30 May 06. Raytheon Company today submitted its proposal to use its border security experience and systems management expertise to help the Department of Homeland Security secure America’s borders by integrating technologies, infrastructure, rapid-response capability and personnel into a comprehensive border protection system. As the prime contractor, Raytheon would uniquely bring direct, large-scale border management expertise to the Secure Border Initiative net (SBInet) program. In addition to its experience from leading the System for Vigilance of the Amazon program (SIVAM), which is comparable in scope and complexity to the SBInet, Raytheon has led border protection efforts in the Ukraine and Middle East and is leading a similar effort to secure the borders of New York City’s four major airports. “The Raytheon team has the right combination of proven border security capability, demonstrated experience managing programs of similar complexity, and teammates that lead in their respective fields of expertise,” said Gene Blackwell, Raytheon vice president of Raytheon Rapid Initiatives Group, who is leading Raytheon’s SBInet effort. “We look forward to using our experience to help Customs and Border Protection address this pressing national issue. We’ve been studying the border enforcement problem for the last two years,” said Blackwell, “and we feel confident that we understand the challenges and have the best solution.” Raytheon leads a team of top tier providers and small businesses. Raytheon’s
core team consists of: Apogen Technologies, Inc., McLean, Va.; BAE Systems, Inc., Rockville, Md.; Bechtel National, Inc., Frederick, Md; Deloitte Consulting LLP, New York; and IBM, Armonk, N.Y. SIVAM is the world’s largest fully integrated environmental and law enforcement remote monitoring system. Raytheon successfully delivered the $1.4bn surveillance system in partnership with the Brazilian government. The system, which became operational in 2002, is geographically dispersed over 2 million square miles, an area equivalent to 70 percent of the continental United States. It includes a vast array of ground, air, and space-based sensors in extremely remote areas that are networked into regional and national coordination centers. Raytheon, with 30 major subcontractors, successfully executed the program from concept through procurement, installation, integration, acceptance test and logistical support.

29 May 06. Direction des Constructions Navales (DCN), the French naval shipbuilder, and Thales, the French defence and aerospace group, have officially set up a joint venture to manage plans for a second French aircraft carrier. The joint venture will operate under the name MOPA2. (Source: Abstracted from Les Echos/FT.com)