http://www.defensedaily.com Defense Daily en-us 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 3:20:33 EDT By Marina Malenic Thales is developing a lightweight multirole missile (LMM) to offer a low-cost precision-strike capability for a variety of air-, land- and sea-based platforms, but particularly for unmanned air vehicles (UAV). "The UAV community is in dire... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4359.html Thu, 16 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT By Calvin Biesecker France's SAFRAN Group yesterday said it has agreed to acquire the biometrics business of Motorola [MOT] in a deal that would expand its already robust fingerprint matching business in the United States and globally. Terms of the pending... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4360.html Thu, 16 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT Curtiss-Wright [CW] yesterday said its Controls business unit has acquired Norway-based VMETRO for $72 million, boosting its position in embedded computer products for aerospace, defense, industrial, communications and medical markets. "The addition of... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4361.html Thu, 16 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Patuxent River, Md., is working to join the Army's contract with European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. (EADS) North America, and spend about $30 million to buy five new H-72 Lakota helicopters for the Naval Test... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4362.html Thu, 16 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT The pending acquisition of DRS Technologies [DRS] by Italy's Finmeccanica has received approval from the Committee on Foreign... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4363.html Thu, 16 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT By Geoff Fein The Navy is continuing to explore its options to remedy a strike fighter shortfall projected to occur in the next nine years, as well as examining upgrades to the V-22 engines to improve maintenance and durability, a Navy official said. Earlier... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4364.html Thu, 16 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT By Emelie Rutherford A former Pentagon official is recommending shifting from focusing on cost-based to time-based metrics for defense acquisition programs, which he said would control costs and schedule slippages and better leverage the U.S. defense... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4365.html Thu, 16 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT By Emelie Rutherford President Bush signed the fiscal year 2009 defense authorization bill into law on Tuesday, thus leaving the Defense Department (DoD) with both an authorization and appropriations act for the entire fiscal year, which will end with Bush's... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4366.html Thu, 16 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT Lockheed Martin [LMT] has received a $30 million contract to modernize the Army's M299 launcher family. The modernized M299 will carry... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4367.html Thu, 16 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT By Ann Roosevelt The services are interested inRaytheon's [RTN] Directed Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM) system laser-pointer-tracker known as "Quiet Eyes," that is designed to provide aircraft self-protection against infrared threat missiles, according to... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4351.html Wed, 15 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT The Air Force gave Boeing [BA] a contract worth up to $30 million to continue testing the Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL), the company said yesterday. ATL involves a high-energy chemical laser, aimed by a beam control system, mounted in a C-130H cargo plane... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4352.html Wed, 15 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT By B.C. Kessner ROME--Italy's Finmeccanica recently said its Alenia North America subsidiary won a $287 million Air Force contract for 18 G222 tactical transport aircraft bound for the Afghanistan National Army Air Corps (ANAAC). "Today's announcement is yet... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4353.html Wed, 15 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT French naval defense contractor DCNS recently landed a rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aboard the French navy frigate Montcalm while the vessel was underway in the Mediterranean Sea, DCNS said yesterday. The company said the success was the result... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4354.html Wed, 15 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT By Calvin Biesecker ATLANTA--In its own testing Smiths Detection has demonstrated that its HI-SCAN 6040aTiX X-Ray system can distinguish between innocent liquids and "liquids of interest" as part of its plans to deliver on the promise of explosives... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4355.html Wed, 15 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT The Air Force Research Laboratory yesterday issued a long-term Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) seeking research proposals in six focus areas related to cyber defense. Despite the fact that the Air Force leadership has decided not to stand up a separate cyber... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4356.html Wed, 15 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT By Emelie Rutherford The Navy's request to dip its aircraft carrier fleet from 11 to 10 was not granted by Congress in the recently passed fiscal year 2009 defense authorization bill, though a key lawmaker said he remains open to the proposal. The Navy asked... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4357.html Wed, 15 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT By Geoff Fein The new program executive officer for littoral and mine warfare (PEO LMW) is looking to bring small businesses into the fold to take advantage of their product lines, in particular for unmanned systems. Ann Sandel, who formerly served as deputy... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4358.html Wed, 15 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense Waiting On The Defense Bill. President Bush had not yet signed (or vetoed) the fiscal year 2009 defense authorization bill as of Defense Daily's deadline last Friday. He has until the end of... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4287.html Tue, 14 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT By Marina Malenic A new Army radar system that can "see" through foliage is attracting the interest of U.S. Special Forces Command (USSOCOM), as well as the Pentagon organization responsible for fielding technologies to defeat roadside bombs, system... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4288.html Tue, 14 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT By Calvin Biesecker The Coast Guard last week asked industry information on "proven" offshore patrol vessel designs and related technology as it begins taking steps to eventually buy replacement craft for its current fleet of Medium Endurance... http://www.defensedaily.com/publications/dd/4289.html Tue, 14 Oct 2008 0:00:00 EDT