Critical systems for Joint Strike Fighter supplied by Israeli company

Based in Haifa, Israel, based Elbit Systems are leaders in developing helmet mounted systems for fighter pilot aircraft.

They explain this step change in graphic displays, as a necessary method of guaranteeing air combat superiority. Increasingly successful and sophisticated radar and High-Off-Boresight (HOBS) missiles and the increasing number of aircraft that can expect to take part in air engagements - meaN the bottom line is ....

The longer you stay in the air, the less the chance of survival.
The corrollary is - lock the weapon system, fire, and get away.

Swamped with spherical oriented information (data and objects coming from every section of the horizon ) demands high situational awareness by the pilot.

To do this it is essential to display flight data and three dimensional-location based systems and sensors information DIRECT to the pilot. To do this with Head up Displays is increasingly risky AS IT CAUSES INFORMATION OVERLOAD and so the new generation of helmet mounted systems have been designed.

These are designed to designate and exploiting the pilot’s LOS (Line Of Sight) for the purpose of slaving the aircraft sensors and systems and thus enabling the pilot to achieve lock-on of sensors, avionics systems and missiles, simply by looking at the target.


It was therefore interesting that with only the 10th test Flight by Lockheed Martin of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter last week, the new helmet-mounted display (HMD) system that will be the primary source of flight information for pilots of the stealthy combat aircraft was unveiled publicly.

Chief test pilot Jon Beesley used the new HMD Developed by Vision Systems International (VSI), (see pic) the HMD, having previously used straighforward head down instruments (ie manual control) - as no HUD display is available.

The HMD has been designed to integrate with the advanced avionics architecture of the F-35, (360° distributed-aperture infrared sensor and electro-optical targeting sensor) providing the pilot with video imagery in day or night conditions combined with precision symbology to give the pilot unprecedented situational awareness and tactical capability. Additionally, VSI is incorporating advanced head tracking capability to provide the pilot with a virtual head-up display. Lockheed Martin has selected to supply helmet mounted displays (HMDs) to all domestic and international F-35 customers. There was initially an alternative design helmet-mounted display, based on the binocular helmet being developed for the Eurofighter Typhoon by BAE but this announcement about the HMD system suggests it has been dropped. (See Footnote)

Developed by Vision Systems International (VSI), a joint venture between EFW Inc., a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ: ESLT Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) : ESLT), and Rockwell Collins (NYSE: COL), was formed in 1996 to develop fixed wing helmet mounted display (HMD) systems. In addition to development of the F-35 HMDS under contract to Lockheed Martin, VSI is in full-rate production of Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) for US and international operators of F-15, F-16 and F/A-18 aircraft.

JHMCS is claimed to provide pilots with a "first look, first shot" capability when employed with high off-boresight weapons under high-g conditions. The system allows pilots to lock-on and fire at enemy aircraft without having to maneuver their aircraft into position. The pilot needs only to point his head at the target and weapon systems are automatically cued to the target.

JHMCS is also highly effective when used in air-to-ground target engagements and was used extensively in this manner in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In both air-to-air and air-to-ground modes, targeting cues and aircraft parameters are displayed on the pilot's visor.

Elbit Systems was formed in 1966 and now has developed a major defence supplier. all the Directors are Israeli based citizens ......the company claim on their website ..

"Elbit Systems is one of the few companies upgrading both Western and former Eastern bloc defense platforms. In addition, we are one of only a few upgrade contractors in the world who also integrate, develop and manufacture electronic and electro-optic systems and products."

For example In December 2005, Bulgaria signed a contract for the upgrade of 12 Russian Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters to a team led by Lockheed Martin and Elbit.

The CEO of Helmet systems is Yoram Shmuely who joined Elbit Ltd. in 1990 and served as director of Elbit Ltd.’s Helmet Mounted Display group. He served as a fighter aircraft pilot in the IAF. Mr. Shmuely holds a B.Sc. in electronic engineering from the Technion.(Israel Institute of Technology)

In another area of defence procurement Leicester based UAV Tactical Systems Ltd (U-TacS) was formed as a joint development by Elbit with Thales to develop the British Army Watchkeeper WK450 UAV. The Watchkeeper air vehicle, designated WK450, will be based on the Elbit 450 Hermes tactical UAV.

The Hermes 450 is a proven system with 20,000 flying hours in service. Watchkeeper, with a maximum payload of 150 Kg will provide the UK armed forces with Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability using day / night sensors, a laser designator and a Synthetic Aperture Radar / Ground Moving Target Indicator (SAR/GMTI).

In December 2005, the CoMPASS electro-optic observation system, supplied by El-op (a subsidiary of Elbit), and the I-Master SAR/GMTI radar, supplied by Thales Aerospace in Crawley were chosen as the mission payloads for Watchkeeper. The Watchkeeper UAV will be connected by satellite datalink to a network of containerised ground control stations (GCS) , where the imagery will be analysed and disseminated.

The 20ft-long GCS, supplied by Marshall SV, will be carried by standard DROPS trucks supplied as standard trucks which will fit in C - 130's- as pic.

Virtually the whole history of Army based UAV research has been junked to provide this second hand (albeit proven design).

Thus areas of defence industry increasingly call upon Israeli companies who have no hesitation to deal with ..as they say ... "upgrading both Western and former Eastern bloc defense platforms". Meanwhile Mr Putin is busy installing Topol Rockets and keeping his hand on the oil spigot and gas taps and pipelines to the West.

Paradoxically the vector thrust mechanisms for the STOL versions rely upon the Rolls Royce systems unique to the UK, however the increasing distance of the aircraft carriers to form the platform for the Naval JSF versions seems increasingly unlikely.

Just another illustration how the defence forces of the UK increasingly rely on foreign based suppliers - another inheritance for years of negligence and incompetence by the senior militay for all services and their political masters.

Footnote

Although the Typhoon has been in service for 2 years, they are still flying with initial operating capability (IOC) (19 years in development !). Once the full operational capability (FOC) has been achieved in late 2007 (!), work will start on the extended operating capability (EOC), with a series of enhancements. The main focus of FOC validation will be the testing of the new Eurofighter Typhoon pilot helmet. A critical element of the helmet is the BAE Systems helmet-mounted sight, which enables the pilot to simply look at the target to make an off-boresight kill. The fully binocular sight uses technology from around the world, including South Africa's Denel, which supplies the helmet tracking system.

Denel have a world-class optronics business through the merger of Eloptro, Cumulus and the Kenis imaging infrared camera unit, for design and manufacture of optical and laser products, eg laser range-finders, target acquisition systems and submarine periscopes; electro-optical stabilised observation and surveillance systems, and helmet-mounted sighting and tracking systems.

Vietnam - Trading with the Communists - Fighting the War on Terror

Van Duc Vo (aka Nguyen Nha Trang) a US citizen who was born in Vietnam and said to be a member of a California-based terrorist group known as Government of Free Vietnam was quietly removed from a prison in Los Angeles on December 1 and flown to Thailand on Thursday after Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice signed an extradition order.

Vo, a US citizen, who came to the US in 1978, was arrested in October 2001 by the FBI at California's John Wayne Airport after returning from a trip to Bangkok. The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry claim he was the ringleader of a plot to bomb the Vietnamese embassy in Bamgkok, Thailand. Two alleged accomplices Pham Nguyen Thanh Hien Si, (Tony) Anh Tuan Tran, and (Philip) Phan Thanh Binh were arrested at the time and are awaiting trial.

He is alleged to have placed a backpack full of explosives in front of the Vietnamese embassy and tossing a bomb over the compound's fence.

The bombs, weighing 6.6 pounds and 11 pounds, were supposed to be detonated by cell phones but failed to explode, according to Thai authorities, who charged Vo with "conspiring to use and using weapons of mass destruction during an attempted bombing."

Vo graduated as a civil engineer from California State University and helped form the Government of Free Vietnam an anti-communist Government in exile, in April 1985 with Mr. Chanh Huu Nguyen.

Readers will remember that President Bush was in Vietnam in November 18/19th for the 14th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit (who will forget Bush & Putin in their nightshirts ?) . (See White House Video Bush meets US Vietnamese businessmen who want to do trade with Vietnam at Hanoi Stock Exchange 20/11/06) A Trade Bill had just been stalled by a vote on November 13th in advance of this summit (and the elections) granting permanent normal trade relations status to Vietnam, which has Asia's second-fastest growing economy after China. If approved, U.S. companies would benefit from lower tariffs after Vietnam joins the WTO at year-end, facilitating exports to a nation of 84 million people with a fast-growing middle class but it would hit Republican textile area constituencies in the South.

However on 7th December in the last gasp of the Republican-led 109th Congress, HR 6346, a package including "Permanent Normal Trade Relation" (PNTR) status for Vietnam, a trade preferences extension for Haiti and a duty reductions renewal for 4 Andean nations that have signed bilateral trade deals with the U.S. and over 100 developing countries was passed by 212 to 184 in the House.

The bill includes two main sections. The first one mentions grounds for granting PNTR for Vietnam, such as Bill Clinton's decision on normalization of relations with Vietnam, the bilateral agreement of May 2006, progress and commitments made by Vietnam during recent years, as well as the nation's cooperation on the POW/MIA issue. The second section calls for ending Article 4 of the Jackson-Vanik 1974 Trade Law (which required annual reviews of Vietnamese relations / trade). It also deals with bilateral trade concerns such as government subsidy, textile quota and so on. Vietnam will become a full member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Dec. 28.

Democrat Sen. Max Baucus said the bill "makes certain that more U.S.-made goods will get into Vietnam's markets."

The Vietnamese Leather and Footwear Association (Lefaso) has announced US exports now account for nearly 40% of Vietnam’s total footwear export turnover as EU controls have cut back exports to Europe., The sector had export earnings of US$ 3.55Bn. this year ahead of a target of US $3.4 billion set for this year.

For many years the US refused extradition of IRA terrorist suspectson the basis of legislation passed in 1972. A US / UK extradition Treaty was forced through which has allowed the famous Nat West 3 who were involved with Enron and have been extradited.

Less well known is the case of Jeremy Crook, a former European VP of US software company Peregrine Systems, was extradited to the US in September 2006 after being indicted by a US Grand Jury on fraud charges relating to alleged accounting irregularities at Peregrine.

Crook left the company in 2001 and was until recently running his own company, but was forced to surrender to US authorities under the UK's controversial extradition treaty with the US. The treaty allows the US to request the extradition of suspects without presenting any of the prosecution evidence in a court first.

Facing 85 years in prison when Crook voluntarily surrendered he was met my Marshals who escorted him in chains.

The Senate ratified the recent Treaty on November 7th - it is not expected that a flood of IRA terrorists will overhelm the UK authorities.

Straws in the wind - 35

Skilled workers, anxious to emigrate to the US can apply for an H1-B visa. The law requires US employers to hire Americans first, but many companies now are happy to ;

1 Hire an immigrant with an H1-B because they will work for much less than "native" US citizens.

2 Employ staff overseas - India, Russia. (Bill Gates was in Moscow meeting Mr Putin last week)

The result is to squeeze both the market for skilled US workers and to depress wages. This is especially the case amongst software designers, coders, and ancillary skills.

AS a result the forthcoming The Cornyn-Shadegg SKIL Bill which has been attached to the end of session (and unstoppable) omnibus appropriations bill after the elections. Opponents calim that 1.5 million underpaid H-1B workers will enter the U.S. by the year 2013 ?

From 115,000 visas in 2007, the allocation will steadily rise to 343,388 in 2013 - a total of 1,485,329.

The Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has launched a campaign quoting a study from The Bureau of Labor Statistics that estimates the number of new computing and engineering workers needed by the US economy over the decade at 1.25 million.

Whilst this is a projection of the effect of H1-B workers, the Detroit News reported the use of people in the area by major employers in Michigan. (Source : 2005 Labor Condition Application filings, company websites, 2005 and 2006 SEC filings) For example ;

Syntel Inc. Troy have 79% of their 1,422 US based workers on visa, and state that they take home US$12,336 less than the industry average. Local clients include, GM, Ford and Daimler/Chrysler.

Civansys Corp,Farmington Hills have 67% of their staff in India Henry Ford Health System, Ford, Visteon Controls and GM are its largest local clients.

Satyam Computer Services Ltd., Hyderabad, India: A consulting, contracting and staffing firm that offers wages $15,235 below industry average.

Ved Software Services Inc., Farmington Hills: An outsourcing and staffing firm that offers H1-B wages $23,984 below industry average. Amway Corp., DaimlerChrysler and Kelly Services are its
largest local clients.

Michigan-based Syntel Inc. and Indian-based Infosys Technologies Ltd. complain in their annual SEC filings that the cap on visas is hindering their ability to increase profits.

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Syntel helps its Global 2000 customers remain at the forefront of their industries with innovative uses of technology to operate their businesses more efficiently. We deliver flexible, custom Information Technology and Business Process outsourcing solutions that improve quality and reduce costs. More than any other company, we explore, develop and adapt new, better ways to do this.

Syntel on their website boast of their notable partners (all publicly quoted companies in the US with shareholders who want a rising share price and rising dividends) - Ab Initio, Actuate, BEA Systems, Borland, Business Objects, Citrix, Cognos, IBM, Identify Software , Informatica, Mainframe Migration Alliance, Mercury Interactive, Microsoft, MicroStrategy, Oracle, Serden Technologies, Sun Microsystems, TIBCO, Vianeta Communications. Read about them here and what Syntel do for them.

It would be folly to think that this demand for qualified skilled staff was not a result of the collapse of the public school system in the US - especially for training mathematicians, chemists, engineers. It would be folly to fail to acknowledge that the solution simply lies in stealing the people from the third world.

America is getting richer , it's just the people who are getting poorer -

Dupont, the chemical giant, recently slashed employee pension benefits by two-thirds. Employees hired on or after Jan. 1, 2007, will not be eligible to participate in DuPont's pension plan and will not receive a company subsidy for retiree health care or retiree life insurance. Verizon , NCR, IBM, Tenneco, Sears have all recently cut or frozen pension entitlements.