EADS is keen to make “reasonable” acquisitions in the field of defense security and services in the U.S. over the next few years, Chief Executive Louis Gallois said over the weekend.
The U.S. has the largest defense budget in the world and EADS has been trying for years to win a bigger share of that market. [...]
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EADS is keen to make defense acquisitions in the U.S.
Border Drones Plagued by Mishaps, Pilot Shortage
Despite high-profile support for flying unmanned aircraft along the U.S. border with Mexico, the camera-equipped drones are far from a technological magic bullet for fighting illegal immigration. Testimony presented to the House Homeland Security Committee highlights a number of problems facing Customs and Border Patrol’s drone fleet, including a high accident rate and a pilot [...]
3,000 Laptops Stolen From Mil Contractor
Thieves allegedly took an estimated 3,000 laptop computers from the Florida warehouse of a military contractor, police said.
The thieves arrived by car at iGov Technologies in Tampa, a contractor for the top secret U.S. Special Operations Command, and broke in through the roof, the St. Petersburg Times reported Monday.
The heist took place during a 9-hour [...]
White House To Streamline Arms Export License Process
U.S. President Barack Obama plans to send Congress legislation this year to create a single agency to issue arms export licenses, the chief of the National Security Council said June 30.
The new agency would take over licensing tasks from the Departments of State, Commerce and Treasury, said James Jones, Obama’s national security adviser.
The move is [...]
New agency will house export rules
National Security Adviser James Jones on Wednesday announced the creation of a new and independent agency that will merge all export licensing activities under a board of directors reporting to the president.
The move, backed by some of the nation’s most powerful trade associations and companies, is part of the Obama administration’s sweeping effort to overhaul [...]
Pentagon: high-tech intelligence tools more than big guns and heavy armor
Boeing has agreed to acquire Argon ST for USD775 million in a deal value that exceeds previous estimates for the C4ISR specialist, reflecting strong rival bidding from Boeing’s peers. This acquisition reflect a shift by defense contractors seeking to accommodate a Pentagon that now wants high-tech intelligence tools as much or more than big guns [...]
U.S. Signs 2nd-Stage U.S.-EU Aviation Agreement
Cynthia Stroum, the US Ambassador to Luxembourg and Susan Kurland, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, along with representatives of the European Union (EU) and its 27 member nations, today formally signed an aviation agreement that continues the expansion of air services set in place by the 2007 U.S.-EU [...]
U.S. and EU Sign Deal to Boost Cooperation on Air Traffic
The U.S. and the European Union expect to sign as soon as Friday an agreement that will increase cooperation on their new-generation systems for highly efficient air-traffic management, people close to the talks say.
Authorities from both sides of the Atlantic have been working for years to develop satellite-based navigation equipment that will enable pilots to [...]
Adoption of a U.S.- EU and EU Member States Declaration on Counterterrorism
The Council of Ministers of Interior and Justice of the European Union adopted a U.S.- EU and EU Member States Declaration on Counterterrorism.
Attorney General Eric Holder, who attended the EU/G6 Conference of Interior Ministers declared: “The Council’s adoption of this Declaration is a crucial step forward in our mutual fight against terrorism. I attended the [...]
Two Men Arrested for Terrorism at Kennedy Aiport
Two New Jersey men who were bound for Somalia to join an Islamic extremist group and to kill American troops were arrested at Kennedy International Airport on 6/6. The men, Mohamed Haoud Alessa, 20, and Carlos Eduardo Almonte, 24, were to join Al Shabaab, which claims ideological kinship with Al Qaeda and which was thought [...]
Obama Administration Unveils Security Strategy
The Obama administration Thursday unveiled its new national security strategy, recognizing the need for military force but as a last resort and stressing the need to increase international diplomatic cooperation.
President Barack Obama said in the 52-page document the military should be used but not overextended. And taking a wider view of national security, Mr. Obama [...]
BAE TSS: 95 M$ for security systems to control access to Army bases
BAE Systems has received a U.S. Army contract worth up to $95 million to install and maintain automated security systems to control access to Army bases and other installations. This award expands the company’s work in supporting physical security at government sites.
The automated installation entry systems use software and hardware to verify information on individuals [...]
Papp Takes Helm of Coast Guard
The Coast Guard’s quintessential ship captain, Adm. Robert J. Papp Jr., took charge of the service Tuesday.
The Coast Guard has been going through a transformational period, under the header of “modernization.” Everything from how the leadership is organized to how the missions are supported will be different.
It’s an effort to prepare for future challenges, including [...]
US CBP and China Sign MOU to Enhance Supply Chain Security
U.S. Customs and Border Protection today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China on Supply Chain Security and Facilitation. The CBP-China Customs Memorandum of Understanding will serve as a key component of a cooperative security and trade relationship between the two nation’s [...]
AgustaWestland Will Bid on New Marine One
AgustaWestland (AW) told that the company is still in the hunt for the U.S. VXX Presidential helicopter replacement program, commonly known as Marine One. Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, the chairman and CEO of AW parent company Finmeccanica, suggested that AW could partner with Boeing and L-3 for the contract.
The original program was canceled last year amid [...]
NY plans 24M$ for new Security Programs
The Police Department has been planning a high-tech security network for Midtown Manhattan involving surveillance cameras, license plate readers and chemical sensors, although it was not clear whether it could have prevented the attempted car bombing in Times Square on Saturday night.
The network, patterned after one under development in Lower Manhattan, would eventually use public [...]
About the need for increased rail security
Report of the hearing of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, chaired by senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), to examine the security of our nation’s railroads and other surface transportation networks. In light of a bombing on a commuter train in Russia that left 40 dead last month, Lautenberg called the hearing to [...]
Sikorsky, Lockheed team to bid for US presidential helicopter
Lockheed sees possible US Navy award in 2011 or 2012
Lockheed still negotiating termination of VH-71 (AgustaWestland/Finmeccanica) with Navy
Former rivals Sikorsky Aircraft and Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) said they would join forces in a follow-on U.S. Navy presidential helicopter competition even as Lockheed continued to negotiate a settlement over termination of the previous program.
Under the teaming agreement, [...]
DEFENSE AND NON-PROLIFERATION : U.S.-EU HIGHLIGHTS
Global Leaders Endorse Securing of All Nuclear Material by 2014 – Following two days of meetings in Washington, leaders from around the world agreed to take tangible and meaningful steps to secure the world’s nuclear materials. President Obama, who initiated the global effort in a speech in Prague in April 2009, called the collective agreement [...]
Finmeccanica: 130M$ contracts for security
Finmeccanica has won contracts with a total value of approximately 13 M$ million through its companies DRS, SELEX Sistemi Integrati and Elsag Datamat.
Specifically, DRS Technical Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Finmeccanica Group company DRS Technologies, was awarded a $77 million contract to provide technical assistance to the United States Army and allies as they [...]
Updating air traffic system top aim of Senate bill
Replacing World War II-era radar with 21st century GPS technology and implementing several new airline safety rules would be required under a $34.5 billion bill approved on March,22 by the Senate.
The measure funding the Federal Aviation Administration through Sept. 30, 2011, calls for key elements of the FAA’s NextGen program to be in place at [...]
Aircrafts and Helicopters: Finmeccanica Seeks To Make U.S. Home Market
Finmeccanica is looking to further increase its business activity in the U.S., capitalizing on its acquisition of DRS Technologies.The company has long eyed the U.S. and, through a growing industrial footprint, has tried to make it a “home market” in addition to Italy and the U.K.
A round of upcoming helicopter competitions will prove a crucial [...]
DRS Awarded $15 M to Provide Satellite Connectivity and Services
DRS Defense Solutions, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DRS Technologies, Inc.,Finmeccanica Group, announced its Global Enterprise Solutions business unit was awarded a $15 million task order to provide X-band satellite connectivity and terrestrial transport services to the U.S. Military serving in the Middle East.
Award is by the Defense information Systems Agency (DISA) under Defense Information [...]
U.S. Homeland Security Chief Meets Europe Counterparts
European officials agreed at last Jan Madrid Meeting to accelerate the drafting of a common strategy with the United States to improve airline security during a meeting with Janet Napolitano, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. It was the first such high-level trans-Atlantic meeting on the subject since the botched Dec. 25 bombing of an [...]
MEADS : Army would like to kill the program, but Pentagon resists
Another battle is brewing at the Pentagon over a costly weapons program that many military leaders do not want but that so far has proven difficult to kill.
After several failed attempts, the Army is trying again to cancel a $19 billion missile defense system that the United States is developing in partnership with Italy and [...]
US Grounds BAE Export Applications
The US State Department has put a hold on all new applications for export licences by BAE Systems in the wake of the company’s recent criminal plea agreement to settle long-running bribery allegations.
It says it wants to establish what impact the UK armsmaker’s agreement last month with the Department of Justice will have on the [...]
Finmeccanica Looks for Partner in White House Helicopter Bid
Finmeccanica SpA, Italy’s biggest defense contractor, said it is looking for a partner as the U.S. Defense Department restarts the process of replacing the ageing fleet of presidential helicopters. The group will respond with the subsidiary AgustaWestland. Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, Finmeccanica’s chief executive officer, said at a press conference in London today.
Lockheed Martin Corp. won [...]
Capitol Police upped security after shooting at Pentagon Metro
Capitol Police on Friday continued to maintain stringent security levels on Capitol Hill after a lone gunman shot and wounded three officers outside of the Pentagon on Thursday.
Officers with the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA) shot and killed John Patrick Bedell, 36, Thursday evening after he approached them outside of the Pentagon Metro station and [...]
U.S. Puts Hold on Export Licenses for BAE: State Dept.
The U.S. State Department has placed a “temporary administrative hold” on weapons export licenses sought by BAE Systems or companies using BAE Systems’ products, a State Department official said. BAE officials, however, said there was no hold. The state of affairs remains unclear.
This comes in the wake of BAE’s guilty plea to accusations that it [...]
License plate recognition to be regulated in Maine
Action that would limit use to law enforcement, DOT could be precedent setting
The Maine Legislature’s Joint Transportation Committee has moved forward a bill this week that would set statewide policy for the use of license plate recognition technology. As part of LD 1561, “An Act to Regulate the Use of Traffic Surveillance Cameras,” LPR data [...]