14 Oct 10. The Counter-IED Market 2010-2020: Systems and Technologies for Force Protection. Improvised explosive devices (IED) have been brutally effective weapons of insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan, and increasingly, in other parts of the world. IEDs have been blamed for thousands of deaths of military personnel and also civilians. The US and its allies have responded has responded to the IED threat by spending billions of dollars on vehicles, equipment, personnel and training for counter-IED and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) missions. This has provided very strong demand in recent years in the counter-IED market. However, demand is expected to decline from these high levels with the continuing US and allied withdrawal from Iraq and the imminent drawdown in Afghanistan. Based on the new market research available on ASDReports.com, global spending on counter-IED systems amounted to $7.7bn in 2009. However, the study finds that the peak of spending in counter-IED systems has passed and thus demand is expected to fall through the next decade. However, the overall value of the market will remain robust and provide significant commercial opportunities. This new report titled: ‘The Counter-IED Market 2010-2020: Systems and Technologies for Force Protection’, provides an analysis of the global market for mine-resistant vehicles, electronic countermeasures mainly in jammers, IED detection equipment and unmanned systems purposely designed for IEDs. The report
examines corporate announcements and news accounts, policy documents, reports of relevant contracts and original expert views from industry, to analyse how the counter-IED systems market will develop during the period 2010 to 2020. More information, including a free sample download, is available on ASDReports.com (search IED). (Source: ASD Network)
14 Oct 10. On the occasion of the Steering Board in National
Armaments Directors formation EDA launched a web-portal which provides information on national policies and procedures concerning exemptions from REACH obligations in the interest of Defence. REACH stands for
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of CHemicals. This EU Regulation imposes obligations on producers or importers but also users of chemicals, which includes the defence sector. Taking into account the specificities of this sector, the REACH Regulation leaves it to the Member States to grant national security-related defence exemptions. The REACH Portal allows Member States, European citizens and industry to have access to information on national policies and and procedures for granting defence exemptions to the Regulation.
15 Oct 10. Major Projects Report 2010 (MPR10): Publication. The National Audit Office (NAO) published (15 Oct 10) MPR10 in two parts:-
* The Major Projects Report 2010 as HC 489-I for £14:75.
* Appendices and Project Summary Sheets as HC 489-II for £35:50.
Comment: MPR10 follows the format which was established in MPR09, detailing the cost and performance of 30 significant MoD equipment projects as at 31 Mar 10. 10 Assessment Phase (pre Main Gate) projects,
15 established (post Main Gate) projects and five support projects are examined. There are two new projects in the Report which have passed their main investment decision point: Tornado Capability Development (upgraded communications and the precision guided bomb) and the Nimrod MRA4 (maritime reconnaissance aircraft). The 2009/10 financial year saw the cost of the 15 largest established projects increased by £3,300m. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 09/40, 18 Oct 10)