18 May 10. Military Communications and COTS 2010-2020 London, United Kingdom, April 23, 2010. The worldwide military communications market was worth a total of $15.2bn in 2009 with continuing demand in the global marketplace from 2010 onwards, new market research available on ASDReports.com. Modern armed forces operating on the network-centric battlefield of the future will depend on having access to the most advanced equipment, particularly in the field of communications. Information must be acquired, processed and shared in real time if highly mobile adversaries are to be defeated. Advanced communications systems are also essential for minimising casualties by helping to remove friendly forces from harm’s way. Acquiring improved capabilities for distributing data, video and voice information therefore looks set to remain a high priority. The private sector has come to play an increasingly important role as a supplier of commercial products that meet military requirements, particularly in the US. Officials at defence ministries around the world have come to understand the potential cost-saving benefits of turning to commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products rather than seeking bespoke military solutions. Embracing COTS products has emerged as a way of meeting the needs of military personnel while reducing research-and-development (R&D) costs. As defence budgets have come under greater pressure with the onset of the global economic downturn, this trend has continued. The analysis concludes that the global military communications market is a growing marketplace offering opportunities that are likely to see a range of companies realising commercial success, from major defence contractors and commercial satellite service providers to niche electronic components and subsystems suppliers. (Source: ASD Network)

10 May 10. Iran: Ballistic Missile Dossier Published. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) published (10 May 10) the Strategic Dossier: Iran’s Ballistic Missile Capabilities: A net assessment. Along with efforts to expand its nuclear capabilities, “Iran is making robust strides in developing ballistic missiles”. The solid-propellant Sajjil-2 missile, with a potential range of up to 1,500km, was successfully flight-tested in November 2008 but is still two to three years away from being operational. Previous “worst case” forecasts, indicating that Iran would be able to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capability early this century, have not been realised. The Institute concludes that “a notional Iranian ICBM….is more than a decade away from development”.
Comment: The IISS Dossier can be purchased directly from the Institute for £10 (members) or £20 (non-members). Further details are available online (www.iiss.org) or Tel: 020 7379 7676. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 09/19, 17 May 09)