LOCATIONS
LAND
12 Sep 12. Advanced Circuits is expanding with the construction of a 51,000 sq. ft. addition to their Aurora, CO manufacturing facility. Whereas many board shops and brokers are outsourcing their work offshore, Advanced Circuits is committed to USA manufacturing and providing jobs for American workers. The additional space will provide for the introduction of additional capital equipment investment and not only provide for cost efficiencies, but also enable the expansion of current capabilities at the Aurora location which is well-known in the industry for its expedited turntime capabilities and reliable early/on-time shipments. With additional divisions in Tempe, AZ and Maple Grove, MN, Advanced Circuits is noted for its financial stability and has become a leader in not only the commercial PCB arena, but also in the high-reliability, military/aerospace/defense, and high technology marketplace.
(Source: Yahoo!/BUSINESS WIRE)
10 Sep 12. US hands over Bagram prison to Kabul. The US military prison in Afghanistan known as Bagram, a hated symbol of Washington’s interference in Afghan affairs, was on Monday officially transferred to Kabul’s control. The long-demanded handover of the Parwan detention centre, the facility’s official name, occurred amid tensions between Washington and Kabul over the Afghan army’s ability to guarantee security at the prison, and the Afghan court system’s preparedness to adjudicate detainee cases competently. The pledges of continuing mutual co-operation at the ceremony at Bagram air base masked a behind-the-scenes dispute over approximately three dozen captives whom the US has refused to release. The US-led military coalition also held back the transfer of more than 600 more recently captured prisoners, but officials said that process would begin next week. Parwan at one point held more than 3,000 inmates but hundreds have been transferred to other facilities or released, Afghan officials said. The US will retain custody of nearly 50 foreign nationals accused of fighting for the Taliban. “We are not interested in them,” said Zahir Azimi, an Afghan defence ministry spokesman. (Source: FT.com)
07 Sep 12. Marchwood Port: Sale Awaited. The Personnel Minister was asked (7 Sep 12) about the future of the Marchwood Sea Mounting Centre. The Minister said that the MoD did not routinely asses the market value of the Marchwood site. Where pre-sale valuations have been obtained, these are regarded as commercially confidential.
Comment: In a Written Statement on 12 Jul 12, the then Defence Equipment Minister outlined arrangements for the sale of the Sea Mounting Centre in Hampshire. Ministerial determination for this particular sale remains inexplicable. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 12/36, 17 Sep 12)
MARITIME
13 Sep 12. Ambush, the second of the Royal Navy’s potent new Astute Class attack submarines, is preparing to leave her builder’s yard to begin sea trials. In the next few days, the 7,400 tonne submarine will leave the BAE Systems’ shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria where she was built and sail to Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde in Scotland. The seven Astute Class boats planned for the Royal Navy are the most advanced and powerful attack submarines Britain has ever sent to sea. They feature the latest nuclear-powered technology, which means they never need to be refuelled and can circumnavigate the world submerged, manufacturing the crew’s oxygen from seawater as they go. The Astute Class is quieter than older submarines, and has the ability to operate covertly and remain undetected in almost all circumstances despite being fifty per cent bigger than the Royal Navy’s current Trafalgar Class submarines.
DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS Comment: AMBUSH is the second in a planned class of seven and she follows First of Class HMS ASTUTE to Faslane. AMBUSH is due to become operational in 2013. On a 10-week patrol the 100-strong crew of AMBUSH is expected to consume