Northrop Grumman buys $1 billion worth of its stock from Goldman Sachs as part of $4 billion share repurchase program.
DoD is dragging its feet on developing a life extension program for the aging stockpile of B61 tactical nuclear bombs in Europe, says GAO.
Tactical Air Defense Services (TADS) in Carson City, NV acquires exclusive use of counter-insurgency aircraft from Tactical Air Support Services, which TADS is in the process of acquiring. TacAir’s training and contract services operates L-39s and CF-5s, and is upgrading an EMB-314 Super Tucano.
UK opens training center for Afghan National Army personnel near Camp Bastion in Helmand Province.
DJ Elliott is a retired USN Intelligence Specialist (22 years active duty) who has been analyzing and writing on Iraqi Security Forces developments since 2006. His Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle is an open-source compilation that attempts to map and detail Iraqi units and equipment, as their military branches and internal security forces grow and mature. While “good enough for government use” is not usually uttered as a compliment, US Army TRADOC has maintained permission to use the ISF OOB for their unclassified handouts since 2008.
This compilation is reproduced here with full permission. It offers a set of updates highlighting recent changes in the ISF’s composition and development, followed by the full updated ISF OOBs in PDF format.
May 3/11: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Iraq’s official request for various radios and communication equipment to equip its Federal Police Force, as well as associated equipment, parts, training and support.
Harris Corporation in White Plains, NY would be the contractor, for up to 750 of their 50-Watt Vehicular Multiband Handheld Radio Systems, 900 of their 5-watt Multiband Handheld Radio Systems, 50 of their 50-watt Multiband Handheld Base Stations, 50 of their 20-watt High Frequency (HF) Base Stations, and 100 of their 5-watt Secure Personal Role Handheld Radio Systems, along with the other items mentioned above. Security features will be lower than the USA’s full military gear, but it will provide Iraq with updated frequency-hopping capabilities (SINCGARS) as well as a digital data capability.
If a contract is signed, the cost is estimated to be up to $67 million. Implementation of this proposed sale will require 6 Harris personnel to travel to Iraq for operator & maintenance instruction (4 weeks each) and installation support (6 increments, for 2 weeks per visit). ISF Order of Battle author DJ Elliott says that “This is part of the retraining, re-equipping, and re-designation program transferring the provincial Emergency Police to the Federal Police.”
April 25/11: SRCTec, Inc. in North Syracuse, NY wins an unfinalized $14.1 million maximum bridge contract from the US Army, to provide spare parts for the AN/TPQ-48 Lightweight Counter Mortar Radar System (LCMR). The LCMR is an artillery locating radar, with less performance than higher-end models like the Firefinder, but far more portability.
This contract will end on March 23/12. The Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime at Aberdeen, MD manages the contract (SPRBL1-11-C-0009).
