June 13th, 2013 By Army News Service - defencetalk.com

Exercise Eager Lion kicked off in Jordan this week as U.S. service members began training with military forces from 19 nations.

The multi-national exercise, which runs June 9-20, began with a press conference in which Maj. Gen. Robert Catalanotti, director of exercises and training for U.S. Central Command, explained how impressed he was with the Jordanian way of running the training.

“We from the United States are following behind our lead, the Jordanians, this year, who have really taken this exercise to a great level after building it over the last four years,” Catalanotti said.

Eager Lion is designed to strengthen military-to-military partnerships and enhance security and stability in the region by responding to realistic, modern-day security scenarios, according to U.S. Central Command. This year’s scenarios will focus on integrated air and missile defense, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, officials said.

Around 5,000 U.S. service members are participating in the exercise. Included among those are Soldiers with a U.S. Army Patriot missile battery that deployed in order to participate.

“This exercise is designed to encounter national security challenges such as counterinsurgency, border security, close air support and integration of the whole of government,” said Maj. Gen. Awni al Adwan, chairman of joint task force with the Jordanian Army. He spoke during the press conference announcing the beginning of Eager Lion 2013.

In hosting the military training exercise, Jordan is opening its doors to allow more than 8,000 participants who will be conducting operations by land, air and sea.

Eager Lion includes events ranging from board, search and seizure techniques to live-fire demonstrations being conducted by the participating militaries. It is designed to increase the capabilities and partnerships of the participating countries.

“Eager Lion is an excellent example of teamwork that brings together military forces and inter-agency partners from around the world,” Catalanotti said. “This exercise challenges the participants to respond to realistic, modern-day security scenarios by integrating a variety of disciplines in the air, on land and at sea. Our relationship with Jordan and the 19 partner nations involved in the exercise is built on a foundation of interoperability that brings us closer together and enhances regional stability.”

Eager Lion culminates with a massive display of sea-land capabilities, June 18-20.

June 11, 2013 Spacewar.com (AFP)

Tokyo - Japan and the United States have started a joint drill to practise retaking remote islands, the Japanese government said Tuesday, as Tokyo and Beijing continue to face off over a disputed archipelago.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, who has previously stressed "Dawn Blitz" was not aimed at China, told reporters that the joint exercise was designed to "significantly contribute to our capability".

It is the first time all the three arms of Japan's Self Defense Forces -- army, navy and airforce -- have taken part together in a drill based on the US mainland.

Of some 1,000 Japanese personnel participating in the multi-national amphibious exercise, the bulk are naval troops from three destroyers of the Maritime Self Defense Force, according to Japanese media.

Canada, New Zealand and military observers from seven other nations are also taking part in the US-led exercise in California, which will last until June 28 according to the US Marine Corps. Japan's participation lasts until June 26.

The exercise comes as Beijing and Tokyo remain at loggerheads over the ownership of Tokyo-administered islands in the East China Sea, with frequent confrontations between official ships from the two sides.

The United States has repeatedly said it did not take a position on the sovereignty of the Senkaku islands, which China calls the Diaoyus, but has said they are covered by a mutual defence treaty.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, seen as a hardliner against China, has stepped up defence spending by the world's third largest economy and taken an uncompromising stance on the islands.

10 juin 2013 Par Nora Poggi - Usine Digitale

On en apprend de plus en plus sur les pratiques de l'industrie des renseignements aux Etats-Unis cette semaine, à mesure que les révélations tombent. Techcrunch rapporte comment la NSA et la CIA, sous le feu des critiques, se sont associées avec le groupe d'investissement In-Q-Tel (IQT) pour accéder aux dernières technologies en matière d'espionnage numérique.

IQT, organisation sans but lucratif, co-investit avec d'autres investisseurs dans des start-up dont la technologie de pointe peut être utile aux services de renseignement. 70% de ces start-up n'auraient jamais travaillé avec le gouvernement auparavant, IQT fournit donc aux renseignements américains un véritable pont d'accès aux nouvelles technologies. Celles-ci concernent des outils d'analyses géospatiales et vidéo, des bases de données à grande échelle, des outils de traduction, de sécurité et de mobilité.

Focus sur les données et le mobile

IQT recherche activement dans la Silicon Valley des start-up qui développent les technologies les plus disruptives, dans des domaines comme l'analyse et la visualisation de données, la collaboration et la mobilité numérique. Les descriptions de postes chez IQT montrent que le mobile est une priorité. C'est donc une priorité de la NSA. Ils cherchent à construire une équipe capable de créer un écosystème mobile entier, à travers des appareils mobiles, mais aussi des infrastructures d'entreprise, des réseaux, des systèmes d'opération, et des applications mobiles.

La NSA et la CIA brassent énormément de données, comme cela a été révélé, et il semble qu'IQT mette l'accent sur le fameux "big data" en recherchant des ingénieurs experts dans NoSQL, l'intégration des API et les languages de programmation comme Ruby et Java. Il semble que les 5 milliards de dollars dépensés par la NSA dans des centres d'écoute top secrets, construits en Utah et Maryland, ne représentent qu'une partie d'une économie secrète de plusieurs milliards de dollars dans les nouvelles technologies, dont la Silicon Valley bénéficie largement.

13.06.2013 Le Monde.fr (AFP)

C'est la première femme à occuper un tel poste. Avril Haines, 43 ans, conseillère de Barack Obama et juriste auprès du conseil de Sécurité nationale (NSC) a été nommée directrice adjointe de la CIA, ont annoncé mercredi des responsables américains. Elle va remplacer Michael Morell, qui a assuré par deux fois l'intérim à la tête de l'agence de renseignement.

Contrairement à son prédécesseur, Avril Haines est un nouvel élément à la CIA mais elle a, par le passé, travaillé avec l'actuel directeur John Brennan, ancien conseiller de Barack Obama dans la lutte anti-terroriste. "Elle a participé quasiment à toutes les réunions des responsables de ces deux dernières années et préside le groupe des juristes qui examine les programmes les plus sensibles de l'agence" de renseignement, a affirmé John Brennan dans un communiqué. "Dans toutes les circonstances, Avril a fait preuve d'un sens profond de l'autorité, de jugement et de perspicacité", a-t-il ajouté.

La nouvelle directrice adjointe devrait aider le nouveau directeur de la CIA à revoir le programme controversé d'utilisation des drones, selon les vœux du président, qui s'est engagé à encadrer davantage leur usage à l'étranger.

Avant de travailler à la Maison Blanche, Avril Haines a été conseillère juridique au département d'Etat sur les questions de traités, a représenté les intérêts des Etats-Unis dans les négociations internationales. Diplômée en sciences physiques et en droit, qu'elle a étudié à la prestigieuse université de Georgetown, cette fonctionnaire a également travaillé à la commission des affaires étrangères du Sénat lorsque le vice-président Joe Biden et l'actuel chef de la diplomatie américaine, John Kerry, en étaient membres.

Jun 12, 2013 ASDNews Source : US Navy

The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) with embarked Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 and Destroyer Squadron 23, along with the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) entered the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations June 9.

"I am proud of the Sailors and Marines of the strike group," said Rear Adm. Michael S. White, commander of CSG 11. "They have worked tirelessly to ensure that we arrive in theater ready to support ongoing operations. We look forward to working with our regional partners to demonstrate our commitment to security operations."

While in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility, Nimitz Strike Group will conduct maritime security operations, which help set conditions for security and promote regional stability and global prosperity.

"We are eager to participate in fostering trust, cooperation and mutual respect with our partner nations while working together to increase stability in the area and ensure the vital sea lanes of this region remain free for all maritime traffic," said White.

The squadrons of CVW-11 include the "Black Knights" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 154, the "Argonauts" of VFA-147, the "Blue Diamonds" of VFA-146, the "Death Rattlers" of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 323, the "Gray Wolves" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 142, the "Wallbangers" of Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 117, the "Indians" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6 and the "Wolf Pack" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75.

U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet is headquartered in Manama, Bahrain, and is responsible for about 2.5 million square miles of water including the Arabian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean.

While operating in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility, Nimitz and CVW-11 will also conduct missions in direct support of troops participating in Operation Enduring Freedom.

Immersive technology demonstrations to take attendees inside the mission at all-new Raytheon exhibit pavilion

WALTHAM, Mass., June 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) will meet with its increasing range of international customers, demonstrate innovative new systems and upgrade solutions designed for today's threat scenarios and market environment, and share the deep subject matter expertise of its senior leaders, at the 50th International Paris Air Show (June 17-23, Le Bourget, France).

Attendees visiting Raytheon's exhibit pavilion (behind Raytheon Chalet A294 at Exhibit Pavilion ST-D166) will experience lifelike mission scenarios that place them in the heart of the action. Features of the highly interactive Raytheon pavilion will include:

• The Joint Tactical Air Controller (JTAC): A wearable, computerized vest and thin companion display that transform aviators separated from their aircraft into dismounted soldiers who can share information and support remote targeting within the battlespace. Attendees will be able to wear the situational awareness system and get a first-hand demo of its mission capabilities.

• An F-16 Flight Console: Provides pilots with integrated battlefield information that fits seamlessly into flight operations. This hands-on demonstration will allow users to experience powerful upgrade capabilities as would be experienced by military pilots. Users will be offered realistic scenarios, including the ability to digitally reproduce mission-enabling images in degraded visual environments.

• Additional Demonstrations and Displays: Devoted to Raytheon's leadership position in air and missile defense; global intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; precision weapons; and more.

On June 21st, Raytheon will once again welcome student rocketeers from France, the United Kingdom and the United States to Le Bourget as they compete for the global championship in the annual international rocketry challenge. Raytheon is underwriting the participation and travel of the Georgetown 4-H team from Georgetown, Texas, which prevailed in the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) finals held May 11 in Virginia. Georgetown 4-H bested 99 teams for the chance to represent the United States at Paris.

Raytheon has sponsored the winning U.S. team's trip to the international show since the program's inception in 2005 -- as part of the company's ongoing commitment to encourage student interest in math and science. The company's support of the international rocketry challenge and TARC is part of Raytheon's MathMovesU^® program, an initiative designed to support and inspire the engineers and technologists of tomorrow.

Beginning June 16 and running throughout the week of the Paris Air Show, Raytheon will spotlight key news, features and multimedia on its website (www.raytheon.com) and social media channels. To connect with Raytheon on social media, visit http://www.raytheon.com/newsroom/social_media/.

About Raytheon

Raytheon Company, with 2012 sales of $24 billion and 68,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 91 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems; as well as a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @raytheon.

12/06 LesEchos.fr (Reuters)

La question budgétaire aux Etats-unis, parmi d'autres facteurs, rendent peu probables les chances d'EADS d'atteindre un chiffre d'affaires de 10 milliards hors Airbus sur le marché américain d'ici 2020, à moins d'une grosse acquisition, a déclaré mercredi son directeur général pour l'Amérique du Nord.

"A moins d'une acquisition, je ne nous vois pas atteindre ce chiffre', a déclaré Sean O'Keefe à des journalistes.

Le groupe continue de s'intéresser à d'éventuels achats aux Etats-Unis, mais il n'a fourni aucun détail sur ses cibles.

12 juin 2013 Romandie.com (AFP)

WASHINGTON - Le général Keith Alexander, directeur de l'Agence nationale de sécurité (NSA), a défendu mercredi la légalité des vastes programmes de surveillance américains révélés la semaine dernière, en rappelant qu'ils fonctionnaient sous supervision rigoureuse.

Etant donné la nature de notre travail, bien sûr, peu de personnes en dehors des pouvoirs exécutif, législatif et judiciaire peuvent connaître les détails de ce que nous faisons ou voir que nous fonctionnons tous les jours selon des règles strictes, et que nous rendons des comptes dans le cadre d'un des régimes de supervision les plus rigoureux du gouvernement, devait-il dire devant une commission du Sénat américain, selon le texte de sa déclaration transmis à la presse au début de son audition.

Tout dépend de la confiance. Nous fonctionnons de façon à conserver la confiance des Américains car cette confiance est une exigence sacrée, devait-il expliquer. Nous ne voyons pas de compromis entre sécurité et liberté. Ce n'est pas un choix, et nous pouvons et devons accomplir les deux simultanément.

Il y a de multiples mécanismes de supervision en place, devait-il ajouter.

La participation de l'espion en chef américain à cette audition, prévue depuis longtemps et consacrée à la cybersécurité, intervient six jours après les révélations sur deux programmes secrets de surveillance téléphonique et électronique, aux Etats-Unis et à l'étranger.

Ces programmes hautement secrets ont été dévoilés par Edward Snowden, un ex-consultant informatique de la NSA, qui s'est réfugié à Hong-Kong avant de transmettre des documents au Washington Post et au Guardian.

Jun. 12, 2013 - By PAUL McLEARY – Defense News

WASHINGTON — In September, America’s top special operator plans to sit down with US geographic combatant commanders to finally lay out plans for what he has been calling the “global SOF network.”

“We’re going to lay that out in a very visual fashion” for the commanders, said Adm. William McRaven, head of US Special Operations Command. He made his remarks during a luncheon wrapping up a two-day “Positioning Special Operations Forces [SOF] for Global Challenges” conference convened by the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis here.

The goal of the network is to more directly link deployed special operations forces (SOF) — which conduct operations under the command of the geographic commanders, not SOCOM — to one another to share information and intelligence.

But the plan is not without its detractors, including powerful voices on Capitol Hill.

Right now, SOCOM merely recruits, trains and equips special operations forces, and McRaven has no operational control over his units once they deploy.

The admiral’s plan will not give him any ability to control SOF in the field — that power stays with the combatant commanders — but it will allow him to help SOF commanders push intelligence to one another, while facilitating their interactions with other US government agencies and with international SOF partners.

The September meetings will allow McRaven to fully lay out his plan to commanders, which he said is critical in setting up his more ambitious vision to create the global SOF network.

“I need to get the military buy-in first, and then very quickly we move to the interagency, and then very quickly we move to our partners and our allies to make sure that everybody understands, at least from a global SOF network perspective, what the intent is,” he said.

As his team starts patching together the disparate SOF units spread around the world, McRaven said he plans to cut back on the amount of travel he does in order to stay at his Tampa headquarters and act as “master of ceremonies” and bring any interagency or foreign ally into the fold who wants to be a part of the network.

“The reason I want to do that is to be able to pump energy into the network to kind of force the network to talk to each other,” he said.

McRaven estimated that he spends about 70 percent of his time on the road, but come October wants to flip that to 30 percent.

This network also has a hardware component to it; it’s not just about personal relationships, McRaven said.

“It is also about command and control and communications. There is an infrastructure that makes this network hum,” he said. “Right now, some of that works very well, but across the globe, it works episodically, and it works episodically because we haven’t engaged it to the level we need to engage it.”

While the idea is moving full speed ahead on the SOCOM side, congressional appropriators are a little more wary of the idea.

The House Armed Services Committee’s markup of the fiscal 2014 defense authorization bill gutted the $10 million SOCOM request to establish a Washington office, in addition to slashing the $15 million requested to create regional SOF coordination centers (RSCCs) to make the network operational.

Two RSCCs are envisioned for SOF in US Pacific and Southern Commands. The Pacific center would be “a hub for multilateral engagement” for education and training activities that would “link a multinational network of over 1,000 partners ready to cooperate” with the US, budget documents state.

The other office would be in Colombia, with the Colombian government leading the effort in setting up “a multinational education venue with an operation/inter-agency focus designed to strengthen relations, build trust and foster cooperation among regional allies in the Western Hemisphere to better counter threats to regional security and stability.”

Speaking at the luncheon, House Armed Services Committee chairman Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif., explained the cut by saying that “we have limited resources, and some people don’t understand what he’s trying to do where he can build up commands … so all the money we’re trying to put into readiness. We have a big concern about readiness.

“We’re just at the start of the process,” McKeon said, adding that “there’ll be time to make changes as we move forward.”

Jun 11, 2013 ASDNews Source : Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] received a $34.2 million Foreign Military Sales contract from the U.S. Air Force to support additional integration of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) onto the Finnish Air Force F-18C/D aircraft.

Finland is the second international customer for JASSM. This second contract for Finland includes test missiles, software development and engineering documentation. The first contract was awarded in 2012, which initiated the six-year integration, production and sustainment effort.

The program is a joint effort between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin and the Finnish Air Force. Airworthiness activities will occur at NAS Patuxent River, Md., followed by flight testing at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in China Lake, Calif.

“JASSM’s capabilities and proven reliability will play an essential role in assisting the Republic of Finland to achieve their national defense objectives,” said Bob Adams, international program manager of long-range strike systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “We are on schedule to support the operational requirements of the Finnish Air Force’s F-18 mid-life upgrade effort.”

The contract award follows several recent JASSM program milestones, including successful completion of the Lot 6 Reliability Assessment Program and completion of the JASSM-ER initial operational test and evaluation program, which resulted in recommendation for full-rate production.

JASSM is an autonomous, air-to-ground, precision-guided standoff missile designed to meet the needs of U.S. and allied warfighters. Armed with a penetrator and blast fragmentation warhead, JASSM cruises autonomously, day or night in all weather conditions. The missile employs an infrared seeker and enhanced digital anti-jam Global Positioning System to find specific points on targets.

The stealthy JASSM is integrated on the U.S. Air Force’s B-1, B-2, B-52, F-16 and F-15E. Internationally, JASSM is certified on the F/A-18A/B for the Royal Australian Air Force. Future integration efforts will focus on U.S. and international versions of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft and other international platforms.

Jun 12, 2013 ASDNews Source : The Boeing Company

The Indian Air Force (IAF) flew its first Boeing [NYSE: BA] C-17 Globemaster III to India today, becoming the newest operator of the leading airlifter.

"The C-17 will equip the Indian Air Force with amongst the world's most advanced humanitarian and strategic capabilities," said Air Vice Marshal SRK Nair, Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Transport and Helicopters). "We have looked forward to this day when our Indian Air Force flies the first C-17 to its new home in India."

Boeing is on track to deliver four more C-17s to the IAF this year and five in 2014. This first aircraft was transferred today after completion of a flight test program at Edwards Air Force Base in Palmdale, Calif., that began following the Jan. 22 delivery.

"Congratulations to the Indian Air Force on this milestone as India joins the worldwide community of C-17 operators," said Tommy Dunehew, Boeing vice president of Business Development for Mobility, Surveillance and Engagement. "Nations turn to the C-17 for the capability to perform a wide range of operations, from peacekeeping and disaster relief to troop movements from semi-prepared airfields. This aircraft will provide the Indian Air Force with the versatility to augment airlift capability."

Boeing has now delivered 254 C-17s, including 222 to the U.S. Air Force and a total of 32 C-17s to Australia, Canada, India, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations.

Boeing will support the IAF C-17 fleet through the Globemaster III Integrated Sustainment Program (GISP) Performance-Based Logistics contract. The GISP "virtual fleet" arrangement ensures mission readiness by providing all C-17 customers access to an extensive support network for worldwide parts availability and economies of scale.

ANNAPOLIS, Md., June 11 (UPI)

The U.S. Navy has contracted Northrop Grumman to support integration of its AQS-24A Side Look Sonar System onto an unmanned surface vessel.

The AQS-24A Side Look Sonar System is normally towed by a helicopter to detect mines. ON the USV it will search for bottom mines as well as surface mines.

"This is a great step forward for those who have been involved in USVs and mine hunting for as many years as the Naval Undersea Warfare Center and Northrop Grumman," said Tom Jones, vice president of Northrop Grumman's Undersea Systems business unit. "The results of this effort could apply to future USV programs, both in the U.S. Navy as well as the navies of potential coalition partners such as Australia."

Northrop said it has been testing the system, as well as its predecessors, on unmanned surface vessels since 2002.

The value of the contract and other terms, such as length, were not disclosed.