04 Jan 06. DOD Is Vulnerable To Loss of Circuit Board Industry. Half The U.S. PCB Industry Workforce Has Vanished. The rapid decline of the U.S. printed circuit board industry should be raising red flags and a plan of action at the Pentagon, according to a new report from the National Research Council. With U.S. production projected to fall below 10 percent of world output, down from 42 percent in the mid 1980s, the military could soon be facing a crisis in finding U.S. companies capable of producing highly sophisticated circuit boards and assemblies for weapons systems needed to field a “netcentric” military force, according to the report. (Source: Defense News.com/Manufacturing & Technology News)
19 Jan 06. L-3 Communications opened a new production facility for military purposes at its Toronto site Thursday. The new operation will churn out aircraft cockpit displays to help L-3 fill a major $105-million contract from Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.
18 Jan 06. Raytheon Co. will build a new 140,000 square-foot, three-story facility in Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park, the company announced Wednesday. The building will be located on a 20-acre site, with construction scheduled to begin next month. A written statement from Raytheon says the company expects to occupy the new building early next year.
19 Jan 06. Boeing Co., is laying off 84 employees from its integrated defense systems unit because government budget cuts have reduced its staffing needs.
20 Jan 06. Robert Hill on Friday ended months of speculation by resigning as Australia’s long-serving defence minister, paving the way for an extensive cabinet reshuffle by prime minister John Howard. Mr Hill, the government’s leader in the Senate, or upper house, will also quit federal politics. The 59-year-old, who played a key role in overseeing the country’s large troop deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, is expected to be appointed Australia’s next ambassador to the United Nations in New York. The senator’s departure from frontline politics is believed to have been engineered by Mr Howard to provide a mid-term opportunity to refresh his cabinet team two years ahead of the next federal election. Mr Howard has led the Liberal-National coalition to four successive federal election victories and has been flanked for the past 10 years by the same treasurer, Peter Costello, and the same foreign minister, Alexander Downer. (Source: FT.com)
06 Jan 06. Brig. Gen. (s) Joseph D. Brown IV, executive assistant to
commander, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, North Atlantic Treaty
Organization, and commander, U.S. European Command, Casteau, Belgium, to
executive officer to commander, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe,
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and Commander, U.S. European Command,
Casteau, Belgium.
17 Jan 06. After 35 years as member of the Executive Board at Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG, Friedrich Schwarz (65) retired from day-to-day operations on December 31, 2005. In this time he served for 10 years as President and CEO. His successor in this role is Michael Vohrer (58). Michael Vohrer has been with the company for 30 years, and he has been a member of the Executive Board since 2003. This demonstrates the company’s commitment to continuity. The three-member Executive Board also includes Manfred Fleischmann (53) and Christian Leicher (36).
06 Jan 06. Imagery Intelligence Agency Chief Being Forced From Post
Angered By Testimony, Rumsfeld Declined To Extend Contract, Ex-Official Says
After clashing with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the director of the government’s third largest intelligence agency will be leaving his position in June, according to current and former government officials. For the past four years, James R. Clapper Jr. has headed the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which collects intelligence mainly from high-powered satellite photos and produces detailed maps for other government agencies. One offic