23 Oct 06. Washington launched a government-wide effort Oct. 1 to build a comprehensive forensic database of nuclear and radiological materials from all over the world to help U.S. officials quickly identify and act against those who help build “dirty bombs.” The ability to determine who supplied the nuclear materials used in a bomb is critical to U.S. efforts to shape a new policy aimed at deterring such proliferation. Such sleuthing would be necessary, for example, to make good on President Bush’s Oct. 18 warning that North Korea would “face a grave consequence” if it were caught transferring nuclear weapons or technology to Iran or al-Qaida. That “capability requires nuclear forensics – because we have to persuade [potential proliferators] we have the capability that we’ll find the source,” said Graham Allison, director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University, and a former Clinton administration defense official. (Source: Defense News)
10 Oct 06. Inovio Biomedical Corporation will receive an appropriation of $1.1m from the United States Department of Defense to develop applications of its electroporation-based gene delivery technology for vaccination against infectious diseases including potential bioterrorism agents. The United States Congress appropriated the funding in the Defense Appropriations Bill for 2007. The appropriation is a continuation of prior funding from the United States Army to Inovio focused on the development of a more effective gene delivery system for gene-based vaccines. Inovio is working closely on this project with Dr. Connie Schmaljohn, a world-renowned virologist and chief of the Department of Molecular Virology at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, USAMRIID, at Ft. Detrick, Maryland.
24 Oct 06. Galileo Avionica, a Finmeccanica company, will supply ATOS LW systems for six P166-DP1 aircraft ordered by the Italian Treasury Police. The contract follows a successful prototype of the P166-DP1 aircraft used by the department of Pratica di Mare of the Italian Treasury Police. Galileo Avionica will supply the ATOS LW system through Piaggio, which is the prime contractor to the Italian treasury police for this order. The contract includes the refit of the basic configuration of the aircraft, including motors and basic avionics as well as the installation of the new ATOS LW surveillance system. The system is the compact version of the highly regarded surveillance system used by both the Italian Treasury Police and the Coast Guard on board the ATR 42 MP. The ATOS LW can perform EEZ protection roles, including fisheries control, anti smuggling, immigration control and Search & Rescue missions. The ATOS LW systems features, for the first time, a satellite Data Link powered by the Inmarsat network. The first production order will supply six aircraft within about 30 months with production due to start in October 2006. There is also a contract option for a second order of four aircraft and the relative logistical support during 2007.
24 Oct 06. Finmeccanica Pushes for Homeland Security Business in Italy. Fresh from coordinating its package of homeland security systems, Finmeccanica is now urging governmental and law enforcement agencies in Italy to coordinate their acquisition efforts. “What we would like to see in Italy is one governmental organization given the overall responsibility for homeland security,” said Marina Grossi, CEO of Finmeccanica unit Selex Sistemi Integrati.
Representatives of the Italian government, customs and regular police, the Carabinieri, Defense Ministry and Coast Guard were given the message when they attended an Oct. 18-21 conference on Homeland Security organized here by Finmeccanica. Selex Sistemi Integrati announced at the Farnborough air show in July that it would act as point of reference for homeland security work within the Finmeccanica group.
19 Oct 06. Japanese Coast Guard To Buy AW