SeaWaves Naval News December 15, 2006

Industry News

Boeing Teams with Industry Leaders to Expand Information-Sharing Environment Capabilities

St Louis December 14, 2006 - Boeing today announced it has formed a team of premier industry partners to establish the next generation, virtual information-sharing environment that will enable government organizations to better collaborate.

Principal teammates currently include Computer Sciences Corporation, Electronic Data Systems Corporation, The Hewlett-Packard Company, and Sun Microsystems, Inc., as well as a number of other premier technology providers.

The Boeing-led team will develop information-sharing environment solutions that enable customers to share large collections of information across all levels of security over diverse networks.

"Boeing has assembled the best of industry to create innovative and collaborative solutions that will deliver low-risk transformational capabilities," said Howard Chambers, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems. "Information-sharing environments are key to situational awareness and knowledge management, and through our lead systems integration work on Future Combat Systems, Ground-based Midcourse Defense and other programs, Boeing and its partners continue to solve our customer's most challenging technical problems."

Boeing's partners bring knowledge and expertise in Enterprise Architecture Knowledge Base development, Information Technology Information Library development, Service Oriented Architecture design and implementation, systems engineering, technical design and operational support.

World Disasters Report Identifies Top 10 Neglected Humanitarian Crises

Ottawa December 14, 2006 - The World Disasters Report 2006, launched today by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, has analyzed neglected global crises, which persist despite record levels of financial contributions to more high profile disasters. This year's report finds there are huge inequalities in access to assistance, as aid is increasingly driven by media coverage and politics. The report demonstrates how timely responses can help prevent chronic crises flaring up into humanitarian emergencies.

The report's data shows the financial commitments of United Nations appeals closely mirror media coverage with high profile disasters capturing the highest levels of aid per beneficiary. The tsunami was the best-funded crisis and could deliver 50 times more money per beneficiary than some of the worst-funded crises like those in Chad, Guyana, Côte d'Ivoire, Malawi and Niger.

"From the Red Cross perspective, such disparities are unacceptable," says Jose Garcia-Lozano, general manager of International Operations for Canadian Red Cross. "Humanitarian agencies and governments need to find ways that ensure aid goes to the world's most vulnerable people regardless of whether or not a disaster or crisis captures media and political attention."

Another trend in this year's report shows needs are growing as quickly as donations. While donations have hit the highest level ever, so did the number of people needing help - a number that has doubled in the last 10 years. The increasing number of vulnerable people can be directly linked to the increase in natural disasters. Between 2003 and 2005, the average number of reported natural disasters increased by 60 per cent.

Disaster response expert, Dr. Peter Walker, of Tufts University in Boston says that the model of financing aid and its distribution has not kept up with the changing shape of today's humanitarian needs.

"Research shows us that crises are no longer a blip on the development curve, but often the result of slow-moving disasters that grow out of chronic poverty and social vulnerability," says Walker, who founded the World Disasters Report in 1992. "We live in an era of global crises, like avian flu, which cross the boundaries of nations so we can no longer afford to think of these problems in isolated terms."

Walker says to address the plight of neglected disasters, there needs to be a shift away from the current model of reactive humanitarian funding, which supports one disaster to another. Instead, he proposes stable and consistent funding which can address emergencies before a full-blown crisis hits.

According to the World Disasters Report, the inequalities of aid also go beyond funding. The report shows the vulnerability of women is being neglected in many humanitarian responses. Following the 2005 South Asia earthquake, some 17,000 disaster-affected women in Pakistan were estimated to be close to giving birth but there was a critical shortage of female doctors and health workers deployed in the response.

Published annually since 1993 by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the World Disasters Report brings together the latest trends, facts and analysis of contemporary crises - whether 'natural' or human-made, quick-onset or chronic.

Although the World Disasters Report is commissioned by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the writers are independent and are entitled to express their own views. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the official policy of the International Federation or of individual National Societies. The report aims to provide a critical analysis relating to the use of information in disasters, and does not seek to promote the work of the Red Cross Red Crescent above other aid agency efforts.

QinetiQ Finalizes £308m CATS Contract to Supply MOD With Aerial Target Service for the UK's Armed Forces

Farnborough December 14, 2006 - QinetiQ has today signed a contract with the Ministry of defense (MOD) to supply a Combined Aerial Target Service (CATS) for the UK's armed forces. Worth up to £308 Million over 20 years, this is QinetiQ's largest competed sale to date.

QinetiQ was confirmed by the MOD as preferred bidder for this air target service contract in March 2006 after open competition.

Through the contract, QinetiQ will provide a service that meets all of the UK MOD's aerial target requirements worldwide including ground-based air defense training, aerial target services for the Royal Navy, and an air-to-air service for the RAF.

CATS combines in a single contract all of the MOD's existing target arrangements. This includes the Mirach service currently delivered by QinetiQ at Aberporth in South Wales as part of the 25-year Long Term Partnering Agreement (LTPA) through which it runs the MOD's 22 principle test and evaluation ranges.

Andrew Sleigh, QinetiQ's Group Managing Director for defense, said: "Over the next two decades, CATS will provide a flexible service worldwide that is key to the air defense training of the UK's armed forces. This contract is a significant success for QinetiQ and confirms our position as a major provider of high end managed services in UK defense." He continued: "A key feature of CATS is that our independence from manufacturers allows us to make use of the best proven targets on the market."

Each of QinetiQ's aerial target technologies has met a strict selection process and is already in service with UK and overseas customers:

• • Mirach 100/5 targets from Galileo Avionica, a Finmeccanica Company, are fully integrated at Aberporth, as part of QinetiQ's current aerial target provision under the LTPA.
• • Meggitt Defense Systems’ Banshee targets are fully integrated at UK ranges in Manorbier, Aberporth and the Hebrides.
• • The Meggitt Voodoo intermediate target and helicopter pop-up target complete the suite of targets that comprise the total service.

VT Group & BAE Systems Announce Discussions Regarding Future Joint Venture

Portsmouth December 14, 2006 - BAE Systems PLC and VT Group PLC announce that they are in early discussions regarding the combination of their surface ship build and naval support businesses into a joint venture.

BAE Systems’ submarines business is not included within the scope of these discussions. This initiative is in line with the defense Industrial Strategy of the Ministry of defense.

A further announcement will be made in due course.

BAE Systems Surface Ship Build and Naval Support Discussions

London December 14, 2006 - BAE Systems plc and VT Group plc announce that they are in early discussions regarding the combination of their surface ship build and naval support businesses into a joint venture. BAE Systems' submarines business is not included within the scope of these discussions. This initiative is in line with the defense Industrial Strategy of the Ministry of defense.

A further announcement will be made in due course.

Navy Posts Successful Test of Raytheon's Block IV Tomahawk Cruise Missile

Tucson December 14, 2006 - A US Navy Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile built by Raytheon Company was successfully launched Dec. 6 from USS Milius (DDG-69), an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, on the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division Sea Test Range off the coast of Southern California.

After launch from the vertical launch system, the Tomahawk, equipped with an inert warhead, completed the launch sequence and transitioned to cruise flight. It flew a fully guided 869-mile course using global positioning satellite and digital scene matching area correlator navigation to a target site on the Naval Air Systems Command land range at China Lake, Calif.

The test was the first Tomahawk Block IV launch from USS Milius.

"Tomahawk Block IV provides our warfighters with the capabilities needed to successfully fight in the 21st century battle space," said Capt. Rick McQueen, the Navy's Tomahawk all-up-round program manager. "The successful test event shows that the Baseline IV Tomahawk Weapon System will maintain the legacy of weapon effectiveness that Tomahawk has demonstrated in every major conflict from Desert Storm through Operation Iraqi Freedom."

"This successful test of a surface launched variant of Block IV Tomahawk adds another arrow to the quiver of our warfighters," said Harry Schulte, vice president, Raytheon Missile Systems Strike product line. "This success is a credit to the dedication and outstanding cooperation of the US Navy/Raytheon Tomahawk team."

A surface- and submarine-launched precision strike stand-off weapon, Tomahawk is the nation's weapon of choice for critical, long-range precision strike missions against high value, heavily defended targets.

Block IV Tomahawk, which achieved fleet introduction in May 2004, incorporates innovative technologies to provide new operational capabilities while dramatically reducing acquisition, operations and support costs. The new capabilities that Block IV Tomahawk brings to the Navy's sea strike capability are derived from the missile's two-way satellite data link that enables the missile to respond to changing battlefield conditions.

The strike controller can "flex" the missile in flight to preprogrammed alternate targets or redirect it to a new target. This targeting flexibility includes the capability to loiter over the battlefield awaiting a more critical target.

The missile can also transmit battle damage indication imagery and missile health and status messages via the satellite data link. Firing platforms, for the first time, will have the capability to plan and execute GPS-only missions. Block IV also has an improved anti-jam GPS receiver for enhanced mission performance.

BAE Systems Employed First Ever Woman to Win Queen's Silver Medal

Barrow-in-Furness December 14, 2006 - A young engineer from BAE Systems in Barrow has become the first-ever woman to win the UK's prestigious Queen's Silver Medal, the highest award for shipbuilding apprentices. Gemma Halshaw, who is 19 years old, has been selected for the award by the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights from all the shipbuilding apprentices from around the UK.

Gemma, who is currently working in the Human Resources department at BAE Systems Submarines, completed her three-year electrical apprenticeship in September 2006 at the BAE Systems shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness, which is currently building the Astute class nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Navy.

The Silver Medal was created in 1944 to be awarded to the Shipyard Apprentice of the Year by the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights. A second BAE Systems Submarines business apprentice, David Kinley, was also a finalist for the award this year.

Gemma will receive the award at a formal ceremony, which will be held on 18 January 2007 at the Army and Navy Club in London. The Prime Warden of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights will present the medal to Gemma at the ceremony. The award also includes a £1500 prize.

BAE Systems Submarines managing director Murray Easton commented: "I was delighted to hear that Gemma had won the Queens Silver Medal, this is a fantastic achievement for her and her family. At BAE Systems in Barrow we have a high potential program, where outstanding apprentices have the opportunity to develop themselves further within the organization. Gemma is one of the 13 apprentices currently on this program who have shown potential."

Initial evaluation for the award involved a one-week course and evaluation in September 2006 in Northumberland. The activities included 24-hour trekking, canoeing, and a camping expedition. Final interviews were held on in early December in London.

Gemma, whose father and brother have also worked in the shipyard, was delighted with the award. She commented: "I must confess that I was very surprised when the announcement was made. I had not expected to win - just taking part was a fantastic experience. My time as an apprentice at BAE Systems has been a great experience and this award has been the culmination of three very exciting years."

The BAE Systems Advanced Apprenticeship program is one of the largest such schemes in the UK. At any one time, the Company has over 1,000 young people employed on its numerous training programs. Apprentices can train in a wide number of skills, from engineering to business administration and information technology. This year, the company has taken on over 300 new apprentices as part of the scheme.

Tewksbury MA December 14, 2006 - Raytheon Company's DDG 1000 Ship Control System Navigation System Component team successfully completed a design review at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems' Expeditionary Warfare Center (EWC) in San Diego, Calif.

The current DDG 1000 Ship Control System design baseline was found to be mature, and Raytheon received authorization to proceed with the system's detailed design. Achieving this milestone was the result of close collaboration between the Raytheon EWC team and US Navy's Space & Naval Warfare Systems Command Systems Center-San Diego (SSC-SD) systems engineering, hardware engineering and specialty engineering teams.

Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems is the prime contractor for the DDG 1000's mission system equipment and is developing the entire interface electronics between the sensors and Total Ship Computing Environment Infrastructure (TSCEI) based on the Navy's open architecture model. SSC-SD is providing the functionality that performs the integration of the sensor inputs to generate a common DDG 1000 navigation message across the TSCEI.

In this navigation system design effort, Raytheon is integrating several different sensors to create a common navigation message. This message is then distributed to the Advanced Gun System and other ship systems, which require precise navigational information to perform their missions.

"This was the best way to leverage the Navy's investment through research and development of navigation technologies, allowing the system to evolve the Navy into the 21st century," said Pete Shaw, Marine Navigation deputy division head at SSC-SD.

Under the Navy's DDG 1000 Detail Design and Integration contract awarded in 2005, Raytheon IDS serves as the prime mission systems equipment integrator for all electronic and combat systems for the DDG 1000 Zumwalt Class Destroyer program.

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India Updates Brahmos Program

New Delhi December 14, 2006 - The Joint Venture BrahMos was established through Inter-Government Agreement in Feb 1998 for design, development, production and marketing of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with share capital of $250 million, contributed by India and Russia in the ratio of 50.5% and 49.5% respectively. The share capital was enhanced by $50 millions to include the development of aircraft version of the missile. Therefore, the contribution from the Indian side was Rs. 634 crore. DRDO also contributed Rs. 370 crore to realize the required infrastructure, technologies, production facilities to realize the system for Indian Armed Forces.

This information was given by the defense Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Hasnraj G Ahir in Lok Sabha today.

Killings of Two People Approaching Yemeni Coast Prompt Alarm From UNHCR

New York December 14, 2006 - The United Nations refugee agency has expressed concern after Yemeni security forces opened fire earlier this week on one of the many boats carrying people across the Gulf of Aden during the annual smuggling season, killing two people.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) deputy director for the region, Radhouane Nouicer, said yesterday that the agency has asked Yemeni authorities to instruct the local coastguard to refrain from shooting at boats as the arrive.

"We are extremely concerned about this incident, where innocent civilians got hurt," Mr. Nouicer said.

Survivors of Monday's incident have told UNHCR staff that Yemeni armed forces starting shooting as passengers on a boat carrying 120 Somalis and Ethiopians disembarked on a beach near the town of Belhaf. The fatalities are believed to be one Somali passenger and one smuggler.

The remaining smugglers on the boat - who were in possession of a gun, according to the passengers - then decided to head back to sea with about 60 people still on board, before later dropping the passengers further along the coast near Jila'a.

About 110 of the boat people have now sought assistance from a UNHCR reception center in May'fa.

The killings come as UNHCR has expressed growing concern in recent weeks about Yemen's treatment of the thousands of people who have been arriving from Somalia, usually in extremely rickety boats, during the annual sailing season on the Gulf of Aden.

As many as 23,000 people have been documented making the journey this year, and UNHCR records indicate that at least 360 people have perished during the crossing - there are reports that smugglers sometimes attack passengers and throw them overboard - and another 150 people are missing.

Earlier this month UNHCR urged Yemen to reconsider the imminent deportation of a group of 126 Ethiopian boat people and urged the country to abide by its commitments under the 1951 Refugee Convention. Yemen is one of the few countries in its region that has signed that pact. There are now more than 88,000 registered refugees in the country, with nearly all hailing from Somalia.

Attorney General Statement on BAE Systems in House of Lords

London December 14, 2006 - "This statement relates to the investigation by the Serious Fraud Office into BAe Systems plc concerning payments made in relation to the Al Yamamah program with Saudi Arabia.

This afternoon the SFO have announced that they are discontinuing this investigation.

Their statement reads as follows:

"The Director of the Serious Fraud Office has decided to discontinue the investigation into the affairs of BAe Systems plc as far as they relate to the Al Yamamah defense contract.

This decision has been taken following representations that have been made both to the Attorney General and the Director concerning the need to safeguard national and international security.

It has been necessary to balance the need to maintain the rule of law against the wider public interest.

No weight has been given to commercial interests or to the national economic interest."

Given the intense interest in this issue and its market sensitivity I have decided to inform Parliament this afternoon of this decision and to give a further brief explanation.

The SFO have divided their investigation of these matters into three periods. The first period, which has been termed Phase I, runs from the mid 1980's until the coming into force of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. This Act extended the pre-existing law of corruption to the bribery of overseas officials. The view of the SFO in relation to these payments is that no prosecution should be brought before the coming into force of the new Act. That is a view with which I concur.

The other phases concern the period after the coming into force of the new Act. Phase 2 covers payments made at about the time of the termination of the arrangements under which payments had previously been made by BAe.

Phase 3 covers a longer period in relation to which at the moment there is little hard evidence that payments were made. In the SFO's view there is no guarantee that this investigation would lead to prosecution and there are real issues to be determined. In order to complete this investigation significant further inquiries would be necessary which would last in the SFO's judgment a further 18 months. They accordingly have concluded that in these circumstances the potential damage to the public interest which such a further period of investigation would cause is such that they should discontinue that investigation now. I agree that there are considerable uncertainties that a prosecution could be brought; indeed my own view goes somewhat further as I consider, having carefully examined the present evidence, that there are obstacles to a successful prosecution so that it is likely that it would not in the end go ahead.

As to the public interest considerations, there is a strong public interest in upholding and enforcing the criminal law, in particular against international corruption, which Parliament specifically legislated to prohibit in 2001.

In addition I have, as is normal practice in any sensitive case, obtained the views of the Prime Minister and the Foreign and defense Secretaries as to the public interest considerations raised by this investigation. They have expressed the clear view that continuation of the investigation would cause serious damage to UK/Saudi security, intelligence and diplomatic cooperation, which is likely to have seriously negative consequences for the UK public interest in terms of both national security and our highest priority foreign policy objectives in the Middle East. The heads of our security and intelligence agencies and HM Ambassador to Saudi Arabia share this assessment.

Article 5 of the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions precludes me and the SFO from taking into account considerations of the national economic interest or the potential effect upon relations with another state, and we have not done so.

Noble Lords will understand that further public comment about the case must inevitably be limited in order to avoid causing unfairness to individuals who have been the subject of investigation or any damage to the wider public interest. It is also appropriate that I should add that the company and individuals involved deny any wrongdoing."

Armed Forces Get New Live Firing Target Service

London December 14, 2006 - The MoD has signed a contract with Qinetiq to supply high tech military target system for the next 20-years Lord Drayson, Minister for defense Procurement, announced today.

Under the contract Qinetiq will provide subsonic aerial targets for the MoD over the next two decades, helping ensure our Armed Forces are trained and able to deal with a range of 21st century aerial threats.

Lord Drayson said:

"Letting this contract marks a significant step forward towards the delivery of the CATS project. In line with the defense Industrial Strategy it will prove a rationalized supplier base for the MoD and will produce savings in the order of 10% of the total cost over the 20 year life of the contract."

He added: "It is critical to our operational capability that our Armed Forces test, evaluate and train operators for anti-air warfare systems, including the Royal Navy Sea Dart missile, Army High Velocity Missiles and RAF short and medium range air-to-air missiles."

In line with defense Industrial Strategy this contract, worth over £300M, will secure the long term support from industry for the provision of this key service. It also ensures that future plans for target usage are taken into account. Qinetiq have selected a major UK manufacturer, Meggitt defense Systems, for three of the four target types they will be using.

The subsonic element of CATS will be provided under a Contractor Owned and Operated Service (COOS) contract, which has been developed as a form of Public Private Partnership.