NEWS IN BRIEF

14 Jul 08. Lockheed Martin Chairman, President and CEO Bob Stevens said that the case for transatlantic collaboration will only grow in strength and urgency because of current economic conditions and new, more complex security threats nations face. “For that collaboration to reach its full potential, industry plays a role, and companies on both sides of the Atlantic must be able to contribute both the technology and the equipment necessary to carry out essential missions. This requires industry health, which is only possible with adequate levels of investment kept lean and efficient through an open, competitive marketplace,” said Stevens. Stevens made his remarks in London Sunday evening at a dinner associated with the Farnborough Air Show. In his remarks, Stevens noted the positive trends in today’s transatlantic environment. He said he saw a greater focus on the need for open markets and transparency and the benefits of competition. “The [European] Commission’s recent work, including the draft directive on defense procurement, is an encouraging step in this regard,” said Stevens. “But as the Commission’s directive is reviewed and ultimately implemented by the European Parliament and Council, it will be important to keep the focus on openness and competitiveness.” Stevens said he believes the best way for European governments to protect European industry is to invest in it. “There is simply no substitute for real expenditures on tangible programs if European industry health is to be improved and if further transatlantic cooperation is to be advanced.”

14 Jul 08. The UK government will face a multibillion-pound bill for compensation from its partners and industry if it cancels the last batch of Eurofighter jets it has ordered, German government and manufacturing executives said at the weekend. Britain has raised doubts about the need for the Eurofighters as defence requirements have changed since they were ordered and it is looking to cut costs in its defence budget. The government acknowledges that it is contractually honour-bound to buy 86 more Eurofighters in the third tranche of the overall four-nation contract for 620 fighter jets. But senior Whitehall officials insist the planes – often described as a relic of the Cold War – are unwanted by Germany, Italy and Spain because of changing defence needs and budgetary problems. Stefan Zoller, head of EADS’s defence and security business, which builds the Eurofighter with groups such as BAE Systems, said any country pulling out of the order would be forced to pay out billions of euros in compensation. “Governments have to honour their contracts and there’s not more to say. The overall package of 620 aircraft has been based on delivery of the third tranche of 236 fighters and if there’s any change there’s a substantial downside to that,” he said before this week’s Farnborough airshow. He warned that supplier firms as well as the main manufacturers would submit hefty compensation bills as they would be forced to lay off staff and mothball new machine tools if the contract was cancelled or delayed significantly. The new fighters, which should enter production in 2010, will start to be delivered from 2012 onwards. (Source: The Guardian)

08 Jul 08. Airbase Management shown `Single View` by ESRI (UK) at Farnborough 08. The benefits of providing a single view of all Airbase Management functions to meet the rapidly expanding demand for situational awareness within and around Airbase Operations was demonstrated by ESRI (UK), the UK’s leading Geographic Information Systems (GIS) experts. Developed over the last decade in response to its customers’ demands for `One Map – One Installation`, ESRI (UK)’s Airbase Management solution provides managers with a single, shared view of the entire base, encompassing all infrastructure, maintenance and operations. It transforms the traditional practice of each function or service maintaining separate maps, data and schedul