Rapid Fire 2010-07-27: Prithvi 2

• Keeping the Edge: US should ensure Israel maintains its qualitative edge in armaments when it approves arms sales to Israel’s Arab neighbors – such as F-15s to Saudi Arabia – the Israeli defense minister tells the Washington Post during his US visit.

• On Target: India successfully shot down a modified Prithvi 2 ballistic missile with a supersonic interceptor AAD missile, developed by the government’s Defence Research and Development Organisation, as part of a test of the country’s ballistic missile defense system.

Fort Gillem Fading, but Criminal Investigation Will Expand

In July 2010, Odyssey International in Lancaster, PA received a $7 million firm-fixed-price contract for an addition to the existing Criminal Investigation Division lab at Fort Gillem, GA. Work will be performed in Fort Gillem, GA, with an estimated completed date of Jan 27/12. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web, with 6 bids received by the U.S. Army Engineer District in Savannah, GA (W912HN-10-C-0044).

New construction will include additional space for the latent prints lab, trace evidence testing lab, serology/DNA lab, and other facilities to support their expanded future mission. Odyssey will also provide modernize energy monitoring and control systems connection and building information systems, including a mass notification system, fire protection system, and an intrusion detection system. Supporting facilities will include self-contained heating and cooling units; electrical, water, sewer, and gas services; along with other basics like paving, curb and gutter, storm drainage, accessibility for people with disabilities, site improvement and landscaping. “Anti-terrorist measures” will include laminated glass that doesn’t become a lethal hazard in explosions, a lesson from the Oklahoma City bombing.

Fort Gillem currently houses the 3rd MP Group (CID) Headquarters of the US Army Criminal Investigation Command, and will apparently continue to do so. Per the USA’s clever Base Realignment And Closure process, nearby Fort McPherson will close, and Fort Gillem will be downgraded to a military enclave near Atlanta by Sept 15/11.