LOCATIONS
LAND
30 Jul 13. Ascension Island: Use of Wideawake Airfield. A Foreign Office Minister confirmed (30 Jul 13) that discussions are being held with the US authorities on the logistical aspects of the potential use of Wideawake Airfield for regular domestic internal flights between St Helena and Ascension.
Comment: St Helena is currently accessible only by sea, but an airport is under construction. The Wideawake Airfield on Ascension is used by both the UK and US Air Forces and it is also a missile tracking station. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 13/31, 05 Aug 13)
01 Aug 13. Expect Northrop Grumman to begin constructing “a showpiece building for the airport” this fall as the catalyst of a corporate consolidation that could create more than 2,500 jobs across the Space Coast. The aerospace giant plans to build its 202,662-square-foot Manned Aircraft Design Center of Excellence on 14.4 leased acres at Melbourne International Airport, just off NASA Boulevard’s sharp north-to-west curve. (Source: Open Source Information Report)
01 Aug 13. EADS said on Wednesday its French space activities would stay in France as it reorganizes defense and space assets into one German-headquartered unit. “There is no cross-border restructuring; whatever is in France will stay in France as far as space is concerned,” Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer Marwan Lahoud said. (Source: Reuters)
31 Jul 13. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Dan Tangherlini officially opened the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Consolidated Headquarters campus with a ceremonial ribbon cutting at the newly built U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters building. The opening of the new facility marks the completion of the first phase of the consolidation project on St. Elizabeths west campus. (Source: Open Source Information Report/Marinelink.com)
26 Jul 13. Turkey has approved construction of its first satellite launching center to cater for the country’s mushrooming satellite programs. But Ankara’s western allies worry that the Turks intend to use their own launching pad to fire the long-range missiles they hope to build in the medium- to long-run. Turkey’s procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), in early July signed a contract with the country’s national missile manufacturer, Roketsan, to build the Turkish Satellite Launching System (UFS) for pre-conceptual design work. Under the contract, Roketsan will design the UFS to be capable of launching, initially, satellites into low earth orbit (500 to 700 kilometers) through a launching center the company will build and the Turkish Air Force will operate. (Source: Defense News)
MARITIME
03 Aug 13. The newest ship in the Brazilian Navy’s fleet departed the UK this morning on a journey of more than 10,000 miles to Brazil. ARAGUARI is the third of three Amazonas Class ocean patrol vessels delivered to the Brazilian Navy by BAE Systems. She is designed for maritime security, as well as being able to support humanitarian relief and search-and-rescue operations. Her two sister ships, AMAZONAS and APA, were delivered by BAE Systems last year and have already begun operations in Brazil. They have recently played an important role in the security operation for the visit to Brazil by Pope Francis. Nigel Stewart, Commercial Director at BAE Systems Maritime, said: “The success of this programme is testament to the strong relationship between BAE Systems and the Brazilian Navy as we worked in partnership to deliver these formidable ships. ARAGUARI performed incredibly well through sea trials so we are immensely proud to see her sailing with her first crew. “We’ve welcomed more than 250 members of the Brazilian Navy to the UK during this partnership and are delighted to play such an important role in growing Brazil’s naval capabilities.”
DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS Comment: On 2 Jan 12, BAE Systems a