HNLMS Pelikaan is seen making her maiden arrival at Willemstad, Curacao on Tuesday.
Industry News
Thales Acquires SVS, Former Security Division of Enertec
Neuilly-sur-Seine September 11, 2006 - Thales has strengthened its position in on-board video surveillance with the acquisition of SVS, formerly the Security division of the Enertec group.
Thales has concluded the acquisition of SVS, a company formed from the Security division of the Enertec group and specializing in turnkey on-board video surveillance solutions. The company’s activities will be integrated as part of Thales Security Systems, a global leader in comprehensive security solutions for corporate and government customers.
With more than 5,000 systems in service with customers in Europe, the Middle East and the United States, SVS is a major player in the on-board video surveillance market. Applications include video surveillance systems for public transport vehicles, passenger information systems and video equipment for police and emergency service vehicles.
This move to strengthen the Thales' capabilities in on-board video surveillance is in line with the Group’s strategic commitment to deliver comprehensive solutions to protect people and property. It will generate broad-ranging synergies with the security systems it develops for public transport operators and specialist police and civil security services for their terrestrial infrastructures.
"This acquisition will round out our digital video offering in the rapidly expanding market for on-board applications with new turnkey solutions incorporating the most advanced technologies available," said Pierre Maciejowski, Managing Director of Thales’ Security Systems activities.
New York September 13, 2006 - The threat of corporate misconduct and its impact on reputation is now higher on the agendas of aerospace and defense company managers and directors, as well as financial regulators, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers report launched today, titled: "Predicting the unpredictable - Protecting aerospace and defense companies against fraud, reputation and misconduct risk."
Since 1986 the U.S. government has recovered over $17 billion under the False Claims Act. Incidents of procurement fraud in Afghanistan, Iraq and the reconstruction following Hurricane Katrina, indicate that investigations, prosecutions and recoveries are showing no signs of diminishing. In fact, the 2005 PricewaterhouseCoopers Global Economic Crime Survey revealed that thirty percent of companies in the aerospace and defense sector have suffered some type of fraud.
Companies subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act must now implement "antifraud programs and controls." This requirement creates significant responsibilities relating to the roles of the audit committee and independent auditor. However, fraud risks are broader than financial statement misstatements. A fraud can devastate a company's most valuable assets of reputation and brand value, even where there is no financial statement impact.
"The aerospace and defense industry faces unique risks due to the nature of procurement regulations and the long-term and large-scale contracts inherent in the industry," said Scott Thompson, U.S. Aerospace and Defense Leader, for PricewaterhouseCoopers.
"Corporate reputation does not appear on the balance sheet but has both operational and financial value. This is why it is essential that aerospace and defense companies establish effective antifraud programs which prevent fraud, rather than relying exclusively on detection controls to identify fraud or misconduct once it has already happened," Thompson said.
The report identifies the six categories of fraud with common schemes impacting the aerospace and defense sector in each:
"While it may not be possible to eliminate the risk of fraud altogether, an effective antifraud program can contain and minimize the impact of fraud to acceptable levels," said Dave Oldham, Managing Director, Fraud Risks & Controls Practice, for PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The report also outlines five key steps that aerospace and defense companies can take to develop an effective antifraud campaign:
Waltham MA September 13, 2006 - BusinessWeek magazine, in its Sept. 18th cover story, ranks Raytheon as one of the top 10 "best places to launch a career."
The company's standing, seventh overall, is reflected in a new survey developed by the magazine to identify the top 50 employers for college graduates. Raytheon's competitive pay package and its ability to retain key talent (43 percent of top executives have 20 or more years' service) are highlighted in the issue, which is on newsstands now.
"We work hard at retaining and attracting the best talent to our organization," said William H. Swanson, Chairman and CEO of Raytheon Company. "Our core values include welcoming diversity and diverse opinions within our company, creating an environment where all employees are encouraged to learn and grow, fostering teamwork and collaboration, and celebrating success. Our high ranking on the survey is great recognition for all our employees throughout the company."
The BusinessWeek survey used feedback from three different sources: directors of undergraduate career services company supplied data and the findings of a Universum Communications survey of 37,000 undergraduates. The magazine tapped college officials for a sense of who was creating "buzz" on campus. Those companies were then asked to respond to a detailed questionnaire about pay, benefits, training and mentorship, corporate culture and retention. Those findings were combined with the Universum results.
Moorestown NJ September 13, 2006 - The Norwegian frigate F-310 Fridtjof Nansen successfully intercepted its target during the first live missile firing test of its Lockheed Martin-developed SPY-1F Aegis Weapon System today in the North Atlantic.
During the test, the ship's SPY-1F Aegis Weapon System detected, tracked and engaged the unmanned target with an Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM). The ESSM firing was part of the first-of-class ship's sea acceptance testing now underway off the coast of Norway, which was supported by representatives and engineers from the U.S. Navy, Lockheed Martin and Kongsberg Defense.
"Delivering performance at the defining moment is what gives Aegis- equipped navies confidence, and through this test, the SPY-1F Aegis Weapon System made its mark with the Royal Norwegian Navy," said Orlando Carvalho, vice president and general manager at Lockheed Martin's Surface-Sea Based Missile Defense line of business. "With the Fridtjof Nansen and the four ships that will follow in this class, the Royal Norwegian Navy will have a proven, world-class system."
Today's missile firing is the latest milestone for the five ship Norwegian New Frigate program. The Fridtjof Nansen was formally commissioned at Navantia's shipyard in Ferrol, Spain, in April. In June, Lockheed Martin completed factory production of the fifth, and final, SPY-1F Aegis Weapon System to be installed on F-314, Thor Heyerdahl.
The SPY-1F radar is designed to provide high performance surveillance, detection and tracking, and operate with the ESSM and Standard Missile 2. Lockheed Martin is responsible for system integration of the multi-mission Integrated Warfare System, including sensors, command and control, communications and weapons, for the Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates.
The five ships of the Norwegian New Frigate program represent a great example of successful international teamwork and industry partnership, including Navantia shipbuilding in Spain, Kongsberg Defense in Norway and more than a dozen other key suppliers worldwide.
The Aegis Weapon System is the world's premier naval surface defense system. The Aegis Weapon System includes the SPY-1 radar; the Navy's most advanced computer-controlled radar system. When paired with the MK-41 Vertical Launching System, it is capable of delivering rapid reaction time and simultaneous firepower for every mission and threat environment in naval warfare.
The Aegis Weapon System is currently deployed on 80 ships around the globe, with more than 25 additional ships planned. In addition to the U.S. Navy and Norway, Aegis is the maritime weapon system of choice for Australia, Japan, South Korea and Spain.
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World Naval News
Cleveland September 11, 2006 - The Ninth Coast Guard District has re-opened the public comment period concerning the proposed Great Lakes safety zones, as published in the Federal Register on August 1, 2006.
In an effort to maximize public input concerning the safe co-existence of Coast Guard training, and recreational and commercial traffic on the Great Lakes, the Ninth Coast Guard District is re-opening the public comments time period.
The federal register is scheduled to publish the re-opening of the public comment period on Tuesday, Sept. 12. The public will have 60 days, from tomorrow, to submit public comments or concerns on the proposed establishment of permanent safety zones throughout the Great Lakes.
The Ninth Coast Guard District is proposing the establishment of 34 safety zones throughout the Great Lakes. These safety zones will be used for live gunfire training exercises to prepare Coast Guard men and women for maritime law enforcement, national defense and homeland security missions.
The Ninth Coast Guard District's priority will always be public safety. Therefore, all proposed zones are at least five (5) miles off of the U.S. shoreline and U.S.-Canada maritime border, and outside of commercial shipping lanes and marine sanctuaries. Public outreach and multiple broadcasts, on marine band radio channel 16, which is used for distress, weather updates and marine information, will be made in advance of all gunfire exercise. Additionally, a safety observer will monitor the safety zone throughout the exercise.
There are 47 Coast Guard stations and nine (9) Coast Guard cutters that would require the use of these safety zones.
"We must be always ready to protect our Great Lakes and always ready to deploy wherever our nation needs us. We will do so safely and responsibly," said Rear Adm. John E. Crowley, Jr., Commander of the Ninth Coast Guard District, which is responsible for serving the Great Lakes.
"We must protect this intricate Great Lakes' system that constitutes 25 percent of the planet's fresh water supply and provides a vital international maritime transportation link for the nation's agricultural and industrial heartland."
Coast Guard units train with the M240-B lightweight automatic weapon, which fires a NATO-standard 7.62mm round. Since January 2006, 17 units and 249 Coast Guard men and women have been trained on the Great Lakes without incident. Those units trained in temporary zones, which were published in the Federal Register.
The Great Lakes encompass 94,488 square miles of water. The safety zones, combined, would use 2,376 square miles or 2.5 percent. The proposed permanent zones would be used only a few times in a calendar year; would only be restricted when the Coast Guard is conducting training; and each exercise would last approximately 4-6 hours.
The environmental impact of our safety zones has been studied by two independent environmental consulting companies, e2M and CH2MHill. The studies concluded there would be no elevated risk to humans or the environment.
Once the Federal Register is published, public comments or concerns can be submitted by the following methods:
For questions concerning the federal register entry, contact Cmdr. Gustav Wulfkuhle, Ninth Coast Guard District Enforcement Branch, Response Division, at (216) 902-6091.
Charts of the proposed safety zones, the environmental study, and public comment information can be found at <http://piersystem.com/go/doctype/443/2934/>.
Washington September 13, 2006 - "Recent media reports that Gulf War Syndrome doesn't exist are misleading and masks the fact that even though ongoing maladies being experienced by Gulf War veterans may not have a scientific name they certainly do exist," said Paul A. Morin, national commander of The American Legion.
"The Institute of Medicine's (IOM) recent report on the health of Gulf War veterans is basically a summary of existing peer- reviewed research and the committee's findings. The most contentious, which some media are just now reporting on, is the conclusion that there is no Gulf War Syndrome," Morin said.
"This is not breaking news within the veterans community, but it does warrant more explanation because of the misleading headlines."
The committee indicated that available research, collectively, indicated there is no cluster of illnesses that could be attributed to a single source and that there were no illnesses unique to those who were deployed to the Persian Gulf during U.S. operations there in the early 1990s.
The same research again stated that Gulf War veterans are sicker than other non-deployed veterans and the IOM committee could not determine a reason for it, and that unexplained illnesses are the most prevalent health outcome of service in the Gulf War.
The report also recommended that the Department of Veterans Affairs provide surveillance for specific adverse health outcomes, such as cancer, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, birth defects, adverse pregnancy outcomes, post-deployment psychiatric illnesses.
Although this report does not provide any new recommendations that are beneficial to 1991 Gulf War veterans, it is the second report congressionally mandated to provide recommendations to the Secretary of the VA on the health of Gulf War veterans to indicate that they are sicker than their non-deployed counterparts.
"What is important, and has been well documented, is that Gulf War veterans are sicker, even if no one can conclusively declare why this is so," said Morin "The American Legion's priority on this issue is to make sure additional funding and effective treatments are made available to help alleviate any suffering service member's symptoms," he said.
The Legion also reinforced the call for benefits to be awarded for illnesses that are found to be related to military service in the Persian Gulf during Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield.
VA has recently dedicated up to $15 million to identify effective treatments for ill Gulf War veterans. The American Legion again will request that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs address the ailments that the IOM have associated with symptoms identified in the report.
"If existing research has not been able to provide the VA with adequate knowledge to effectively treat ill Gulf War veterans, then the VA needs to ensure that finding effective treatments is made a top priority," said Morin.
Rawalpindi September 13, 2006 (APP) - Admiral Giampaolo DI Paola, Italian Chief of Defense Staff, along with his entourage currently on an official visit to Pakistan Wednesday visited Joint Staff Headquarters Chaklala and met Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Ehsan Ul Haq.
Both dignitaries remained together for sometime and discussed matters of mutual interest. The distinguished guest was also briefed on ‘security perspective of Pakistan’ during the meeting.
On arrival at the Joint Staff Headquarters, Italian Chief of Defense Staff was presented guard of honor. He reviewed the parade and took salute from smartly turned out contingent of the Armed Forces. Earlier, when Admiral Giampaola DI Paola landed at PAF Base Chaklala on a special aircraft, he was received by Major General Noor Hussain, Director General Mutual Cooperation.
Islamabad September 13, 2006 (APP) - Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir departed on an official visit to Qatar, Oman and South Africa here Wednesday.
The Admiral was seen off at Islamabad International airport by Deputy Chief Of Naval Staff (Training & Personnel), Vice Admiral Saleem Khalid, Ambassador of Oman, officials from Qatar and South African Embassies and other senior Naval Officers.
During his visit, Chief of the Naval Staff will hold talks with his Naval counterpart and other senior defense officials and discuss matters of mutual interest.
The Chief's visit would further cement the existing relation with the friendly countries being visited.
He will also witness the PN/Royal Oman Navy joint exercise scheduled in Omani waters on September 16.
Vice Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Mohammad Haroon would be acting Chief of the Naval Staff in his absence.
London September 13, 2006 - Falkands War Veteran Simon Weston visited HMS Raleigh recently to talk to sailors about his experiences and how he re-built his life following the injuries he sustained serving his country.
Simon was representing the Royal Star and Garter Home, a charity that offers residential and nursing services to disabled ex-Service men and women. For many, the Home is their permanent residence while others come for short-term visits for respite care. Residents get the very best in medical and nursing care, and the opportunity to live life to the full.
HMS Raleigh is the Royal Navy's premier training establishment in the South West, where all ratings joining the Service receive the first phase of their Naval training.
On his visit Simon saw how HMS Raleigh contributes to the operational capability of the Fleet through the training it provides in seamanship and board and search techniques. He met both staff and trainees and watched aspects of the initial training course designed to transform civilians into sailors.
As a member of the Welsh Guards, Simon was badly burned during the Falklands war when the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Sir Galahad was bombed by Argentine planes. The injuries he suffered have required a series of operations that continue to this day.
He gave a talk to an audience of around 400 sailors and civilians about his life in the Army and how he has overcome his injuries with the help of organizations like the Royal Star and Garter Home. The Commanding Officer of HMS Raleigh, Commodore John Keegan, said:
"This is the second time Simon has visited us at HMS Raleigh and he remains an inspiration to those serving in the Armed Forces as someone who through personal courage and determination has overcome adversity. These are the qualities we aim to develop in our young recruits and are fundamental to Service life."
Cape Fear River NC September 13, 2006 - Sixty Sailors from Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 1, a Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC), successfully completed the first of two phases of small unit riverine craft (SURC) training through the Special Missions Training Center (SMTC) at Camp Lejeune along the water banks of Cape Fear River Sept. 10.
The seven-week training lesson with a week of exercises is known as the coxswain course. The program teaches the basics of maneuvering SURC on rivers with the weaponry system element added, to properly plan and execute missions.
"The final exercise for the boat coxswain and captain courses basically teaches the Sailors to go from a basic level of knowledge of Marine Corps infantry skill sets, to developing them into riverine operators, teaching them tactics, techniques, procedures, knowledge of the waterways and things they are likely to encounter," said Marine Corps Maj. Roberto Martinez, commanding officer, SMTC.
Exercises were conducted during the day and night, with various scenarios inserting and extracting the ground combat interdiction team that have the mission of getting off the boat to do local land sight securities.
"They are given 12 hours from receiving the mission to do their mission planning, conduct their rehearsals, give a good operational order to their patrol, and then stage their gear to depart," said Marine Staff Sgt. Eric J. Hodge, a boat team instructor at SMTC. "Within that 12-hour time frame, they have to do all of that to include completing the mission and be back in to debrief all the points that happen through out the patrol."
Sailors receive tactics training on riverine assault craft (RAC) boats, traveling at speeds exceeding 35 knots, and at the same time, learn to operate SURC for operation readiness in Iraq.
A RAC consists of a five-man crew with a captain, coxswain, an aft and bow gunner with .50 machine guns and two midshipmen gunners with a M240G machine gun.
The training from the Marine Corps and many combat veterans has been taken to heart, said RIVRON-1 executive officer, Lt. Cmdr. Michael Eagon.
"We’re lucky to draw from the Marine Corps instructors ‘lessons learned’ and their real-life experiences, in being able to teach my guys how it really is," he said. "It’s priceless."
Many of the Sailors going through the training realize they are writing a new chapter in Navy history, similar to the Vietnam War riverine patrol force.
"I volunteered for the program because it’s the new wave of the Navy and history in the making," said Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Patrick McKenna. "As a kid, I always wanted to grow up to be like the brown-water Sailors of Vietnam."
The transition from the "blue Navy" to the combat "brown water" Navy for 16-year enlisted Chief Boatswain’s Mate (SW) Stephen Nordan is the challenge he’s been waiting for his entire career.
"It’s a challenge and that’s one of the reasons I wanted to come here," he said. "The training is instrumental, and the Marine Corps instructors have been under fire while doing missions. Therefore, it’s important to us and we couldn’t have gotten that from anywhere else."
The Marine Corps instructors at the SMTC know the right way to complete each mission, and are more than confident that the Sailors of RIVRON 1 will prevail.
"I think they are set up for a 110 percent success," said Hodge. "Here at the school house it’s a great forum, because we can wrap all those (riverine combat skill sets) together and provide it to them, and they get the benefit of all that shared knowledge."
Washington September 13, 2006 - NASA data shows that Arctic perennial sea ice, which normally survives the summer melt season and remains year- round, shrunk abruptly by 14 percent between 2004 and 2005. According to researchers, the loss of perennial ice in the East Arctic Ocean neared 50 percent during that time as some of the ice moved from the East Arctic to the West.
The overall decrease in winter Arctic perennial sea ice totals 280,000 square miles -- an area the size of Texas. Perennial ice can be 10 or more feet thick. It was replaced by new, seasonal ice only about one to seven feet thick that is more vulnerable to summer melt.
The decrease in the perennial ice raises the possibility that Arctic sea ice will retreat to another record low extent this year. This follows a series of very low ice-cover years observed over the past four summers from active and passive microwave satellite data.
A team led by Son Nghiem of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., used NASA's QuikSCAT satellite to measure the extent and distribution of perennial and seasonal sea ice in the Arctic. While the total area of all the Arctic sea ice was stable in winter, the distribution of seasonal and perennial sea ice changed significantly.
"Recent changes in Arctic sea ice are rapid and dramatic," said Nghiem. "If the seasonal ice in the East Arctic Ocean were to be removed by summer melt, a vast ice-free area would open up. Such an ice-free area would have profound impacts on the environment, as well as on marine transportation and commerce."
The researchers are examining what caused the rapid decrease in the perennial sea ice. Data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, Boulder, Colo., suggest that winds pushed perennial ice from the East to the West Arctic Ocean (primarily located above North America) and significantly moved ice out of the Fram Strait, an area located between Greenland and Spitsbergen, Norway. This movement of ice out of the Arctic is a different mechanism for ice shrinkage than the melting of Arctic sea ice, but it produces the same results -- a reduction in the amount of perennial Arctic sea ice.
Researchers indicate that if the sea ice cover continues to decline, the surrounding ocean will get warmer, further accelerating summer ice melts and impeding fall freeze-ups. This longer melt season will, in turn, further diminish the Arctic ice cover.
Nghiem cautioned the recent Arctic changes are not well understood and many questions remain. "It's vital that we continue to closely monitor this region, using both satellite and surface-based data," he said.
This is one of three study results being released today by NASA. The findings are the result of a new study by NASA; the U.S. Army Cold Region Research and Engineering Laboratory, Hanover, NH; and the National Ice Center, Washington. Study results are published in a recent issue of Geophysical Research Letters.
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