26 Oct 05. Military Deaths Reach 2,000 in Iraq. The American military death toll in the Iraq war reached 2,000 Tuesday with the announcements of three more deaths. President Bush warned the U.S. public to brace for more casualties
24 Oct 05. Rolls-Royce has unveiled a new Operations Centre in Bristol that will be the focal point of its rapidly expanding military engine support business. The centre is the latest initiative in the expansion of Mission Ready Management Solutions (MRMS), the engine support package that now generates 55 per cent of Rolls-Royce defence sales. It will co-ordinate support for defence customers worldwide by integrating data that will enable support teams to predict likely operational issues and make decisions quickly to maintain aircraft operations or deal with technical problems.
04 Oct 05. RAF: Reduction of Headquarters Following a meeting with the Trades Unions concerned, the Armed Forces’ Minister confirmed that HQ Personnel and Training Command was to move from Innsworth to share High Wycombe with HQ Strike Command. It was further announced that the RAF’s three Air Groups would be reduced to two by 1 Apr 06. The moves are part of the Process and Organisation Review, which has been renamed as the Integrated Headquarters Programme. Comment: The collocation of the two Command HQ was originally announced on 16 Jun 05, together with a target date of October 2006. Some 1,350 Service and civilian posts are expected to be lost from RAF Innsworth with an increase at RAF High Wycombe of about 100. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 05/40, 24 Oct 05)
25 Oct 05. DOT seeks advice on setting up program management office. The Transportation Department is soliciting advice on setting up an office to oversee and manage new IT programs. DOT’s new enterprise Program Management Office will be responsible for ensuring that new IT initiatives within the department comply with Office of Management and Budget Form 300 accounting regulations, said CIO Dan Matthews. Form 300 refers to budget submissions for new projects that agencies must file with OMB. Matthews said the new office stems from the 1996 Clinger-Cohen Act, which requires agency CIOs to be responsible for ensuring that IT investments are cost-efficient and effective. “This office would work with new programs to ensure best practices,” according to Matthews. (Source: Rob Thormeyer/GCN Staff)
24 Oct 05. Northrop Grumman Corporation announced today the selection of Mobile, Ala., as the site of its KC-30 Production Center. The company declared its intentions last month to compete for the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation air refueling tanker program.
20 Oct 05. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice declined on Wednesday to rule out American forces still being needed in Iraq a decade from now. Senators warned that the Bush administration must play it straight with the public or risk losing public support for the war. Pushed by senators from both parties to define the limits of U.S. involvement in Iraq and the Middle East, Rice also declined to rule out the use of military force in Iran or Syria, although she said the administration prefers diplomacy. (Source: AP)
24 Oct 05. Airbus is actively exploring the possibility of setting up a design engineering centre right in the Midlands, UK. This strategy has been developed because of the pool of highly skilled systems engineers based in and around the Midlands. In addition to these new recruits we are also seeking to employ another several hundred engineers to our existing Airbus sites. The Broughton site received a great accolade this year when it was shortlisted for the 2005 UK Manufacturing Awards for its “Route to Excellence” programme.
Oct 05. Senior Appointment: First Sea Lord. Focus (October 2005) reported that Admiral Sir Jonathon Band KCB was to be the next First Sea Lord, taking over from Admiral Sir Alan West GCB DSC ADC on 7 Feb 06. Comment: Admiral Band commanded HMS ILLUSTRIOU