangerous due to gale force winds.

Instead, small boats from the carrier were used to transfer food and water as well as an engineering team to repair the fishing vessel's engine.

A medical team also treated the fishermen who were suffering from dehydration.

The Royal Navy spokesman said "Once the Royal Navy team had successfully completed the repair, the fishing vessel was able to make her own way out of the danger zone with HMS Illustrious standing by to provide further assistance if required."

Scottish Mom Becomes Oldest Navy Recruit

London June 22, 2006 - A 36 year old mother of one has become the oldest female recruit to join the Royal Navy, fulfilling an ambition she has harbored for 20 years.

Tracy Philip, from Grangemouth in Scotland, joined the service this April, beginning an eight-week intensive course that turned her from a civilian into a sailor. She originally dreamed of joining the service when she was 15 but had to put aside her ambitions when she became pregnant.

Tracy explained:

"A couple of my friends had joined up. I've always been a get up and go sort of person and I wanted the buzz of being part of such a big thing. I was ready to go to the careers office when I found out I was pregnant."

Concentrating on bringing up and providing for her daughter, Claire Louise, she started work just three months after Claire was born. After spending seven years working in a bakery, Tracy worked her way up to be a manager and followed this with 11 years in the hotel trade, becoming part of the management team. She originally left school with no qualifications.

Tracy married twice, but finding herself single again and with Claire now an independent young woman of 19, Tracy discovered she still had a chance to fulfil her dream of joining the Navy.

"Two really good friends of mine who were submariners told me that the Navy had extended the upper age limit of new recruits to 37," she said. "I rushed down to the careers office in Glasgow on the day of my 36th birthday. I had a talk with one of the Careers Officers and the Navy opened their arms up to me and signed me up."

Four months later Tracy was on HMS Raleigh with 28 fellow male and female recruits. The course might seem grueling for a 36 year old; especially when the average age of your fellow recruits is 18. The day starts at 5.45am and finishes at 10.30pm. Recruits have to complete many challenging tasks including obstacle and assault courses, a 2.4km run, and learn how to firefight and fire a SA80 rifle. Leave is limited to five hours on the Saturday of week seven!

Tracy admits she was apprehensive.

"I've always had a young attitude, but did think 'how am I going to fit in with all the young adults'? I attended a Navy acquaint course before I joined up which certainly helped. Within an hour there I felt part of the team and I was relieved to find the same thing happened at Raleigh.

"My class are great. They do listen and respect me, but we also have a laugh. There have been occasions when I've missed talking to people of my own age, but my instructors have been brilliant and have been there for a chat if I needed support."

Tracy was in continuous contact with Claire throughout her training, but was delighted to see her again along with her parents at her passing out parade. Tracy was presented with a trophy as the top recruit for her entry. Seeing her mum in her naval uniform was an emotional occasion for Claire:

"I am so proud of her and knew she could do it," said Claire. "I think she looks great in her uniform and it really suits her."

Tracy has now returned to HMS Raleigh, where she is undergoing professional training as a Royal Navy Steward, after which she could be deployed anywhere in the world. Having been given a second chance she is determined to make the most of her opportunities.

"I've signed on for the full 22 years and at my age I need to set my sights high. I would like to be a Petty Officer by the age off 45.

"I have always wanted something more out of my life than just sitting in my house and with itchy feet the Navy will give me the chance to travel. Training so far has been great. It has just been getting better and better and although I have no regrets about anything I have done in my life I really think that being in the Navy is just made for me."

Pilot Field Exercise 'Colonial Outlook' Tests NAVELSG Capabilities

Williamsburg VA June 22, 2006 - The pilot field exercise "Colonial Outlook" tested the readiness of two previously non-evaluated capabilities of the Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG) June 14 at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Cheatham Annex in Williamsburg, Va.

The exercise established an evaluation of the readiness of Navy Supply Support Battalions (NSSB) and the Navy Ordnance Reporting and Handling Battalion (NORHB) by NAVELSG.

Navy Cargo Handling Battalions (NCHB) are evaluated every four years; however, Navy Ordnance Reporting and Handling Battalion 1, which came under NAVELSG in October 2005, and Navy Supply Support Battalions, were not previously evaluated for readiness by headquarters, said Lt. Cmdr. Ed Smith, NAVELSG deputy training officer.

"In the past, we have not tested the capabilities of our NSSBs, only the NCHBs. When we gained the NORHB into our chain of command, we felt it was the opportune time to develop a combined exercise that tested the capabilities of both the NORHB and the NSSBs," Smith said.

NSSBs, which became commissioned Reserve units about six years ago, are comprised of a variety of services, such as warehouse and freight terminal support, mobile mail support, supply logistics information support and personnel support and services, to include administrative, barbershop, laundry, and ship's store.

Colonial Outlook brought together 170 personnel from nine battalions under one unified command, incorporated multiple NAVELSG capabilities, operated cargo handling features of USNS Cape Johnson (T-AK 5075) at the Cheatham Annex pier, and established communications, tent camp, an ammunition supply point, a marshalling yard as well as command and control.

NAVELSG’s active-duty cargo handling battalion, NCHB 1, which is tasked with training NAVELSG’s Reserve battalions, was heavily involved in the planning and executing the pilot field exercise.

Lt. Nathan Johnston, NCHB 1 training officer, said detailed planning for this exercise started in February.

"The graded exercise included a cumulative 96 hours of operations injected with issues dealing with personnel, administrative and equipment challenges into the scenarios - both actual and simulated," Johnston said.

The exercise wrapped up with several notable successes, Smith said.

"Clearly, the most noted success was the integration of the three different types of battalions into one single command, which seamlessly operated three different platforms with different cargo," Smith said.

"One of the side benefits that arose from the exercise was that several experienced personnel were able to see what their counterparts did in other battalions," Smith said. "For example, several cargo handlers were able to see for the first time the ordnance handlers working and vice-versa. This opened up opportunities for future cross training between the battalions, which further increases readiness."

There are plans for two combined field exercises next year, Smith said.

"We will use the Colonial Outlook template to validate the readiness of cargo battalions and support companies that are expected to eventually deploy," Smith said.

Colonial Outlook 2006 is the initial test run, and it will be refined and developed over the next several years, Smith said.

"We are currently building a plan that will test an entire NSSB over a four-year period," he said. "This may change as we further develop our training and readiness plan to NECC specifications."

Colonial Outlook also contributes to the success of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command's mission, Smith said.

"This exercise brings us closer to being in line with the other NECC units' readiness plans. Eventually, we hope to have the ability to align our evaluation with other NECC commands and possibly develop a complex evaluation scenario for several NECC components. Plus, it is the prototype for the evaluation of the future and lets us know our units are ready for NECC's missions," Smith said.

In January, the Navy created the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, bringing Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Naval Coastal Warfare, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support functions and the Seabees under one chain of command. NECC integrates all warfighting requirements for expeditionary combat and combat support elements. This transformation allows for standardized training, manning and equipping of Sailors who will participate in the global war on terrorism as part of the joint force. It also results in more capable, responsive and effective expeditionary Sailors.

Oceanography Strike Group Established

San Diego June 22, 2006 - The Navy established Strike Group Oceanography Team San Diego in a ceremony June 16.

The command was established in place of the disestablished Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center as part of a Navywide reorganization of the meteorology and oceanographic community.

"Aerographer’s mates are being pulled off ships and consolidated into these strike groups, with one on the East and West Coast," said Capt. David W. Titley, commander of Naval Oceanography operations.

Strike Group Oceanography Team San Diego supports four aircraft carriers and four amphibious ships in US 3rd fleet, as well as special warfare operations, by providing them with meteorological and oceanographic support.

"A lot of the duties of an aerographer’s mate will remain the same, but there will be more deployments, and the change will benefit the Navy and give the junior Sailors more of an opportunity to go out to sea and get their qualifications," said Aerographer’s Mate 1st class (AW) Michael S. Staten, leading petty officer of Strike Group Oceanography Team San Diego.

Aerographer’s mates were directly affected by a 21 percent cut in military oceanography personnel. The reorganization is expected to help the community better support fleet units and joint warfighting commands.

"With fewer aerographer’s mates afloat, we need to be twice as prepared, trained and maintained as we ever were," said Cmdr. Joseph R. Brenner, commanding officer of Strike Group Oceanography Team San Diego.

Navy, Coast Guard, FBI Team Up for Frontier Sentinel

Norfolk June 22, 2006 - The US Coast Guard teamed up with Commander, US 2nd Fleet and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for a training exercise called Frontier Sentinel that gauged the effectiveness of inter-service cooperation at tactical and operational levels, June 13-14.

US 2nd Fleet contributed the guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72) and her crew to engage in the exercise led by Coast Guard Capt. Bradley Jacobs.

"It’s really a pleasure and honor to work with the Navy in this historic event," said Jacobs. "For the first time, a US Navy surface combatant is operating under the tactical control of the US Coast Guard for a maritime homeland security purpose."

The exercise took place off the Atlantic coast and involved two other ships along with Mahan, the Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Seneca (WMEC 906) and Military Sealift Command's USNS Sisler (T-AKR 311), a large, medium-speed roll-on/roll-off ship.

Sisler played the role of the vessel of interest, a ship that may contain a chemical, biological or radiological threat.

The FBI was incorporated into the exercise to validate the handover process with law enforcement in a radiation alert event.

Mahan and Seneca pursued Sisler after it failed to respond to Seneca’s communication efforts.

In a real-world scenario, the Coast Guard could call on the Navy for support.

"We [Mahan] were the command and control platform," said Lt. Cmdr. Samuel deCastro, sitting tactical officer of the exercise. "We have a significant capability with respect to communications on board a destroyer."

Seneca and Mahan sent boarding teams to Sisler in order to seize control of the ship and investigate its contents.

"In this case, their (Coast Guard) special forces team is more highly trained than our boarding team," said deCastro. "We (Navy) can perform certain missions. The Coast Guard can perform other missions."

Aboard Mahan, the Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) team boarded Sisler and secured the forecastle so the Coast Guard’s team could secure and investigate the rest of the ship.

"This was the first time that we were teamed up with the Coast Guard," said Damage Controlman 2nd Class Eddie Turner, a member of the VBSS team. "It was a different learning experience."

The boarding teams radioed in their findings to Jacobs as they searched Sisler.

"All that we heard here (aboard Mahan) communications-wise suggested a very smooth integration, which is a real tribute to the guys, considering there wasn’t really a lot of lead-in training time," said Lt. j.g. Kevin Bruyette, primary liaison between the boarding team on Sisler and the command and control element on Mahan.

"The exercise is going to lay the groundwork for future exercises in support of the DoD and the Coast Guard for Maritime Homeland Security," said Jacobs. "This exercise is just a natural stepping stone in the relationship the Coast Guard and Navy have had for more than 200 years."

Big Lottery £4m Builds Bridge to Wartime Experience

London June 22, 2006 - The Big Lottery Fund is today announcing £4 million of funding to give even more young people the chance to meet veterans and listen to their stories to ensure the sacrifice of the nation's war veterans will be remembered for generations to come.

Working in partnership with the Imperial War Museum, the Fund will build upon the success of its Their Past Your Future (TPYF) program, dedicated to giving young people the opportunity to work with veterans to learn about the enduring impact of the Second World War.

Today's funding announcement will mean that more young people will become involved in this landmark inter-generational scheme - to talk with veterans, work with original documents and other artifacts, and visit historic sites, memorials and cemeteries around the world.

The new funding will also complement ongoing TPYF legacy projects, educational outreach activities, and film and photographic archive digitization programs. These work to encourage communities to engage in history and to enjoy learning about the nation's traditions and its conflicts.

Sir Clive Booth, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund, said: "This is a great opportunity to build on the foundations of Their Past Your Future in enabling school children to work with veterans to share their memories and experiences first hand. This new educational resource will create a valuable opportunity to further ensure that future generations of young people will have a greater appreciation of the sacrifices made by older generations during the Second World War."

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown welcomed this announcement:

"There is nothing we can ever do that will adequately thank those men and women who have served so bravely in our armed forces. But what we must do is remember their heroism, their courage and their sacrifice. I believe it is vital that today's young people talk to our veterans, listen to their memories and learn the lessons from our history, and I hope every young person will have that opportunity."

Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, said:

"History teaches us about our past so we can learn lessons for the present and the future. This program ensures that the experience of the thousands of soldiers who risked their lives for our freedom during the Second World War will live on in the respect and understanding of their courage by young people today and in the future.

Robert Crawford, Director-General of the Imperial War Museum, said:

"We are delighted that the Imperial War Museum is going to work again with the Big Lottery Fund to explore this exciting new opportunity. Bringing veterans and young people together is at the core of what this Museum does, and being able to build on the work and evaluation of Their Past Your Future is an exciting prospect."

Following on today's new announcement is the publication of the Big Lottery Fund's Veterans Reunited program evaluation, which details key findings and highlights the impact on communities, partnerships and learning.

The key findings include:

• Participation in the 60th anniversary events had a deep impact on many of the young people involved.
• Young people who went on overseas visits had such an immersive and intensive experience that they gained a deeper understanding of both the subject matter and of themselves, making them into more mature learners.
• By asking people to develop their own creative ways of bringing generations together, the Veterans Reunited program enabled people at a community and grassroots level to respond to local needs, talents and circumstances. As a result a huge variety of activity took place, and much of it was innovative and challenging.
• Participation in the Veterans Reunited program brought many people into greater contact with different histories and communities. This has led them to think about the Second World War from the different standpoints of age, nationality, ethnicity and culture. Understanding the great diversity of experience of the war 60 years ago has developed a deeper appreciation of the diversity of society today
• Their Past Your Future projects brought together young people and veterans in educational ways. Local networks and partnerships played a huge role in bringing people together. Participants of all ages appreciated this feeling of being part of a wider community.
• Bringing together different generations in learning and community activities has had a significant impact on the people who have taken part. Both younger and older generations have learned more about each other, and themselves, and have developed genuine respect for each other.

Bulgarian Navy to Hold Military Exercises in Black Sea

Sofia June 22, 2006 (Xinhua) - The Bulgarian Navy will hold a military exercise in the Black Sea from June 28 to July 9, the official BTA news agency reported on Thursday.

A total of 25 combat and auxiliary ships and a helicopter from the Bulgarian Navy will take part in the war games code-named "Breeze 2006." Two Su-25s of the Bulgarian Air Force will also join in the exercise.

Also to be involved in the exercise are warships from Turkey, Greece and France, and the United States will join with a patrol aircraft and a Coast Guard ship.

The Standing NATO Response Force Mine Counter Measures Group consisting of six ships from Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy and Turkey, as well as naval officers from Greece, Spain, the United States, Turkey and Ukraine will be participating in the exercise.

Largest Ever Maritime Exercise Held in China

Dalian June 22, 2006 (Xinhua) - China's largest ever maritime search-and-rescue exercise, involving 400 people, 28 vessels, two helicopters and an aircraft, was carried out on Thursday in the waters near Dalian Port, northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The exercise started when a "collision" between a passenger ferry and a cargo boat was reported at 10:30 a.m. and the National Maritime Rescue Emergency Plan was enacted immediately. The main elements of the exercise, including the rescue of 368 passengers and dozens of sailors, fire-fighting and cleaning up an oil spill, were completed in 90 minutes.

By involving 24 departments including the maritime department, the rescue department and the navy, the exercise is a comprehensive test of China's newly established national maritime rescue emergency system, said Vice Minister of Communications Xu Zuyuan.

China's national maritime rescue emergency system was established in 2005 and the central government has also substantially enhanced investment in recent years.

Statistics from China Maritime Search and Rescue Center showed that a total of 1,568 accidents were reported on China's sea waters in 2005. The center saved 16,836 people over the year, accounting for 95.3 percent of the endangered people.

Chinese Delegation Returns After Observing US Military Exercise

Beijing June 21, 2006 (Xinhua) - A Chinese delegation returned to Beijing Wednesday night after observing a large-scale US military exercise in Guam.

It was the first time that Chinese military personnel had been invited to observe a war game conducted by the US.

The 10-member delegation, together with delegations from six other countries, observed the "Valiant Shield-06" exercise that started on Sunday.

Six of the Chinese delegation were officers from the Army, the Air Force and the Navy, including three generals, while the other four were diplomats or journalists.

It was reported that three aircraft carrier fleets took part in the exercise, involving a total of 30 warships, 280 aircraft and 22,000 service personnel.

"The fact that the Chinese delegation was invited to observe the US war game is a positive step in China-US military ties, " said Zhang Leiyu, head of the Chinese delegation.

"The visit helped the Chinese side obtain a better understanding of US weapons, training skills and exercise arrangements," said Zhang, deputy chief of staff of the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

The drill was a good platform for the two armed forces to communicate and learn from each other, Zhang said.

In 2003 and 2005, China invited US military personnel to observe exercises conducted by Chinese troops.

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OSI Geospatial to Attend the Undersea Defense Technology Conference

North Vancouver BC June 22, 2006 - OSI Geospatial Inc. announced today its subsidiary, Offshore Systems Ltd., will demonstrate its world-leading subsurface navigation technology at the Undersea Defense Technology conference from June 27 to 29 at the Congress Centrum (stand #146) in Hamburg, Germany. The show presents an unparalleled display, in both size and diversity, of the very latest in undersea defense technology.

The company's electronic chart navigation system for submarines, ECPINS®-W Sub, is one of the most advanced in the world and is fully complaint with NATO's Warship Electronic Chart Display and Information System standard - STANAG 4564. It has been installed or is under contract for installation on 32 submarines globally. The company is the first in its industry to develop advanced subsurface functionality for three navies, including the Royal Australian Navy, Canadian Navy, and the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. Other customers that have deployed ECPINS®-W Sub include the navies of Norway, Portugal, and the United States.

St Louis June 22, 2006 -- The Boeing Company recently demonstrated the automatic interception of signals and intelligence as well as the ability to track potential terrorists during a multi-site, real-time network collections demonstration to US Department of Defense and Intelligence customers.

For the first time, signal intelligence receivers proved that they could automatically identify the target -- a mock terrorist -- and trigger airborne surveillance assets to track the target on the ground, while capturing full-motion imagery and broadcasting it instantly to analysts several hundred miles away.

Boeing used a mobile mesh-net satellite communications network to broadcast live video and command and control information from two different unmanned aircraft systems simultaneously to the East and West coasts.

"Boeing recognizes the increasing importance of integrating organic and national systems for our customers," said Dan Jones, director of the Advanced Information Systems unit of Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems. "Customers are asking for instant collection capabilities, and our ability to creatively integrate technology from Boeing, our customers and our valued partners provides them with near-term focused capabilities that make the promise of network-centric operations real."

Boeing describes this concept as part of the traditional intelligence cycle of Tasking, Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination (TPED), but adding the concept of "collection" to form TCPED, which emphasizes the growing importance of organic collection systems in generating actionable intelligence for the warfighter.

"The challenge with imagery sensors employed on unmanned aircraft systems is knowing where to point the camera in a time-critical mission such as counterterrorism," said Jim Cummiskey, director of the Tactical Systems unit of Advanced Information Systems. "Adding a signal intelligence collection capability, whether it is integrated into a national satellite, a manned airborne platform or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), allows the warfighter to get his eyes on the enemy as quickly as possible."

The demonstrations featured several Boeing-developed systems, including unmanned airborne systems, tactical communications systems and other best-of-industry technology. The Unmanned Little Bird helicopter technology demonstrator and a ScanEagle UAV provided continuous video surveillance of the operations area. Boeing also demonstrated the system-level interoperability of the Tactical Operations Mobile C4ISR Applications Toolkit, based on Boeing's commercial visualization technology Battlescape, with the Future Combat System's System of Systems Common Operating Environment. Other Boeing software systems included Datamaster, supporting large file imagery, text retrieval and storage, and the Advanced Miniaturization Data Acquisition System, currently part of the US Army's Tactical Exploitation System.

High HUGIN AUV Activity

Kongsberg, Norway June 19, 2006 - Activity has been very high within the HUGIN Autonomous Underwater Vehicle - AUV department so far in 2006. At present the new 4500 meter depth rated HUGIN 4500 is under final assembly and testing. HUGIN 4500 has an extended depth rating of 4500 meter, increased battery capacity and a higher performance payload sensor package. The payload sensor package is as a whole supplied by the end customer C&C Technology, Lafayette, Louisiana which is also the end customer for the first HUGIN 4500. HUGIN 4500 included, C&C Technology has taken orders for three deepwater HUGIN AUVs so far. A team of C&C specialists are just now joining the HUGIN team during final assembly and testing. The HUGIN AUV department has successfully involved the customers in the final assembly and testing of their own vehicles for all HUGIN AUV deliveries. This has proven to be very beneficial, providing efficient training and building personal relations that prove very useful when field operations start.

Another HUGIN 3000 is scheduled for delivery to Fugro NV, at the end of this year. This will be the second HUGIN 3000 to Fugro NV. The first delivery took place late 2004.

The delivery of the next HUGIN 1000 to the Royal Norwegian Navy is also scheduled for delivery at the end of 2006. HUGIN 1000 is mainly directed towards military applications but also has potential towards marine research, etc. This HUGIN 1000 will include an advanced, very high resolution Synthetic Aperture Sonar, which is undergoing sea trials now.

The HUGIN AUVs have established them selves as the industry standard for AUV based offshore oil and gas surveying. Last year the number of accumulated survey hours passed 80.000 km or approximate 12.000 hours of survey. The HUGIN survey operations take place from shallower down to 3000 meter water depth and in most significant offshore oil and gas areas world wide as indicated by the pie chart. In addition comes the operation hours performed with the HUGIN AUVs in military operations. Another milestone will be added to the HUGIN AUV family with the delivery of the HUGIN 4500 this year, a vehicle with 4500 meter depth capability, extended battery capacity and payload sensor performance.

GSA Focuses on Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business

Washington June 22, 2006 - The US General Services Administration (GSA) today announced the launch of an online training course, available at fsstraining.gsa.gov, on understanding and applying the regulations for contracting with service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) to help agencies meet their contracting goals.

This on-line training explains how to apply the Federal Acquisition Regulations and the US Small Business Administration (SBA) regulations to assist the contracting community in achieving the contracting goals mandated for SDVOSB. The course will also provide resources to assist the contracting community in helping SDVOSBs understand federal contracting.

Public Laws 106-50 and 108-183 and Executive Order 13360 for SDVOSBs focus on increasing contracting opportunities at Federal agencies for qualified businesses. Federal agencies are mandated to provide at least 3% of the total value of all prime contract awards each fiscal year for SDVOSBs. The on-line training will assist members of the Federal contracting community on how to increase contracting opportunities for SDVOSBs.

"This training delivers on GSA's mission of being the premier acquisition agency. As a former small business owner who worked with GSA, I know how important it is to understand the government acquisition process' rules and regulations," said GSA Administrator Lurita Doan. "With this training, GSA is educating the contracting community on this important issue so they can better service SDVOSBs."

The training course consists of presentations by GSA Deputy Administrator David Bibb, GSA Chief Acquisition Officer Emily Murphy, GSA Acting Senior Procurement Executive Roger Waldron and the SBA's Procurement Analyst Theresa Lewis, and is hosted by the GSA's Associate Administrator for the Office of Small Business Utilization, Felipe Mendoza. Students participating in the training course will be awarded one Continuous Learning Point (CLP) upon successful completion of the course.

GSA is a centralized, federal procurement, property management, policy development and information provision agency, created by Congress to improve government efficiency and help federal agencies better serve the public. In this role, GSA acquires products and services on behalf of federal agencies; plays a key role in developing and implementing government-wide policies; provides services and solutions for the office operations of more than one million federal workers; and encourages a citizen-centric relationship with government by providing a single "point of entry" to the information and services citizens need in a timeframe they can appreciate. This allows citizens to receive accurate, timely and consistent answers and information, and helps federal agencies better respond to citizen inquiries.

Raytheon's Open Architecture Surface Ship Combat Management System Passes Formal Qualification

Tewksbury MA June 22, 2006 - Raytheon Company's open architecture (OA) version of Ship Self Defense System (SSDS) MK 2 successfully passed formal qualification testing. This significant milestone enables the first delivery of a complete surface ship combat management system that meets the Navy's Open Architecture Computing Environment (OACE) standards.

This OA system represents two generations of technology refresh since the first SSDS MK 2 hardware was delivered to USS Ronald Reagan in 2002. It includes significant improvements in the software since its delivery to the ship in 2005. The program has applied a common source code library approach to reduce software maintenance costs and allow all platforms to benefit from software upgrades.

"This next generation combat management system advances the level of reliability, maintainability, and coordinated combat direction to today's sailors," said Dan Martin, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems vice president of Maritime Mission Systems. "The open systems design delivers the common capabilities consistent with the Navy's Family of Ships strategy, providing an affordable solution to meet the mission requirements of the fleet."

The combat management system migrated to OACE Category 3 and will undergo further developmental testing by Raytheon and the Navy in preparation for full production planned for 2007. Initial delivery to three ships -- USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS San Antonio (LPD 17) and LHA 6 -- is scheduled for 2008.

Honeywell and Rolls-Royce joint venture CTS800-4 turboshaft engine to power Future Lynx for United Kingdom Armed Forces

London June 22, 2006 - The Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company (LHTEC), a partnership between Honeywell and Rolls-Royce, today announced that the company has won a $140 million USD (£75 million) contract from AgustaWestland to supply the CTS800-4 turboshaft engine for the British Armed Forces’ Future Lynx helicopter.

The UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) has ordered 70 Future Lynx tactical transport and maritime helicopters from AgustaWestland to meet the requirements of the British Army Air Corps and Royal Navy.

Powering the new Future Lynx will be two 1,361 shaft horsepower CTS800-4 turboshaft engines, offering a significant power improvement over the current Lynx helicopter engine. The CTS800-4 delivers a significant improvement in the helicopter’s ‘hot and high’ performance and coupled with reduced fuel flows, the engine expands the mission capability for the new helicopter.

The Future Lynx Helicopter is expected to enter service in 2014, replacing the current Lynx helicopter fleet. The CTS800 is also currently undergoing flying testing with the AgustaWestland A129 attack helicopter.

"The CTS800 engine provides the Future Lynx with reliable, affordable power, maximizing mission effectiveness in the toughest of operating environments," said Nasos Karras, Vice-President of Honeywell’s Helicopters business segment within its Defense and Space strategic business unit and LHTEC board member. "The extensive service life designed into the rotating components and its ‘on condition’ maintenance management will also provide operators with significantly reduced direct maintenance and aircraft operating costs."

"Honeywell, whose engines power the Chinook, and Rolls-Royce, whose engines power the Apache, Lynx, Sea King and Merlin, have a successful history of providing power for frontline British rotorcraft, and we are proud to continue supporting the UK armed forces through the CTS800-powered Future Lynx," added Scott Crislip, President of Rolls–Royce Helicopters & Small Gas Turbine Engines, and also LHTEC board member.

The LHTEC CTS800-4 turboshaft engine is equipped with a full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) which reduces pilot workload and facilitates the engine’s on-condition maintenance program.

The LHTEC CTS800 also powers applications in Japan, the United States and Europe. These include the boundary layer control system of the ShinMaywa US-1A Kai amphibian, currently in development by the Japanese Navy; and the prototype of the Sikorsky X2 Technology high-speed compound rotorcraft, which is due to make its maiden flight by the end of the year.

Growth versions of the T800/CTS800 engine include a 1,680 shp class version being offered for emerging civil and military applications.

The Future Lynx Helicopter is based on the CTS800-powered Super Lynx 300, which is already in operation with the Royal Malaysian Navy, the Royal Thai Navy and the Royal Air Force of Oman. The type has also been ordered by the South African Air Force.

Boeing Supports Successful Intercept Test of Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense

St Louis June 22, 2006 - Boeing today supported the seventh successful intercept of a ballistic missile target by the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) and the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (Aegis BMD) weapon system.

The test, Aegis BMD Flight Test Maritime-10, further validated efforts by the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the US Navy to provide a sea-based defense against short- to medium-range ballistic missile threats. This marks the first successful demonstration of the Block IA upgrades to the SM-3 and its Kinetic Warhead (kW), including enhanced discrimination, advanced guidance navigation and control, and sea-based deployability improvements.

"This lethal intercept by the SM-3 kW is confirmation that the system is fully capable of its mission to defend our warfighters, homeland and allies against ballistic missile attacks," said Debra Rub-Zenko, vice president of Boeing Integrated Missile Defense. "I am extremely proud of the dedication by the entire team in meeting our commitments to MDA and the Navy and in securing another layer of defense for our nation."

During the test, a medium-range ballistic missile target equipped with a separating warhead was launched from the Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii. The target was detected and tracked by a US Navy cruiser, the USS Shiloh (CG 67), which launched the SM-3 for an exo-atmospheric engagement. The SM-3 Kinetic Warhead successfully acquired the target and computed an accurate guidance and control intercept trajectory for the hit-to-kill intercept.

Boeing has been partnered with Raytheon on SM-3 development since 1996, and is under subcontract to integrate and test the kW hardware. Boeing is responsible for the kW avionics, guidance and control hardware and software, as well as the ejection subsystem. In addition to SM-3 round integration, Raytheon provides the kW infrared seeker, the signal and image processor and the integrated kW software.

In addition to its work on the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense program, Boeing holds key roles in several other elements of the US Ballistic Missile Defense System architecture. Boeing is prime contractor for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system and the Airborne Laser. It also develops and produces the seeker for the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptor.

Upgraded Raytheon Standard Missile-3 Intercepts Separating Ballistic Missile Target

Barking Sands, Hawaii June 22, 2006 - A Raytheon Company-produced Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) and the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) 3.6 Weapon System destroyed a ballistic missile target today outside the earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean. It was the seventh successful intercept for Aegis BMD's SM-3.

The flight mission, Flight Test Maritime-10, was the first to use the new Block IA version of SM-3, which Raytheon is scheduled to deliver to the Missile Defense Agency later this year. The SM-3 Block IA provides increased capability to engage both short- and medium-range ballistic missiles with rocket motor upgrades and computer program modifications to improve sensor performance, missile guidance and control, as well as lower cost. It also includes producibility and maintainability design changes required to qualify the missile as a tactical fleet asset.

The flight mission was also the second successful test against a medium-range, separating ballistic missile target. The mock warhead separated from the booster section, presenting a more challenging engagement scenario.

In the operationally realistic scenario, the SM-3 was launched from USS Shiloh and hit the target missile that had been launched from the US Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii. The ship's crew was not informed of the target launch time, further simulating a realistic wartime environment. The Navy's operational testers participated in the planning, execution and assessment of the exercise.

"This test validates the SM-3 Block IA design and paves the way for us to ramp up production of this urgently needed capability," said Edward Miyashiro, Raytheon Missile Systems vice president, Naval Weapon Systems. "The system's and team's continued success is a testament to our focus on Mission Assurance at every level."

A secondary flight mission objective was to evaluate the ability of a land-based X-band radar to cue an Aegis destroyer, via the Ballistic Missile Defense System, to detect and track a ballistic missile. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems' TPS-X (Transportable Surveillance X-Band) radar, installed on Kauai, tracked the target missile from launch and also tracked the SM-3 Block IA from horizon break through target intercept. The target's track information was relayed as designed to USS Milius.

Raytheon's Missile Systems business in Tucson, Ariz., is developing SM-3 and leads the integrated team effort, which includes Alliant Techsystems, Aerojet and The Boeing Company.

Raytheon continues to deliver missiles to the Missile Defense Agency under contract to increase the nation's inventory of operational rounds. The kinetic warhead seeker and final integration occur in Raytheon's state-of-the-art kill vehicle manufacturing facility in Tucson, alongside the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle, an element of the Ground-based Missile Defense program. Final assembly and testing of SM-3 occurs at Raytheon's Camden, Ark., facility.