Relevant news for June 19, 2008

US watchdog upholds Boeing protest over tanker contract
Washington (AFP) June 18, 2008 - A congressional audit Wednesday backed Boeing's protest over a huge aerial refueling tanker contract awarded to Northrop Grumman, and recommended the Air Force review the deal. The decision could wrest the 35-billion-dollar contract from Northrop and its European partner EADS in a battle raught with protectionist overtones.
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/US_watchdog_upholds_Boeing_protest_over_tanker_contract_999.html

US helicopter engines missing in Pakistan-Afghanistan: coalition
abul (AFP) June 18, 2008 - The US-led coalition in Afghanistan said on Wednesday that four US helicopter engines worth more than 13 million dollars had gone missing while being transported by a Pakistani truck company. "Four helicopter engines transported by a Pakistani truck company to Coalition Joint Task Force 101 went missing. The exact location is not determined yet",
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/US_helicopter_engines_missing_in_Pakistan-Afghanistan_coalition_999.html

Walker's World: France's new military
Washington (UPI) Jun 18, 2008 - French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has just unveiled a strikingly ambitious new plan for a joint European military force and identity, has an interesting sense of timing. He launched his bold proposals for a new EU aircraft carrier task force, along with a common air transport and logistics command and common procurement systems, on June 16.
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Walkers_World_Frances_new_military_999.html

Iraq says deadline for Shiite fighters 'successful'
Amara, Iraq (AFP) June 18, 2008 - Dozens of Shiite militiamen surrendered to Iraqi forces on Wednesday hours before a deadline set by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki for them to lay down their arms ahead of a new military crackdown. Officials said the four-day deadline given to the fighters in the southern oil rich province of Maysan was successful although some militants had escaped ahead of the crackdown
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Iraq_says_deadline_for_Shiite_fighters_successful_999.html

Iran says will 'never' suspend enrichment: report
Tehran (AFP) June 18, 2008 - Iran said it will "never" suspend its enrichment of uranium, in defiance of demands from world powers to suspend the sensitive nuclear activity, the official IRNA agency reported. "The United States and their allies want to oblige Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment in an illegal manner," IRNA quoted Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali Asghar Soltanieh
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Iran_says_will_never_suspend_enrichment_report_999.html

Outside View: Nuke weapons cleanup
Moscow (UPI) Jun 18, 2008 - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has granted Russia more than 70 million euros for disposing of scrapped nuclear ships and submarines moored at naval bases in Russia's northwest. Russia's state nuclear corporation -- Rosatom -- and the EBRD signed four relevant agreements on June 5. The EBRD is managing the Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership ... more
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Outside_View_Nuke_weapons_cleanup_999.html

Democrats lash McCain over Boeing tanker row
Washington (AFP) June 18, 2008 - The Democratic Party Wednesday turned new controversy over an Air Force tanker deal into a searing election attack on Republican White House hopeful John McCain. The Democratic National Committee, which is now fused with Barack Obama's presidential campaign, accused the Arizona senator of weighing in "on behalf of his lobbyist friends" to steer the tanker deal to European giant EADS. ... more http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Democrats_lash_McCain_over_Boeing_tanker_row_999.html

Crunch talks on India-US nuclear deal postponed
New Delhi (AFP) June 18, 2008 - Crucial talks between the Indian government and its left-wing allies on a controversial nuclear energy pact with the United States were postponed Wednesday with both sides still at odds over the deal. Neither side gave any reason for the delay but a source close to the talks, who asked not to be named, said left-wing parties were refusing to respond to a government appeal for the deal to go ... more http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Crunch_talks_on_India-US_nuclear_deal_postponed_999.html

+ Congress watchdog ruling a blow to Airbus US military strategy: analysts
Paris (AFP) June 18, 2008 - The decision by the US Congressional watchdog Wednesday to back Boeing's protest over a massive inflight tanker contract is a blow to Airbus and its efforts to break into the giant US military market, analysts said. EADS, the parent company of Airbus which had teamed up with Northrop Grumman to win the 35-billion-dollar contract earlier this year, saw the deal as a key plank in efforts to ... more http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Congress_watchdog_ruling_a_blow_to_Airbus_US_military_strategy_analysts_999.html

China urges NKorea to move forward nuclear talks: report
Beijing (AFP) June 18, 2008 - Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping Wednesday urged North Korea and other countries to move forward six-nation talks about scrapping Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme, state media reported. In a meeting with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Il in Pyongyang, Xi said all parties involved "should work together to implement second-phase actions and move six-party talks into a new phase," ... more http://www.spacewar.com/reports/China_urges_NKorea_to_move_forward_nuclear_talks_report_999.html

Chinese company develops 'UFO': report
Beijing (AFP) June 17, 2008 - A Chinese company has developed a prototype flying saucer that can hover in the air and be controlled remotely from afar, state press said Tuesday. The aircraft is 1.2 metres (four feet) in diameter and is able to take off and land vertically and hover at an altitude of up to 1,000 metres (yards), Xinhua news agency said. The unmanned disc is driven by a propeller and can be controlled ... more
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Chinese_company_develops_UFO_report_999.html

Extremist groups continue to seek nuclear weapons: US official
Madrid (AFP) June 17, 2008 - Extremist groups continue to actively seek nuclear weapons, a senior US official said Tuesday during a meeting in Spain of a US-Russian initiative to fight nuclear terrorism. "Combating nuclear terrorism is especially important today," US Undersecretary of State for Arms Control John Rood told a news conference. "Regretably we continue to see indications in the United States from ... more
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Extremist_groups_continue_to_seek_nuclear_weapons_US_official_999.html

Analysis: USAF counterinsurgency, Part 1
Washington (UPI) Jun 17, 2008 - The veteran military officials picked by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to take over the Air Force face a tough job redefining the service's role in what many see as the key kind of combat the U.S. military will face in the immediate future: counterinsurgency. The problem, say many who have studied the topic, is that the things the U.S. Air Force has made its priority capabilities
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Analysis_USAF_counterinsurgency_Part_1_999.html

Russia May Help Britain Scrap Nuclear Submarines
St. Petersburg, Russia (RIA Novosti) Jun 18, 2008 - Russia's Zvezdochka shipyard in the town of Severodvinsk on the Barents Sea could scrap Britain's decommissioned nuclear submarines, a company official said on Monday. At present, the U.K. does not have the facilities to reprocess nuclear components left on board at least 11 decommissioned vessels and is forced to store the submarines afloat indefinitely.
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Russia_May_Help_Britain_Scrap_Nuclear_Submarines_999.html