Polish submarine Sep is seen in the Kiel Canal yesterday enroute to Devonport. Frank Behling photo.
Industry News
North Vancouver BC September 27, 2006 - OSI Geospatial Inc. announced today that its U.S. systems operations has been awarded a three year contract totaling approximately US$3.8 million by the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). Under the contract terms, OSI will develop a Global Positioning System (GPS) Denied Navigation and Mapping System for the DTRA.
"OSI is a world leader in the development and production of Navigation and Mapping systems for international military and commercial applications. This contract will enable OSI to evolve our leading edge technology into the Hand-Held/Wearable Personal Navigation Systems market," said Ken Kirkpatrick, President and CEO of OSI Geospatial. "We are very pleased to be working with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, a new customer for us. Along with expanding our customer base, this contract provides for further diversification of our products, supporting two of the strategic goals we established for this year."
Order Signed for Two New Fuel-Cell Submarines for the German Navy
Hamburg September 26, 2006 - On Friday, September 22, 2006, the consortium "ARGE 2. Los 212A" and the German Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement signed a contract concerning the delivery of another two submarines of class 212A. ARGE is made up of the companies Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft and Nordseewerke, which belong to the ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems shipyard alliance.
Both vessels will be equipped with an air-independent propulsion system based on the hydrogen fuel cell. The second batch for the German Navy will be constructed according to the already tried and tested general design for the first four submarines and will likewise be built in non-magnetic steel. For the two new vessels, this general design has been adapted to the future deployment requirements of the German Navy.
In addition to expanded and improved surface and underwater sensor technology, the new submarines of class U212A have major innovations in the field of communication. This means that the submarines can be optimally deployed in Network Centric Warfare. They are also equipped for deployment of Special Forces.
The delivery date for the two submarines is fixed for 2012 and 2013.
For the two companies from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems this order means the retention of their core industrial competence in the conventional submarine segment. The order will provide long-term security for several hundred jobs in Kiel and Emden.
Athens September 12, 2006 - On Tuesday September 12th, 2006, the "S" Class Frigate "KOUNTOURIOTIS" was delivered to the Hellenic Navy, during a ceremony that took place in the premises of Hellenic Shipyards S.A. in Skaramangas. Rear Admiral I. Karaiskos H.N., Deputy Chief of Fleet, attended the ceremony. "KOUNTOURIOTIS" is the first of the six (6) "S" Class frigates to be modernized for the Hellenic Navy.
HS "KOUNTOURIOTIS", underwent extensive and demanding sea trials following her modernization, having had all her systems successfully tested and is now ready to join again the Hellenic Navy. The Hellenic Ministry of Defense awarded the "S" class Frigates contract to Hellenic Shipyards in 2003. The foreseen end of this program is October 2009.
The modernization scope of work is mainly the renewal of most of the sensors and weapon systems, the installation of a new tactical combat system, the modernization of the communication and navigation systems, the replacement of the propulsion, monitoring and control system (IPMS) and some other platform modernization works. These developments render the vessels particularly effective in meeting the specific operational needs of the Hellenic Navy and represent a significant and important step in the process of modernization that the Hellenic Navy is carrying out.
Two (2) more frigates are being currently modernized in the premises of Hellenic Shipyards S.A., Frigate "ADRIAS" and Frigate "NAVARINO". Frigate "ADRIAS" is planned to be delivered to the Hellenic Navy in November 2006.
With regard to the frigate delivery, Mr. Thies Stueber, Member of the Board and COO of Hellenic Shipyards S.A. stated: "This is a fine example of the work of Hellenic Shipyards, supported by the know-how of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. Hellenic Shipyards S.A. is becoming a technologically advanced shipyard and we will continue to invest in that direction."
AgustaWestland Awarded Indian Navy Sea King Recovery Contract
Yeovilton September 26, 2006 - AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica Company, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a contract by the Indian Navy to return to service seven Sea King Mk 42B helicopters.
Work on the contract will commence immediately with AgustaWestland providing a specialist team that will work with personnel from the Indian aerospace industry to undertake the recovery program.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will undertake the repair and overhaul of "rotable" items including the transmission and rotor heads in support of this contract. In March 2004 AgustaWestland signed a contract with HAL to enable it to perform indigenous Sea King repair and overhaul work in support of the Indian Navy Sea King fleet.
Bert Brookes, AgustaWestand UK's Customer Support Director, said "We are delighted to have agreed this contract with the Indian Navy who are the largest export customer for our Sea King helicopters. The contract will ensure that seven existing airframes will be returned to service enabling the Indian Navy to achieve increased numbers at sea. This contract will aid AgustaWestland to further develop its business links with the Indian aerospace industry and will result in additional work for HAL's Sea King repair and overhaul facility."
The Indian Navy has received a substantial number of AgustaWestland Sea King helicopters including advanced Sea King Mk.42B and Mk.42C variants, which were delivered in the late 1980s.
Smiths Aerospace Awarded Contract for Large Area Cockpit Display Suite on VH-71
Grand Rapids MI September 27, 2006 - Smiths Aerospace has been awarded a contract to supply the new large area cockpit display system for the Lockheed Martin VH-71 Presidential helicopter. The contact is worth more than $20 million. The first VH-71 ready to transport the President is expected to be available in 2009, with the entire fleet of 23 delivered to the Marine One squadron by late 2014. Smiths in Michigan and United Kingdom will manufacture the displays, with deliveries beginning in 2006.
"The VH-71 marks the first time a helicopter has flown with a five-screen, large area integrated cockpit display suite," commented Dr. John Ferrie, President, Smiths Aerospace. "Smiths is delighted to provide this technology for enhanced situational awareness and display of flight data on the presidential helicopter."
Smiths and AgustaWestland successfully completed the engine flight trials on CIV01 (civilian version of the EH101) helicopter equipped with prototypes of the new Smiths display system in 2005.
Smiths’ 10" x 8" (25 cm x 20 cm) liquid crystal displays provide more than 70% additional display area compared to the existing Smiths’ display system which it replaces from the EH101. The system allows for variable display formats to present enhanced situational awareness and greater flexibility in the display of flight, system and mission data. Each display unit has multi-functional bezel mounted keys to easily select information required.
Todd Shipyards Announces Exercise of Option on Overhaul and Drydocking of USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)
Seattle September 27, 2006 - Todd Shipyards Corporation announced today that the U.S. Navy has awarded to its wholly owned subsidiary, Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation, a $5,247,214 modification to previously awarded contract N00024-00-C-4152. This modification represents an increase to the previously exercised option for the Docking Planned Incremental Availability ("DPIA") for USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard which commenced on September 5, 2006 and is expected to be completed March 15, 2007. This increase is in addition to a $10,949,272 modification announced on August 14, 2006 for repairs to the Lincoln. Today’s modification represents the authorization of additional repairs during the dry-dock and pier side maintenance, repairs and alterations of various ships systems and equipment throughout Abraham Lincoln.
Todd’s work in support of the DPIA of the Lincoln is being performed pursuant to the Company’s five-year Planned Incremental Availability ("PIA") contract with the Navy for the overhaul and continued maintenance of the aircraft carriers stationed at Bremerton and Everett, Washington. The cost-type DPIA contract was originally awarded to Todd Pacific in 1999 for five years and was awarded again in 2004 for an additional five years.
Halliburton tells workers abroad to hide U.S. citizenship, ties to KBR
Washington September 27, 2006 (HalliburtonWatch.org) - Halliburton instructs employees traveling abroad not to wear clothing that could reveal their U.S. nationality or employment with the company's KBR subsidiary.
In the August issue of the company's magazine The Monthly Mirror, an article titled "Dress to Impress: Do you know what to wear when you travel?" reminds employees that "you are expected to uphold a standard that does not bring discredit to the organization." Therefore, the article says, "do not wear any clothing with the KBR logo or any other logos that might identify you as an American contractor such as those logos of OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and OEF (Operation Enduring Freedom). This is also a good rule anytime you are traveling throughout the Middle East or Central Asia."
The article further states that "offensive" clothing is impermissible in the Arab world but that "Hats are permissible as long as they do not have a KBR logo or any other logo that might identify a person as an American contractor."
The advice is understandable considering the Pentagon's own advisory board admitted in a 2004 report that the Bush administration has "failed" to win the "hearts and minds" of the Iraqi people or Arab Muslims generally and that President Bush's "hypocrisy" has intensified Muslim hatred for the United States.
The Pentagon's report asserts that "when American public diplomacy talks about bringing democracy to Islamic societies, this is seen as no more than self-serving hypocrisy. Moreover, saying that ‘freedom is the future of the Middle East’ is seen as patronizing."
The report adds that, "in the eyes of Muslims, American occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq has not led to democracy there, but only more chaos and suffering. U.S. actions appear in contrast to be motivated by ulterior motives, and deliberately controlled in order to best serve American national interests at the expense of truly Muslim self-determination."
"The way America has handled itself since September 11 has played straight into the hands of al-Qaeda," the Pentagon report concludes.
The report was authored by the Pentagon's Defense Science Board, a 39-member advisory committee comprised of former top military officials, as well as employees of defense contractors and investment firms, who advise the defense secretary on "matters that are of special interest to the Department of Defense." The board was created in 1956.
As U.S.-created chaos in Iraq spawns intensified Muslim anger, the least Halliburton can do is inform employees in the Middle East that "it is important to ask yourself, am I dressed appropriately?"
Essex Corporation Digital 10Gb/s Products Move to Production
Columbia MD September 25, 2006 - Essex Corporation announced today its Commercial Communication Products Division (CCPD) has production versions of its two digital communication product families. The Essex Edge™ 10 Gb/s 300-pin MSA Extended Reach Transponder family and the 10 Gb/s XFP MSA Transceiver family are now available for quantity ordering. Essex Edge™ products are designed for specialized requirements such as longer transmission distances and harsh environmental conditions. By meeting these more rigorous requirements, Essex Edge™ products enable important cost savings for the deployment and operation of commercial telecommunications networks.
The 300-pin MSA Extended Reach Transponder provides up to 160 km (3200 ps/nm) of optical transmission distance without inline optical compensation, eliminating the need for service providers to deploy expensive regeneration equipment and huts between central offices or communications centers. This enables direct upgrade of some 2.5 Gb/s fiber optic links to 10 Gb/s fiber optic links without expensive upgrade programs involving extensive network redesign. The 300 pin modules are widely tunable for operation on either 50 GHz or 100 GHz ITU grid spacings covering both C-Band and L-Band wavelengths.
The XFP MSA Transceiver doubles the current widely available 40-km reach capability to 80 km while being compliant to SONET/SDH/OTN optical performance requirements. It can also be configured for extended temperature operation at both 40 km and 80 km reaches, which allows deployment of wideband XFP modules in unsheltered locations to support the demands of the expanding Fiber-to the-X (FTTX) market. XFP modules are available in Time-Division-Multiplexed (TDM) and Wavelength-Division-Multiplexed (WDM) configurations.
Both product families are currently undergoing standard telecommunications industry environmental and reliability qualification testing.
"Essex-CCPD now has production versions of all three of its initial products," commented Leonard Moodispaw, CEO and President of Essex Corporation. "This is an important milestone for our investment in these products and the product capabilities of this team. I believe that with these products we have the right solution at the right time to meet the tougher performance demands emerging from the telecommunications industry worldwide. Our objective with this team and their products has always been to target the cutting-edge requirements of the industry with innovative engineering and products. We are very pleased to share this milestone and these products on the international stage at the European Conference on Optical Communications (ECOC) this week."
Essex CCPD sells fiber optic modules and subsystems for advanced communications applications to both the commercial and government markets. Located in Melbourne, Florida, Essex CCPD designs, manufactures, integrates, and tests products that also include 40 km and 80 km standard and extended temperature range XFP Transceivers, Duobinary 300-pin MSA Transponders, and Microwave Transceiver Assemblies. Datasheets for these products and sales contact information can be found at www.essexcorp.com/CCPD/index.html. They will also be highlighted in our booth (#692) at the European Conference on Optical Communication (ECOC) which is being held in Cannes, France, September 25-27, 2006.
URGENT: Support Legislation to Protect Whistleblowers
Washington September 27, 2006 - Congressional leaders are busy debating whether to include whistleblower protections for federal employees in the 2007 Defense Authorization Act. We need your help to ensure that the bill contains meaningful reforms, preferably those introduced in the House legislation.
The House's version of the bill would provide: 1) protections for all federal government employees, including those who work in national security agencies; 2) the ability for whistleblowers to make their case in a real courtroom, by a jury of their peers; and 3) an extension of protections to the countless whistleblowers who have come forth since 9/11. These protections are crucial for any federal employee who seeks to expose fraud, corruption, and abuse without fear of retaliation.
The eleventh hour is upon us: Congress could vote on this bill at any moment. Visit POGO's action center today and let your Representative (who may be entangled in a tough re-election battle) know that you care about whistleblower protections.
Washington September 21, 2006 - BAE Systems is leading the way in "mixed-signal" technology that will significantly reduce the size, weight, and power consumption of military electronic systems while increasing performance.
Silicon computer chips soon will be able to perform digital, radio frequency, and photonic functions in a single chip. BAE Systems recently was awarded $6 million under Phase II of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Electronic and Photonic Integrated Circuits (EPIC) program to further develop the technology.
"Based on our current advances, I foresee a viable mixed-signal electronic/photonic application in less than five years," said Dr. Mike Grove, BAE Systems’ EPIC program manager in Washington, D.C. "By incorporating selected photonic components into the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process, we are achieving chip performance levels researchers have sought for years."
The company is taking a mature electronics process in CMOS and adapting it to add complex photonics functions — ranging from the photonic processing of massive amounts of RF bandwidth to extremely high-speed digital interconnects. CMOS-compatible devices the team developed during EPIC’s Phase I include monolithic integration of ultra-low-power-consumption silicon ring optical modulators, fourth-order narrowband optical filters with tunable passbands and center wavelengths, and silicon-germanium waveguide photodetectors.
The Phase II award brings the total EPIC contract value to nearly $14 million. DARPA’s Microsystems Technology Office manages the EPIC program. BAE Systems’ EPIC team includes subcontractors Bell Laboratories, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cornell University, and Applied Wave Research.
Lancaster PA September 27, 2006 - Herley Industries, Inc. announced today that its Lancaster facility has received a $4.9 million contract to supply the APN-245 Automatic Carrier Landing System ("ACLS") to the U.S. Navy. This award is a follow-on contract and correlates to the multi-year contract award between the U.S. Navy and Boeing to have Boeing build approximately 550 F/A-18 E/F aircraft over a ten-year period. The APN 245 is also used on the newly deployed EA-18 Growler Jamming Aircraft.
John M. Kelley, Herley President, stated, "We are pleased with our progress to date at providing the U.S. Navy with these essential systems. We are about halfway through this ten-year production program. Every Navy plane that flies off a carrier must use this landing system. Herley and our program partner Sierra Nevada Corporation share the commitment to provide the Navy with quality products and on-time deliveries."
Kelley continued, "During this suspension period it is essential that our customers convince the U.S. government that it is in their best interest to use Herley products. We are very grateful for their extra efforts to seek the necessary DOD approvals for these Herley products. We expect to hear of additional approvals of our customers' requests once they have gone through the government review process.
"The carrier landing system has been a true team effort by the multiple Herley facilities in Lancaster, Whippany, Farmingdale, and Woburn. All are involved in producing microwave sub-systems critical for the successful operation of the APN-245, with the Lancaster facility performing the final integration and test." Kelley continued, "As we have stated in the past, we believe inter-company activities leverage our capabilities and provide our customers with the best available solutions."
Washington September 27, 2006 - Lockheed Martin's second AN/TPS-77 radar for the U.S. Air Force's Pacific Alaska Range Complex (PARC) passed its Site Acceptance Test (SAT) and was deployed to improve safety and surveillance at the nation's largest contiguous supersonic training area.
Under a 2004 contract, Lockheed Martin provided the Air Force with a second transportable AN/TPS-77 system, along with associated supplies, equipment and services. Together, the two PARC radars, produced at Lockheed Martin's Syracuse, NY facility, will keep watch over the PARC area, which has 68,000 square miles of military training airspace and 25 separate ground targets. During air combat training exercises held over the PARC, up to 70 jet fighters can operate in the same airspace at one time.
Both PARC radars keep watch over the aerial training area from rocky, barren mountaintops approximately 200 miles apart. A nine-mile-long road was constructed up a 5,000-foot mountain where the newest PARC radar sits.
Both radars operate within radomes - domed shelters that protect radar arrays from harsh environments - and are powered by on-site generators. The Air Force will control the radars remotely from Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, which is about 40 miles from the first PARC radar and about 200 miles away from the second one.
Capt. Aubrie Ireland of the 353rd Combat Training Squadron, which is responsible for training in Alaska, observed: "Considering the requirements that are placed on these systems and the high level of capability we expect from the time they begin operating on their platforms, it was an unexpected, yet most welcome, surprise to participate in a Site Acceptance Test in which there were no issues with the system, enabling the Air Force to immediately deploy the radar."
"One of the challenges these radars help us address is the so-called 'speed bump' that splits the range down the middle," said Capt. Kevin Sova, also from the 353rd Combat Training Squadron. "The Federal Aviation Administration and State of Alaska agreed to a five-mile corridor where civilian and commercial aircraft can fly through our test range, so our pilots end up flying 20,000 feet over the speed bump. The Air Force needs to be able to see what's going on in that corridor and we will use the AN/TPS-77s to do that."
"We are proud that our second PARC radar system easily passed its acceptance test and is carrying out an important surveillance mission for our Air Force customer," said Steve Barron, Lockheed Martin's deputy program manager for the AN/TPS-77 program in Alaska. "These pilots are training for dangerous missions and we consider it an honor to provide them with the best long-range radar capability in the world."
The AN/TPS-77 is the latest configuration of the world's most successful 3-D solid-state radar design. This L-band, tactical radar provides continuous high-quality 3-D surveillance on aircraft targets at ranges out to 250 nautical miles. The second PARC radar represents the 26th AN/TPS-77 off the production line.
The AN/TPS-77 shares commonality with the AN/FPS-117 radar with regard to maintenance activity and Line Replaceable Units (LRUs). There are 127 AN/FPS- 117 systems operational in 14 countries. Many have operated for years completely unmanned in remote areas, and in a wide range of operational environments.
Parsippany NJ September 25, 2006 - DRS Technologies, Inc. announced today that it is a member of the team led by The Boeing Company that has been awarded the high-profile SBInet contract by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The SBInet will integrate multiple state-of-the-art systems and traditional security infrastructures into a single, comprehensive border security suite for the DHS.
"DRS is honored to be a major contributor on the Boeing team," said Fred Marion, president of the company’s Surveillance & Reconnaissance Group. "To support the difficult challenges facing the U.S. Border Patrol, we have compiled a highly skilled team, that will be working closely with them and Boeing to ensure they receive the technologies and smart sensors necessary to monitor America’s borders and support its immigration and national security objectives."
SBInet is a critical element of the Department’s Secure Border Initiative (SBI) that is focused on transforming border control through technology and infrastructure. DRS will use its mix of sophisticated technological applications, strategy and experienced employees to help Boeing assist the U.S. Border Patrol’s frontline personnel. SBInet will be applied at both the United States’ northern and southern borders. The initial SBInet task order covers 28 miles of border near Tucson, Arizona. The order is expected to be completed in eight months. According to the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, this task order is valued at approximately $67 million and will serve as a model for further rollouts.
"DRS has many years of experience in providing surveillance and detection solutions for our nation's armed forces," said Mark S. Newman, chairman, president and chief executive officer of DRS Technologies. "As part of the Boeing team, DRS will have the ability to take technology developed for military use and integrate it in the overall system that will protect our borders."
"We are honored to have DRS as part of our SBInet team," said Wayne Esser, Boeing SBInet Capture Team leader. "They are one of the ‘best-of-industry’ companies that we sought after to be on our team, and their capabilities and expertise will enable SBInet to be successful."
The landmark SBInet program will help DHS better detect, identify, classify, respond to and resolve attempted illegal entries across the nation’s land borders with Mexico and Canada. Announced last year, the SBI is a comprehensive plan to control 6,000 miles of America’s borders and stem the flow of illegal immigration.
Tel Aviv September 26, 2006 - Captain Ido Shevach, who is retiring from military service, will today be replaced as commander of the Navy's Manpower Directorate by Captain Y., who has until now commanded the Navy's submarine fleet.
Captain Shevach began his military career in the Navy's prestigious Sailors Course. He continued to advance through the corps serving as, among other things, commander of the Sailors School and commander of the Navy's missile boat division.
Captain Y. has in the past served as commander of the Navy's Gal- and Dolphin-class submarines and held responsibility for the journey of INS Leviathan from Germany to its new home in Israel. He also served as comptroller of the Security Division of the Ministry of Defense.
The Israel Navy's Manpower Directorate is the body responsible for personnel management within the Navy, ensuring that staffing is adequate in terms of quantity and quality, recruiting personnel with the qualities required for security service and assigning them to the Navy's various units. It also takes care of the Navy's wounded and their families. In all, the Manpower Directorate is responsible for the most crucial part of any military corps: its people.
Singapore, 27 September 2006 - Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering) today announced that its US shipyard, VT Halter Marine Inc (VT Halter Marine), has won another contract of US$15m (about $23.7m) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the design and construction of a new Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull Coastal Mapping Vessel (SWATH CMV). VT Halter Marine is the US operations of ST Engineering's marine arm, Singapore Technologies Marine Ltd (ST Marine).
This contract is not expected to have any material impact on the consolidated net tangible assets per share and earnings per share of ST Engineering for the current year.
The SWATH CMV will be designed with a special hull to make it more wave-resistant, and facilitate its primary mission of mapping the full seafloor in coastal areas for US nautical charts. It will operate around the clock in waterways along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, Caribbean Sea and Great Lakes, conducting basic hydrographic surveys of the seafloor using side-scan and multibeam sonar technology. The 38m long vessel is able to monitor and detect changes to the seafloor-including obstructions, shoaling, and other dangers to navigation.
Construction of the SWATH will begin early 2007 and be completed in the second half of 2008. VT Halter Marine is building four fisheries research vessels for NOAA. The SWATH contract brings the total value of projects awarded by NOAA to VT Halter Marine to US$167m (about $270m).
"The SWATH design is particularly suited to NOAA's mission to map the ocean floor, as it is less responsive to wave action than a mono-hull ship. Its reduced motion will result in more reliable acquisition of survey data, and its enhanced seakeeping ability will make it a more efficient survey platform." ~ Rear Admiral Samuel P. DE BOW Jr., Director, NOAA's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
"This will be the fifth vessel that VT Halter Marine will build for NOAA as part of its active fleet replacement program, in addition to the four Fisheries Survey Vessels. This contract serves as affirmation from our distinguished customer, reflecting positively on VT Halter Marine's tried and tested capabilities to design and build vessels that deliver value to customers. SWATH is a first-in-class vessel for NOAA and we are privileged to take the project from blueprint to blue water." ~ SEE Leong Teck, President, ST Marine
Singapore, 27 September 2006 - Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering) today announced that its US shipyard, VT Halter Marine Inc (VT Halter Marine), has secured a US$199m (about $315m) contract for the design and construction of a missile range instrumentation ship (T-AGM(R)) for the US Navy. VT Halter Marine is the US operations of ST Engineering's marine arm, Singapore Technologies Marine Ltd (ST Marine).
.jpg)
This contract is not expected to have any material impact on the consolidated net tangible assets per share and earnings per share of ST Engineering for the current year.
T-AGM(R) is the support platform for the US Navy's Cobra Judy Replacement program, which provides worldwide, high-quality, high-resolution, multi-wavelength radar data. The T-AGM(R) ship will monitor missile launches and collect data, which can be used to improve missile efficiency and accuracy. The ship will also monitor strategic arms treaties and support US military weapons test programs.
The T-AGM(R) mono-hull vessel is being designed in partnership with AMSEC, a US naval design specialist. Construction of 163m x 27m x 16m T-AGM(R) is scheduled to begin in 2008, with delivery planned in the first half of 2010.
"It is an honor for VT Halter Marine to win another project from the US Navy and be its shipyard of choice to design and build the T-AGM(R). This award brings VT Halter Marine's contract wins in September to about US$450 ($715m)." ~ SEE Leong Teck, President, ST Marine
Vienna, VA, September 20, 2006 – The effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita continue to plague the Gulf Coast and charitable organizations continue to solicit support in the form of funds and volunteers to assist those who have yet to recover from the extensive damage left behind by these two storms. Navy Federal Credit Union experienced the devastation first hand in the Pensacola and New Orleans areas as facilities were severely damaged and our employees suffered losses of their homes and possessions. We persevered, as did our employees in the affected areas. However, the opportunity to help people rebuild their lives still exists today. On 20 August 2006, several Navy Federal employees were grateful for the opportunity to answer the call and help rebuild through Habitat for Humanity.
The Navy Federal employees joined many other volunteers in Slidell, Louisiana to help rebuild a house, which happened to be the first house ever built by Habitat for Humanity 16 years ago, in the Slidell area. Gracie, the owner of the house, explained that five feet of water entered her home and wiped out everything. Gracie is living in a FEMA trailer in front of her home while her house is being repaired and her home should be ready for her to re-occupy within the next couple of weeks. According to Julie Hill, Navy Federal Supervisor of Closing Management Section, "The amazing thing in talking with Gracie, her neighbor, and others; impacted by the effects of the hurricanes, is how thankful they all are for all the help they have received and how they have helped each other through very difficult times."
The volunteers stated that the trip to Louisiana was an eye-opening, life-changing experience. As Grace Greelish, Supervisor of Deposit Development Application Section, said "I know all of us are more humble after making this trip. We truly found lots of shining lights in the midst of all the destruction with the team at Habitat for Humanity and the people of Slidell, Louisiana."
Newport News September 22, 2006 - In preparation for the christening and launching next month, Northrop Grumman Corporation has finished painting the hull for the nation's newest aircraft carrier, George H. W. Bush (CVN 77). The company has also flooded the dry dock where the ship was assembled since the keel was laid in May 2003.
Northrop Grumman used more than 50,000 gallons of paint to paint the hull for the nation's newest aircraft carrier, George H. W. Bush (CVN 77). Photo by Chris Oxley
Northrop Grumman's Newport News sector used more than 50,000 gallons of paint over a four-month period to paint the carrier's massive hull. On September 15, the company began to flood the dry dock, marking the first time the carrier has been in the water. This controlled process consists of slowly filling the dry dock with more than 85 million gallons of water over several days.
Northrop Grumman will christen George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) on October 7. The ship's namesake and 41st President of the United States, George H. W. Bush, is scheduled to attend the ceremony along with his wife Barbara and their daughter, Doro Bush Koch. Koch serves as the ship's sponsor and will do the traditional honor of breaking a bottle of American sparkling wine across the ship's bow during the ceremony. On October 8, shipbuilders will launch the carrier into the James River where outfitting and testing of the ship's systems will continue until the ship is delivered to the U.S. Navy in late 2008.
Pascagoula September 19, 2006 - Northrop Grumman Corporation has appointed Tim Farrell sector vice president and general manager of U.S. Navy programs for the company's Ship Systems sector, effective October 2.
In his new assignment, Farrell will be responsible for managing all aspects of the sector's U.S. Navy programs including cost control, schedule control, quality assurance, process excellence and customer interface.
"Tim is a proven performer at the senior level within Northrop Grumman and has significant general management, program management and production operations experience in Navy programs," said Philip Teel, president of Northrop Grumman Ship Systems.
Farrell brings a strong record of demonstrated leadership and management expertise. He was previously vice president & integrated product team leader of airborne early warning programs for the company's Integrated Systems sector, managing a $6 billion portfolio of active contracts, responsible for product development, production, and life cycle support. He has more than 24 years of experience in engineering, production operations and program management at Northrop Grumman and its legacy companies.
Farrell earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and a master's degree in business administration from Webster University.
Bethpage NY September 19, 2006 - Northrop Grumman Corporation has received a delivery order from the U.S. Navy to produce spares for the Improved Capability (ICAP) III Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) system on the EA-6B Prowler.
This $22 million firm-fixed-price order is in addition to a previous $73 million purchase earlier this year for four complete systems plus another partial system and spares. Both orders are part of a sole-source, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract awarded in March 2006.
Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector is the prime contractor for the EA-6B Prowler ICAP III system and it will perform services under this new contract at its Bethpage facility. Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector in Baltimore, which manufactures the ICAP III ALQ-218 receiver subsystem will perform much of the production work which will be complete in December 2009.
Prowler aircraft are a high-demand, low-density military asset used heavily in the global war on terror. The ICAP III is the latest of five generations of EA-6B airborne electronic-attack systems designed to identify, degrade and destroy enemy radar-guided air defense and communication systems. The primary new features in ICAP III Prowlers are the ALQ-218 receiver and the sophisticated algorithms developed to make ICAP III selective-reactive jamming and geolocation capabilities possible.
This purchase is the second lot of ICAP III systems bought by the Navy. Northrop Grumman has already delivered 10 Prowler aircraft modified with the new ICAP III system supporting two fleet squadrons and one fleet readiness squadron of the Electronic Attack Wing in Whidbey Island, Wash.
The Navy reached initial operational capability with the first squadron of four aircraft in early 2005 and that squadron has since deployed to support operations in Iraq. A second squadron became operational last summer and recently completed technical evaluation of the new Multifunction Information Distribution (MIDS) system. MIDS, which features the U.S. military's primary data-link system, LINK 16, will enable ICAP III Prowlers to become key nodes in the Navy's Sea Power 21 FORCEnet architecture. That squadron was also immediately deployed to Iraq in support of all coalition military forces.
Chicago September 27, 2006 - The Boeing Company today announced the appointments of two senior executives to a newly expanded enterprise-wide management team to be based in Boeing's New Delhi, India office. The responsibility of this team will be to manage Boeing's current industry partnerships, strengthen its ability to pursue new business opportunities, and establish closer ties with government and industry groups in India.
"India is a priority market for Boeing," said Jim McNerney, Boeing chairman, president and chief executive officer. "There is a tremendous opportunity for Boeing and India to work together on a multitude of projects and business initiatives."
The executives come from the company's two main business units, Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Integrated Defense Systems.
Larry Coughlin has been named managing director of India Operations, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. He will report to Mike Cave, vice president, Commercial Airplane Programs. In this new position, Coughlin will be responsible for coordinating and integrating in-country operations to strengthen the growing partnership between Boeing and India's civil aviation industry. Prior to this appointment, Coughlin was a director of strategic projects, and has held positions in airplane manufacturing operations and engineering. Boeing Commercial Airplanes' sales and marketing team will remain in its current structure and continues to be led by Dinesh Keskar, vice president of Sales for South and Southeast Asia, from Seattle. Keskar will continue to work with senior government officials and ministries related to commercial airplane activities.
Mike Devers has been appointed vice president India Operations, Integrated Defense Systems. Devers will report to Mark Kronenberg, vice president, Asia- Pacific, Integrated Defense Systems, and will be responsible for overseeing India strategy and business development activities. Devers has served since 1999 as regional director, Asia, and director Asia Market development, with responsibility for developing defense and commercial space opportunities.
Anil Shrikhande, vice president of Boeing International and president of Boeing India, will continue to be responsible for coordinating the company's enterprise-wide business strategy and in-country Boeing activities. Shrikhande reports to Laurette Koellner, president of Boeing International.
"The people we selected to lead our presence in India and drive our business are talented professionals with proven track records for generating results," McNerney said. "We have a solid business plan and a long-term view of the market. With this approach we are going to create even greater value for Boeing and our customers and partners in India."
=============================================================
World Naval News
Chatham UK September 27, 2006 - A ground breaking new museum project involving a partnership between the National Maritime Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the Science Museum and Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, has received substantial support from Heritage Lottery Fund in the form of a £4.97m grant. This news comes hot on the heels after the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) pledged their support to the "National Museums at Chatham" project by way of a £2.0m grant. Total funding allocated to the project now stands at £9.2m.
National Museums at Chatham is located in Thames Gateway Kent. The aim of the powerful cultural partnership behind the project is to create a world-class museum resource that will deliver substantial access, learning, conservation and regeneration benefits regionally and nationally. The project is due to open to the public in 2010 and will unlock access by the public and by specialists to a wide range of internationally pre-eminent collections of museum artifacts. The project is actively supported by Medway Council, English Heritage and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The project recovers for future generations the 19th Century No.1 Smithery building at The Historic Dockyard Chatham. Once described by English Heritage as the South East's "most intractable building at risk", the restoration of this building will largely complete the regeneration of the heart of The Historic Dockyard, which is also a potential World Heritage Site. The concept of National Museums at Chatham envisages the sensitive adaptation of this significant historic building. The facility will provide purpose-designed education amenities, a high quality gallery to attract temporary exhibitions and permanent galleries drawing on the museum partners' world-renowned collections, including ship models, paintings and associated items. Specialized storage and research facilities will maximize the value of these collections, which will become a truly dynamic resource from which objects will be accessible and available for loan both nationally and internationally.
Sheena Vick, Heritage Lottery Fund Regional Manager for the South East of England, said; "The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a vital chapter in the UK's story as a maritime nation. The Heritage Lottery Fund is particularly supportive of this new vision for the Number 1 Smithery building the final piece in the Dockyard jigsaw, which once fully restored will play an integral role in Chatham's heritage and economic regeneration".
Total cost of National Museums at Chatham is estimated at £14million, £2.2m of which has previously been secured from the Department for Communities & Local Government (DCLG) (Thames Gateway) for emergency stabilization of No. 1 Smithery, the building which will house the project. The remainder will be raised over the next few years. It is hoped that the announcement in April of this year that HRH The Prince of Wales has agreed to be patron will be of great benefit in future fund raising.
Admiral Sir Ian Garnett, Chairman, Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, said "This news together with the fact that His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales is to be Patron of the National Museums at Chatham project is a great boost. Our partnership with the national museums is unique and HRH's interest in the site and this building and project when he visited in November 2004 helped to inspire the team to bring it to this point. His continued support demonstrates the importance of all that The Trust does on behalf of Britain's maritime heritage. I am certain that with hard work and determination, a truly remarkable museum will be developed and the remaining funds will now be raised to complete the project in good time to support London's Olympics".
The new complex will serve the growing population in Medway and the Thames Gateway and add value to the tourism offer in these areas. In addition to the learning center and display facilities, more than 5,000 objects including ship and maritime models, together with associated material such as works of art will be re-located from their parent museums and either placed on permanent display or housed in modern, co-located, reserve storage. There will be ready access for public viewing, for scholarly research and long-term preservation and conservation. Items from this unprecedented assembly of museum treasures will also be available for loan to other museums and institutions nationally and internationally.
Robert Crawford says the Imperial War Museum is delighted with the approval of funding by HLF and SEEDA for this project. "We have worked very closely with our partners (The Historic Dockyard Chatham, National Maritime Museum and Science Museum) over several years to develop the National Museums at Chatham project. It will save a very significant building, greatly enhance access to important cultural resources for a large population and allow important parts of the Museum's collections to be accessed by new audiences.
The project is an important, practical example of the innovative ways in which cultural institutions can work in partnerships to deliver major benefit to the broader community. We look forward to working with our partners in delivering this major new cultural facility for the Thames Gateway area".
Roy Clare, Director, National Maritime Museum said; "The National Maritime Museum is delighted that this innovative partnership project to deliver national collections to regional audiences has been awarded a grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund and SEEDA. The new galleries and learning facilities will enable public access to important collections that are currently hidden from view. The project will play an important part in creating a cultural heart for Medway and The Thames Gateway region, and the future of a significant historic building can be assured.
Access to collections is key to the ethos of all museums. Through this imaginative partnership, generations of visitors, users and researchers will be able to appreciate internationally significant collections of maritime models and related material for the first time. We look forward to working with our partners to deliver this exciting project in 2009/2010".
Jon Tucker, Head of Science Museum said, "I am absolutely delighted at the news that HLF and SEEDA have decided to fund this joint initiative which is firmly on track to create a magnificent setting for what is a truly significant collection".
Jonathan Sadler, SEEDA Project Director, Chatham Maritime, said: "We are delighted to support such a prestigious and culturally important project. The restoration of the Smithery building builds on what has already been achieved at Chatham Maritime and will provide cultural benefits not only to the people of Medway but also beyond in the rest of the Thames Gateway."
Bamfield BC September 23, 2006 - Dr. James Lunney, Member of Parliament for Nanaimo--Alberni, announced today on behalf of the Honorable Loyola Hearn, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, the naming and dedication of a new 47-foot multi-task high-endurance lifeboat, the Canadian Coast Guard Cutter Cape McKay, at the Canadian Coast Guard Station at Bamfield, British Columbia.
"Lifeboats like the Cape McKay, and the talented crews who run them, are the foundation of Canada’s marine search and rescue system", said Dr. Lunney. "Cape McKay is designed to respond quickly to emergencies off the West Coast of Vancouver Island, an area that often faces tremendous wind and waves rolling in from the Pacific, particularly in winter."
Canada’s new government is particularly interested in public safety. The vessel’s self-bailing and self-righting capabilities allow it to withstand even the most severe conditions at sea, and along with Coast Guard crews, to effect rescues under the most challenging circumstances.
The ceremony to name and dedicate Cape McKay was held at the Canadian Coast Guard Station in Bamfield where the vessel is currently positioned. Vessel sponsor Lorraine Hegstrom officially welcomed the cutter into the fleet by smashing a champagne bottle over its bow. Cape McKay complements the search and rescue role that Coast Guard has played in the community for close to 100 years.
All Canadian Coast Guard 47-foot lifeboats are named after capes located on the coast where they operate. CCGC Cape McKay was named after the cape located 50 kilometers northwest of Bella Coola on the Central Coast of British Columbia.
The Canadian-built Cape McKay is the seventh of eight new Coast Guard cutters being deployed in the Pacific region, which provide search and rescue coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Dhaka September 23, 2006 (EPD) - Nine more bodies of the fishermen who went missing after the capsizing of hundreds of fishing boats in the Bay of Bengal during Tuesday night's storms, were recovered in the coastal areas of Dhaka in Bangladesh Friday, raising the death toll to 65, private news agency UNB reported.
The bodies were recovered from various canals and rivers along the Bay.
Commanding Officer of BNS Shaheed Ruhul Amin, Lt. Commander Firoz Kabir, who went missing since Tuesday night's storms, could not be traced till Friday morning.
Official and local sources said at least 25 boats, about 630 trawlers and the navy ship were overturned in the Bay of Bengal by violent storms.
Around 3,500 fishermen and the naval commander went missing during the sea storms in that fateful evening.
Navy, Coast Guards and forest department officials have been searching hard for the missing since Wednesday but the rescue operation is being hampered due to inclement weather and strong waves in the sea.
Coast Guard Commander of West Zone Badrudozza Chowdhury said they have been continuing rescue operations amid the rough weather.
London September 21, 2006 - Defense Secretary Des Browne has today, 21 September 2006, been visiting members of the Royal Navy in Plymouth who are taking part in Operation Vela, the largest deployment of amphibious vehicles since 2001.
Operation Vela involves 3,000 personnel and numerous Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships, as well as Royal Marine Commandos and Royal Navy helicopters. They will be demonstrating the UK's ability to conduct coastal and beach operations in the challenging hot equatorial and jungle environments of West Africa.
The deployment is also designed to demonstrate the UK's Littoral Maneuver, or, over the horizon capacity, which involves influencing land that is a significant distance from the sea.
The operation consists of two phases. The first, Exercise Grey Cormorant, has been running since 4 September 2006 off the South West Coast of England. It has seen Royal Marines conducting boat and air training, helicopter and boat raids, and a dramatic amphibious Commando assault on the Devon coast.
Also part of Exercise Grey Cormorant, Exercise Airburst saw numerous helicopters from HMS Ocean and HMS Albion landing in formation at the Cornwall flying club. The helicopters included Seakings, Lynxs and Chinooks, and tested the ability of the Task Group to launch and recover multiple aircraft types efficiently and safely by day and night. It also allowed the pilots to practice formation flying skills and landing involving a large number of aircraft.
The second phase of the Operation, Exercise Green Eagle, will involve the Task Group deploying to Sierra Leone, West Africa, from 11 October – 5 November 2006. This will include jungle training and support to international military training teams in Sierra Leone.
Mr Browne was accompanied on his visit to Plymouth by the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathan Band, and Brigadier Jerry Thomas, Commanding Officer of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines, who will shortly take command of the 2,300 marines currently deploying to Helmand Province in Southern Afghanistan.
After visiting personnel at Devonport Naval Base, in Plymouth, and on the assault ship HMS Albion, Mr Browne was taken by helicopter to a training area on Dartmoor, where he witnessed Royal Marines conducting security operations.
Commodore Phil Jones who will command the operational deployment said:
"The Vela Deployment will be a modern, robust operational demonstration of amphibious expeditionary capability, it proves our global reach and is a clear display and application of military force from the sea to inland areas."
The Task Group includes: HMS Albion, HMS Ocean, HMS Southampton, HMS Argyll, RFA Wave Knight, RFA Mounts Bay, RFA Sir Bedivere, RFA Fort Austin, HMS Enterprise, RFA Diligence, RFA Oakleaf, Mine Counter Measure Squadron 1 and a Fleet submarine together with the Fleet Lead Commando Group, consisting of 40 Commando Royal Marines, 59 Commando Independent Engineering Squadron, 29 Commando Royal Artillery and 539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines. Also involved will be elements of Fleet Diving Unit 2 and 849 (B) Flight from RNAS Culdrose.
In support of this deployment, a Tailored Air Group (TAG) has been formed, consisting of Sea King helicopters of 845 Naval Air Squadron, 846 Naval Air Squadron and 820 Naval Air Squadron, Lynx Helicopters of 847 Naval Air Squadrons, and Chinook helicopters of 27 Squadron from the Royal Air Force who are only deployed for the UK phase of the exercise. The Commando Helicopter Force is based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset and has further elements deployed on operational duties in Iraq and Afghanistan.
London September 22, 2006 - The littoral States of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore and user States have agreed, at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur, to support the proposed co-operative mechanism on safety of navigation and environmental protection in the Straits, one of the most important and busiest shipping routes in the world.
The joint efforts of the armed forces of the littoral States in contributing to the security of the Straits, through the Malacca Straits Coordinated Patrols and the "Eyes in the Sky" maritime patrols were highlighted as positive steps towards enhancing maritime security in the Straits.
The Meeting on the Straits of Malacca and Singapore: Enhancing Safety, Security and Environmental Protection, which took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 18 to 20 September 2006, was convened by IMO and the Government of Malaysia and organized in co-operation with the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Government of the Republic of Singapore.
Delegations from the three littoral States (Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore) and from 28 other States, as well as observers from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and nine non-governmental organizations, attended the meeting to discuss recent developments relating to safety, security and environmental protection of the Straits, with the aim of developing mechanisms and programs to facilitate co-operation in keeping the Straits safe and open to international shipping at all times. One-third of the world's trade and half of the world's oil supply are carried through the Straits by some 60,000 vessels each year.
The meeting adopted the Kuala Lumpur Statement, in which it agreed to support the continuous efforts of the littoral States and the proposed co-operative mechanism as presented by the littoral States on safety of navigation and environmental protection, the aim of which is to promote dialogue and facilitate close co-operation between the littoral States, user States, shipping industry and other stakeholders.
The meeting supported the following projects presented by the three littoral States:
The meeting agreed that the littoral States, user States, the shipping industry and other stakeholders should co-operate towards the establishment of a mechanism for voluntary funding for the above projects and the maintenance and renewal of aids to navigation in the Straits.
The Kuala Lumpur Meeting was held a year after the first meeting on the Straits of Malacca and Singapore: Enhancing Safety, Security and Environmental Protection, held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Kuala Lumpur Meeting agreed to support the continuous efforts of the littoral States to promote dialogue and facilitate close co-operation between the littoral States, user States, shipping industry and other stakeholders. It commended and welcomed efforts made since the Jakarta meeting in enhancing safety of navigation, environmental protection and security in the Straits, in particular in reducing the number of shipping incidents, oil spill incidents from ships, and armed robbery and other unlawful acts against ships to a very low level.
The meeting noted with appreciation the entry into force of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia ("ReCAAP") on 4 September 2006, which will lead to the launch of the ReCAAP Information Sharing Center in Singapore in November 2006.
The progress made in relation to the implementation of the Marine Electronic Highway (MEH) Demonstration Project for the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, developed by IMO in co-operation with the littoral States and funded by the Global Environmental Facility of the World Bank and with financial support from the Republic of Korea, was also commended. The proposed projects discussed at the meeting could contribute to the MEH project.
The meeting agreed that the work of the Tripartite Technical Experts Group on Safety of Navigation (TTEG), in enhancing the safety of navigation and in protecting the marine environment in the Straits, should continue to be supported and encouraged, and the littoral States should continue their efforts towards enhancing maritime security in the Straits.
IMO was invited to continue to co-operate with the littoral States and to provide every assistance possible in attracting sponsors for the agreed projects and contributors for the maintenance, repair and replacement of aids to navigation in the Straits.
IMO was also invited to consider, in consultation with the littoral States, convening further follow-on meetings for the littoral States to identify and prioritize specific needs, and for user States to identify possible assistance and to respond to those specific needs, which may include provision of resources, capacity building, training and technical support, with a view to promote further co-operative measures, including possible options for burden sharing.
The Straits of Malacca and Singapore has long served as a major artery of trade between countries in the east and those in the west and is also an important source of marine resources for the littoral States. A significant proportion of the population of the littoral States lives within 50 km of the Straits and many are directly dependent on it, making it essential that shipping passes through the Straits safely to avoid any environmental damage.
New Delhi September 27, 2006 - Following is the full text of the speech delivered by Defense Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee today, at the 61st Session of UN General Assembly:
"At the outset, let me join previous speakers in welcoming your election as the President of the 61st UN General Assembly. On India’s behalf, I would like to assure you of our constructive support and our wholehearted commitment to work with you to achieve both the larger goals of the UN Charter and the more topical goals of the reform of this Organization that were set out in last year’s World Summit Outcome Document.
The topic before us at this General Debate is "Implementing the Global Partnership for Development". It is difficult to contest its relevance or topicality. Today, whether we look at issues such as international trade, international financial mechanisms, methods to improve economic and social well-being, or even the various threats to peace and security that challenge our collective existence, one common theme that emerges is the lack of an effective and equitable global partnership. This is an imperative even for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
The important Annual Report of the Secretary General has highlighted several successes in moving ahead with UN reforms. During the last UNGA, a Central Emergency Response Fund, the Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights Council were established and a Global Counter Terrorism Strategy agreed upon. We have also gradually moved forward on management and budgetary reforms. While these are certainly important and critical, if we are honest, we have to acknowledge that significant unfulfilled tasks and challenges lie ahead, particularly in unaddressed issues, including reform of the architecture of our multilateral bodies that oversee security, trade, financial flows and development. Without this reform, the discontents of globalization would only deepen. Without it, there cannot be substantially enhanced and assured resource and technology flows to developing countries, necessary for real economic transformation and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
It is sometimes argued that private sector investment is today replacing the traditional reliance on aid and developmental assistance. While we appreciate the important role of private sector investment, it cannot replace public investment in developing countries whose absorptive capacities are often limited and where physical and social infrastructure is weak. ODA remains an important means to augment public investment in areas such as human capital development and rural infrastructure, which rarely attract private sector investment. This process of increasing the available pool of resources for investment in the social and economic infrastructure of developing countries can be promoted at one level, by developed countries, through expeditiously reaching the target of setting aside 0.7% of GDP for ODA. At another level, there is also a need to develop innovative sources of financing. We must evolve a broader understanding of ways to encourage least developed countries out of the debt trap by extension of debt-cancellation programs, without insisting on conditionalities, such as encouraging privatization which, applied indiscriminately, may recreate the original difficulties that necessitated a recourse to debt in the first place.
The impasse in international trade negotiations is disappointing to say the least, considering the hopes raised after the Hong Kong Ministerial and at the G-8 Summit in St. Petersburg this July. Early resumption is desirable but adherence to the existing mandate is imperative – the mandate of the Doha Declaration, the July Framework and the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration. When agriculture was brought into the ambit of negotiations at the creation of the WTO, the developing countries were given a clear understanding that trade distorting agricultural subsidies would be phased out in a time bound manner. Minimizing the vulnerabilities of the poor farmers must be our collective priority. Demanding market access from developing countries, which displace low-income and subsistence farmers to satisfy commercial interests, cannot be supported.
Proportionately lower overall tariff reduction commitments and operable and effective development instruments of Special Products and Special Safeguard Mechanism are the essential components of securing food security, livelihood security and rural development needs of developing countries. The overarching principle of special and differential treatment, therefore, remains a categorical imperative, and is the underlying basis of the position of developing countries.
In our view, there exists an overwhelming logic for giving the United Nations a role in providing direction to the comprehensive reform of the international financial and trading systems. These reforms must be aimed at building an international architecture that reflects the realities of the 21st century and is able to create an environment that effectively supports national efforts to eradicate poverty. The Millennium Development Goals have given hope to the poor and the underprivileged of the world and these goals are to be achieved by 2015. In this context, the World Bank must remain steadfast in its mission for ‘a world free of poverty’ and its strategy must remain embedded in the historical development-centric approach. The Outcome Document of last year’s World Summit had emphasized that ‘enhancing the voice and participation of developing countries in the Bretton Woods Institutions remains a continuous concern’. The bridging of this ‘voice’ deficit requires fundamental reforms in the quota structure, which are long overdue and absolutely necessary to enhance the credibility and legitimacy of the IMF. The quota reform has to begin with the revision of the formula, so as to reflect the relative economic strengths of countries in the 21st century. The UN should encourage that immediate steps are taken to initiate the second stage of IMF quota reform, involving a basic revision of the quota formula and subsequent increase of quotas for all under-represented countries. And all this must be done in a time-bound manner.
Change is the law of life. Acute dissatisfaction in many statements is the result of preventing institutions from changing. What is true in the economic field is equally true of the architecture of our international security system—as reflected in this unique Organization that is supposed to reflect the collective will of our world—which remains mired in the past. Recent tragic events in Lebanon, and the stasis in the peace process in the Middle East, have highlighted the growing failure of the institution designated by the Charter with primary responsibility for issues relating peace and security. There is wide acceptance that the Security Council can no longer be regarded as being reflective of the changed international environment that has emerged since the time of its creation. The Security Council has not only to be more representative but also to be more effective if it is to be able to satisfactorily perform the role mandated to it by the Charter. At the same time, it has needlessly diverted its attention to issues and areas that go beyond its mandate. For instance, the inclusion of items on its Agenda that have nothing to do with peace and security represents an encroachment on the roles mandated to other UN bodies. In order to ensure that the international community exercises real ownership of the process of securing our world, it is essential that comprehensive reform of the Security Council is undertaken and that its membership is expanded in both permanent and non-permanent categories. It is no accident that the Secretary General’s report refers to the enhancement of the legitimacy and the urgent need for reform to ensure relevance and credibility.
The revitalization of the General Assembly is intertwined with the reform of the Security Council, and it is no coincidence that its reform too has long been frustrated. A strengthened and more effective United Nations presumes a revitalized General Assembly that exercises its role and authority in the areas of responsibility assigned to it by the Charter. These include its effectively addressing topics such as international law and human rights, financial, budgetary and administrative matters, as well as the global economic architecture and important issues related to development.
I now turn to one of the most crucial issues of our times: the problem of terrorism. While this phenomenon has become increasingly global, our collective response to it has remained rather inadequate. The multiple ways in which terrorism challenges the core principles of humanity and the mandate of the United Nations are underlined by the outrages perpetrated in India over the last few months. Barely two months ago, in a single black day, more than 200 lives were lost and more than 1000 were injured by dastardly bombings in Mumbai and elsewhere in India. These and other such incidents of outrage were clearly designed to spread maximum terror among ordinarily people. And ours is not the only country to be singled out by vicious and senseless acts of murder. A strong response to terrorism requires broad-based international cooperation denying the space available to terrorists, and increasing the capability of States to address terrorist threats. It requires sustained and specific cooperation by a variety of national, regional and global agencies.
We have joined in the adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy earlier this month, even though we would have ideally liked the United Nations to convey a far stronger message to counter terrorism. We must collectively and unanimously reject the notion that any cause can justify terrorism. No cause can ever justify the targeted killing of innocent men, women and children. The international community must signal that it will no longer tolerate the actions of the sponsors and abettors of terrorism or of those who willfully fail to prevent terrorists from utilizing their territories. We hope that the Strategy would provide the impetus to unite the international community in its fight against terrorism via practical measures that facilitate cooperation by way of extradition, prosecution, information exchange, and capacity building.
While we have gone along with the Global Counter Terrorism Strategy, the Comprehensive Convention against International Terrorism, which remains a work in progress, would have provided the requisite legal framework upon which a counter-terrorism strategy could have been based. It cannot be beyond our collective ingenuity to reach an agreement on this Comprehensive Convention, even though we have missed the target of doing so in the 60th UN General Assembly. We must work together to finalize and adopt the Comprehensive Convention, at least during this session of the General Assembly.
The existence of nuclear weapons continues to threaten international peace and security. In our view, the best non-proliferation measure is universal disarmament and the international community needs to take immediate steps to eliminate the threat of use of nuclear weapons. We have to revive momentum for achieving what late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi called "a nuclear weapons free and non-violent world", to be achieved through negotiations in a time bound manner. India will be presenting a working paper at this session of the UNGA on the issue of nuclear disarmament on which we look forward to working with UN Member States.
In recent years, new dangers have emerged due to the link of proliferation of WMD related materials and technologies to non-state actors and terrorist groups. The international community needs to work together to meet these challenges. India’s record in this regard is impeccable and we have instituted effective measures to ensure that technologies developed by us are not leaked in any way.
It is true that the developing countries bear the heaviest burden from pandemics, epidemics and chronic disease. The scourge of HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Avian Influenza and Tuberculosis seriously threaten the future of many developing countries by robbing them of their most productive segment of society - the youth - thereby affecting the future of these countries. An enhanced global collaborative effort is called for to confront the proliferation of challenges affecting the lives of the majority of our citizens.
We also need to address the central issue of the special needs of the developing countries, especially in Africa and the vulnerable small states. On our part, we shall continue to expand our program of South-South cooperation also through New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), through TEAM 9 – our special program for West African countries – and by means of the connectivity mission in Africa as well as assistance, capacity-building and technology transfer aimed at reducing the vulnerabilities of small states.
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who embodied our commitment to the UN ideals, said "in a world of incessant and feverish activity, men have little time to think, much less to consider ideals and objectives. Yet, how are we to act, even in the present, unless we know which way we are going and what our objectives are?"
Confronted as we are by the globalization of threats and by the limitations of our international systems to address such challenges, the need for a comprehensive reform of the UN has never been more imperative. We need to enfranchise the UN to meet the challenges of our time by reinforcing its role and authority as the core of real multilateralism.
We look forward to working closely with other Member States, under your leadership, to press ahead with essential reforms at the UN and implement an effective global partnership for development that encompasses everyone and enables every individual to live a life of dignity in a clean, safe and healthy environment."
New York September 27, 2006 - A weak to moderate El Niño is now likely, persisting into early next year, according to the latest United Nations forecast on the weather pattern that periodically disrupts the Pacific area with consequences that can range from increased rainfall and floods in the United States and Peru to drought and brush fires in Australia.
But the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned against trying to predict any possible impact at this early stage from the phenomenon, which is caused in part by a warming of the waters of the tropical Pacific and its effect on the trade winds.
"Climate patterns across the equatorial Pacific over the last one to two months have developed a notable tendency toward El Niño conditions," WMO said in its update bulletin, although it cautioned that at this stage there is a small possibility that it might not materialize.
"However, it may be noted that El Niño conditions, once established at this time of the year, almost always persist until early the following year," WMO added.
It called for additional caution, in view of the evolving situation, in forecasting the impact in those regions typically affected by El Niño, with the situation expected to become clearer in the next month or two.
It noted that although sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) are not yet at uniformly warm levels typical of El Niño across the whole central and eastern equatorial Pacific, conditions in the eastern equatorial Pacific close to the South American coast became warm toward the end of July.
During August, oceanic and atmospheric patterns in the central and western equatorial Pacific also began to resemble conditions typical of an early stage of El Niño. In the central equatorial Pacific, SSTs became more than one degree Celsius warmer than normal, while at the same time there was a weakening of the trade winds.
It is very likely that sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific will in general be warmer than normal through the remainder of the year and into early 2007, the bulletin said.
"The development of a basin-wide El Niño event is considered likely based on expert interpretation of the prevailing situation and the general consistency of forecast models," it added.
Sofia September 27, 2006 (KUNA) - Bulgarian Minister of Defense Vesselin Bliznakov said Wednesday that his country agreed to participate within the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFEL).
After returning home from a conference for the Defense Ministers of South-East European states, Bliznakov said he would send the Bulgarian frigate Drusky to Lebanon for two months starting from next October.
Drusky's staff would include 130 naval forces who would be led by the UN peacekeeping mission.
He said the Bulgarian Defense Ministry decision to participate with UNIFIL would be submitted to the Bulgarian Cabinet for approval and then to the parliament for yet another endorsement.
Bulgaria offered the UN three options for Bulgarian participation within UNIFIL: an infantry unit, a medical team or the frigate.
USS O'Kane at Sea September 27, 2006 - Operating off the coast of southern California, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) concluded a 16-hour anti-submarine warfare (ASW) active/passive track exercise, Sept. 22.
According to Chief Sonar Technician (SW) Bill McCandless, O’Kane’s ASW evaluator, the exercise was designed to allow O’Kane’s operators to search, track and report contact with a simulated diesel submarine, as part of the strike group’s search attack unit.
"This is really all about command and control," said McCandless, a Titusville, Penn., native. "I already know my operators know how to work the gear. Now we are working on coordination with the rest of the strike group."
O’Kane’s participation in the event is geared toward coordinating efforts for the upcoming deployment.
"We are building up from a single asset (surface only) to engaging in a more lethal, multi-dimensional (aviation, surface and sub-surface assets) ASW exercise," said McCandless.
Sonar Technician 1st Class Troy Hunsberger, O’Kane’s sonar supervisor said the exercise went very well.
"We were the first ship to pick up the contact by using our tactical towed array sonar," Hunsberger said. "We maintained the contact for several hours, and were able to cross correlate our fixes with other ships from the strike group."
The exercise was a resounding success, said McCandless.
"Our operators were able to search and track the contact both actively and passively," he said. "We know that operators can work the gear, and now the combat information center watch teams have been able to working on command and control by coordinating their efforts with the rest of the strike group."
Helsinki September 26, 2006 - The officers and crew of FNS Pohjanmaa stood to attention on the deck of the Finnish navy's flagship on Monday to salute a Danish warship sailing past to St Petersburg with the remains of Maria Fyodorovna, the mother of Russia's last Tsar, Nikolai II.
Fyodorovna, née Princess Dagmar, fled the Russian revolution to her native Denmark and died there in 1928.
She will be reburied in a crypt next to her husband, Alexander III, on Thursday, exactly 140 years after she first set foot on Russian soil.
Washington September 18, 2006 - Students in Washington, Oregon, and California have an opportunity to contribute to federal maritime history by naming the newest fisheries survey vessel currently being built for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fleet. "Name NOAA’s New Ship" contest begins this month.
The contest is open to all students in grades six through 12 in the three West Coast states. The contest was created to encourage interest in scientific studies, particularly those relating to fisheries and the oceans.
The name selected through the contest will be given to NOAA’s fourth 208-foot fisheries survey vessel, currently known as FSV 4. The ship will be homeported on the West Coast, but its exact location has not yet been determined. Once operational, this new vessel will support NOAA Fisheries in its primary goals of rebuilding and maintaining sustainable fisheries, promoting the recovery of protected species, and protecting and maintaining the health of coastal marine habitats.
"This is an exciting opportunity for students to learn more about the environment and make their mark in history," said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "We hope that everyone who participates learns more about the biology of fisheries, as well as their importance and their impact on local, regional, and national economies."
Working in teams of four to eight students, students will research one name of their choosing for the ship and work on an essay to support their selection. Essays will be judged on imagination and creativity, evidence of educational value, and ocean literacy.
"Students will have fun while learning about their local living marine resources, coastal ecosystems, oceanography, and history," said Louisa Koch, NOAA director of education, whose office is sponsoring the contest. "At the same time, they will be helping NOAA achieve one of its educational goals: to bring to America’s students a greater appreciation and understanding of our environment. We hope to create a new generation of stewards who will watch over and protect our precious natural resources for generations to come."
Members of the team whose entry is selected will be invited to the ship’s keel-laying ceremony in Moss Point, Miss., and a tour of the NOAA Fisheries research laboratory on the Gulf Coast. The school of the team with the selected entry will be given a duplicate keel plate bearing the ship’s new name. Additionally, the school will receive a visit from Rear Admiral Samuel P. De Bow Jr., director of the NOAA Corps and NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations. De Bow will address environmental stewardship and the role students can play as individuals in protecting the ecosystems.
Deadline for submission of entry packets is December 15. The winning team will be announced in March 2007. For more information on the contest, please visit: www.education.noaa.gov/shipname.
NOAA ships are operated, managed and maintained by its Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, which is composed of civilians and officers of the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps, one of the nation’s seven uniformed services. NOAA Corps officers serve aboard the ships and aircraft of the NOAA research and survey fleet, and bring their operational expertise to assignments in shore-based program offices throughout NOAA.
In 2007, NOAA, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, celebrates 200 years of science and service to the nation. From the establishment of the Survey of the Coast in 1807 by Thomas Jefferson to the formation of the Weather Bureau and the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries in the 1870s, much of America's scientific heritage is rooted in NOAA. NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 60 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.
Washington September 26, 2006 (PTI) - With military ties growing, the U S is transferring one of its amphibious ships 'USS Trenton' to India to give the Indian Navy the capability to move troops and equipment to greater distances, a top American Commander has said.
The transfer is expected to take place sometime this December, Commander of the American Pacific Fleet Admiral Gary Roughhead told PTI here.
"USS Trenton', the Admiral said, will give capability to the Indian Navy to move troops and equipment to great distances and the ability to remain off shore for a prolonged period of time.
The Admiral, however, did not give any further details about the transfer of the amphibious ship.
He maintained that free and open access to sea was an important and critical challenge and the two navies were "very closely aligned".
He said "One of the reasons we have been very effective in operating together and looking to the future is because we see the challenges that we face on the Oceans, on the sea lanes and the importance of keeping those open".
The top American Navy official, who was recently in India, said discussions with his counterparts were comprehensive that included future operations, exercises and exchanges. "I remain very impressed with the Indian Navy".
There was a highly personal element to the Admiral's visit to India recently--he wanted to track down the house he lived in as a youngster in Mumbai.
Moscow September 27, 2006 (RIAN) - Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia's only aircraft carrier, will join the Northern Fleet by the end of the year after modernization, the Navy's chief said Wednesday.
The ship, also known as Project 1143.5 heavy aircraft carrier, was commissioned in the Russian Navy in 1991 and became fully operational in 1995. But it was plagued by technical problems, including faulty arrestor gear, and was put into dock earlier this year for a technical overhaul.
"All preparatory work has been completed on the Admiral Kuznetsov and it will leave port for a combat training mission at the beginning of next week," Admiral Vladimir Masorin said after a visit on board the ship.
The Navy commander also said that several Su-33 Flanker-D fighters assigned to the aircraft carrier would return to the ship after a brief technical overhaul. The vessel is capable of carrying up to 26 fixed-wing fighters and 24 helicopters.
Russia's military leadership is considering building several modern aircraft carriers after 2015.
"The Russian Navy will operate several aircraft carriers in future," Masorin said in February, adding that Admiral Kuznetsov would probably remain in service until 2030.
Moscow September 27, 2006 (RIAN) - A Moscow district court has postponed hearings of a lawsuit filed by widows of submariners who died when their Russian nuclear submarine sank almost three years ago, a court official said Wednesday.
The K-159, a November class nuclear submarine, sunk in 2003 while being towed to Polyarny in northwestern Russia for decommissioning. Nine members of the 10-man submarine crew died.
Four widows filed a lawsuit against the Defense Ministry demanding compensation of 1 million rubles (about $37,500) each in moral damages, a lawyer acting for them said earlier.
"In their lawsuit, the widows indicate that the state is responsible for the provision of effective safety measures for servicemen in time of peace," Svetlana Belova said. "Therefore, the Defense Ministry must compensate them for moral damages related to their husbands' deaths."
But the ministry protested the compensation claims, saying that the widows should press charges against former North Fleet commander, Admiral Gennady Suchkov, who was convicted of criminal negligence leading to the deaths of the K-159 submariners.
Suchkov made no attempt to rescue the submarine crew after it sent out a distress signal on August 28, 2003. The submarine had sunk in the Barents Sea, at a depth of 238 meters (about 900 feet), with nine of her crew and 800 kilograms (about 1,700lb) of spent nuclear fuel on board.
The admiral was removed from his post at the end of 2003 and sentenced by a court martial in May 2004 to a four-year suspended prison term with two years on probation.
Washington September 27, 2006 - A southern California freight company today has pleaded guilty and was sentenced to pay a $120,000 criminal fine for making false statements related to the Department of Defense's (DOD) program to ship military household goods between Europe and the United States and between the United States mainland and Hawaii, the Department of Justice announced.
The Department charged that Ryan's World Inc., a Long Beach, Calif., freight forwarder, filed false documents with the DoD’s Military Traffic Management Command (MTMC). The MTMC, which is based in Alexandria, Va., was reorganized in 2004, and is now known as the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command.
Ryan's World is the sixth company to be charged as a result of the Department's ongoing antitrust investigation of anticompetitive and fraudulent conduct in the movement of military household goods. Five companies have previously been charged with participating in conspiracies to restrain trade in the transportation of military household goods, and more than $10 million in criminal fines have been imposed.
According to the one-count felony information filed today in the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., the false statements and representations included a certification that Ryan's World had no "common financial and/or administrative control" relationship "with any other household goods carrier or forwarder," when, in fact, it had such a relationship. Under MTMC rules, freight forwarders in a "common financial and/or administrative control relationship" are prohibited from competing with each other by filing rates to transport military household goods in the same traffic channels.
"Making false statements to the U.S. government is a serious crime and violators will be prosecuted," said Thomas O. Barnett, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department's Antitrust Division. "Today's charge demonstrates the Antitrust Division's ongoing commitment to ensure that the movement of military household goods are provided in a competitive marketplace."
In recent years, the DOD has spent more than $180 million annually to move the household goods of its military and civilian personnel from Europe to the United States, the Justice Department said.
The five companies previously charged are:
The investigation is being conducted by the Antitrust Division's National Criminal Enforcement Section with the assistance of the DOD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Army Criminal Investigation Division. Anyone with information concerning price fixing, bid rigging or fraud in the military moving and storage industry or concerning conspiratorial conduct for the purpose of reducing or eliminating competition on any government contract is urged to call the National Criminal Enforcement Section of the Antitrust Division at 202-307-6694 or the Mid-Atlantic Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service at 410-529- 9054.
Ha Noi September 28, 2006 (VNA) - The bill on Vietnamese sea areas is qualified for being submitted to the National Assembly (NA) for consideration at its coming 10th session, said the NA Standing Committee after its members debated the bill in Ha Noi on September 27.
The bill on Vietnamese sea areas defines the scope and legal regulations of Vietnamese sea areas with the aim of defending the sovereignty and the rights to sovereignty, national jurisdiction, territorial integrity, security, orders and socioeconomic development, expanding international relations, and contributing to creating a peaceful and stable environment in the region.
The NA's Law Committee, which examined the bill, held that Viet Nam possesses big potential in sea resources, therefore, it is important externally and internally to assert the sovereignty, scope, and legal regulations of sea areas belonging Viet Nam's sovereignty.
The NA Standing Committee members agreed that the bill contains legislation on the scope of legal regulations applied for sea areas belonging to national sovereignty that lie along the coast, islands and archipelagoes, including Hoang Sa and Truong Sa Archipelagoes.
Some legislators proposed that the bill should specify coordinates to define a ground line to calculate the length of the country's territorial waters, adjacent areas, economic exclusive areas and continental shelf as stated in the Vietnamese Government's Statements in 1977 and 1982 as well as in border agreements that Viet Nam signed with countries having nautical charts as required by the Sea Convention.
They said that the contents relating to economic issues, the rights to the use of sea, and the safeguard of security on the sea should be referred to in the form of principle.
Some legislators argued that the bill should have a scope of revisions beyond legal regulations of sea areas under the country's sovereignty, and the right to sovereignty and national jurisdiction, to other spheres relating to the development of sea-based economy.
New Delhi September 28, 2006 - From the skies to the high seas. Just like the so-called "near-miss" between a civilian airliner and two Sukhoi-30MKI fighters near Rajkot on September 21, it has now come to light that another disaster in the form of a head-on collision between a warship and a merchant vessel was averted near Mumbai on Monday.
The merchant vessel, MV Kity, was on passage to Colombo when it sustained "a glancing blow" from a guided-missile frigate of the Navy, the 2,800-tonne INS Dunagiri, around 30 nautical miles off Mumbai port on Monday night.
"The warship was maneuvering to avoid some fishing vessels when the mishap took place. Fortunately, no significant damage or injury was suffered by either ship. A collision could have led to loss of human lives, apart from a huge ecological disaster in terms of an oil spill," said a source.
While MV Kity has since proceeded towards its destination, the Navy has ordered a Board of Inquiry (BoI) to ascertain the exact reason behind the incident.
It may be recalled that the Navy's 450-tonne missile corvette INS Prahar had sunk in the Arabian Sea after colliding with the 29,000-tonne merchant vessel MV Rajiv Gandhi off the Goa coast in April.
Tehran September 26, 2006 - Four naval ships of Pakistan navy arrived at Bandar Abbas port on Tuesday as part of goodwill tour of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan's embassy said in a press release on Tuesday.
The Iranian naval authorities accorded warm reception to the fleet from Pakistan Navy. The representative of the Iranian first naval zone command and Pakistan's Naval Attaché Captain Moazzam IIyas welcomed the guests from Pakistan.
The Pakistan Navy ships, PNS Tariq, PNS Jurrat, PNS Quwwat, and the PNS/M Saad reached Iranian port of Bandar Abbas this morning after visiting Muscat.
During their visit, Pakistani navy officers will call on their counterparts and senior authorities of Hormuzgan province. They will also visit Islamic Republic of Iran's navy units in Bandar Abbas.
The Pakistani navy fleet would leave Bandar Abbas for Pakistan on Friday.
Kaliningrad September 25, 2006 (Interfax) - The Russian Baltic Fleet's submarine division will be moved to the fleet's main base in Baltiisk by the beginning of 2008, the Baltic Fleet's commander, Vice Admiral Konstatin Sidenko, announced Monday.
"A decision has been made to move the Baltic Fleet's submarine division, currently based in Kronstadt, to Baltiisk by early 2008," he said.
The division would be expanded by that time, but there is no specification as to the number of submarines, Sidenko said.
Sidenko's predecessor, Admiral Vladimir Valuyev, said earlier that the fleet had two operational diesel-powered submarines.
They will be reportedly joined by a new-generation diesel-powered submarine named "Sankt Peterburg", after it undergoes testing.
Severomorsk September 26, 2006 (Interfax-AVN) - Training officers to navigate submarines under the Arctic ice is among the priorities, Navy Commander Admiral Vladimir Masorin told Interfax-AVN.
"This training is needed to help strategic submarines of the Russian Fleet head for the Arctic ice region, which is the least vulnerable to an adversary's monitoring, and prepare for a response ballistic missile strike in the event of a nuclear conflict," he said.
"In order to be able to fulfill this task - I mean the task of preserving strategic submarines - it is necessary to train Russian submariners to maneuver under the Arctic ice," Masorin said.
The strategic nuclear submarine Yekaterinburg returned to its base on Tuesday following successful exercises at the North Pole.
Copyright 2006 Seawaves Publishing Inc. ISSN 1481-4307. This information is licensed to the recipient only. If you wish to disseminate any information contained herein, please contact
webmaster@seawaves.com for details. Images may be subject to copyright. Ask before you right-click.