DTN News - AUSTRALIAN DEFENSE NEWS: Australia Selects U.S. Navy’s MH-60R SEAHAWK® Helicopter For AIR 9000 Phase 8 Program....NSI # 2097

DTN News - AUSTRALIAN DEFENSE NEWS: Australia Selects U.S. Navy’s MH-60R SEAHAWK® Helicopter For AIR 9000 Phase 8 Program....NSI News Source Info # 2097

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 18, 2011: The U.S. Navy today announced the Commonwealth of Australia has selected the MH-60R SEAHAWK® helicopter to fulfill the Australian Defence Force’s AIR 9000 Phase 8 requirement for a fleet of 24 new-generation, multi-role naval combat aircraft.

The Commonwealth will acquire the helicopters with associated training and logistical support via the U.S. Government’s Foreign Military Sales program.

“The companies that comprise Team Romeo are honored by the Commonwealth’s choice of the MH-60R Romeo helicopter to protect Australia’s maritime interests,” said Mick Maurer, president of Sikorsky Military Systems. “We look forward to collaborating with the Royal Australian Navy and local industry across Australia as we build and integrate these proven SEAHAWK aircraft.”

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2011/06/dtn-news-australian-defense-news.html

DTN News - AUSTRALIA NEWS: Australian Designer Using Ignorance As An Excuse For Publicity....NSI News Source Info # 1934

DTN News - AUSTRALIA NEWS: Australian Designer Using Ignorance As An Excuse For Publicity....NSI News Source Info # 1934

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - May 10, 2011:

Hindus are upset at the depiction of the Hindu Goddess Lakshmion swimwear displayed at recently concluded Rosemount Australian Fashion Week (RAFW), held in Sydney, Australia, which they termed repugnant.

Indian political activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) burnt photocopies of a model wearing the controversial swimwear in protest against Australian designer Lisa Burke who produced swimwear featuring the Hindu deity. The controversy began when models walked the ramp on May 4 in the ungodly swimwear, which can be considered an insult to members of the Hindu community

Lakshmi is the goddess of good fortune and beauty in Hinduism and is also known as 'world-mother'. Lisa Burke's Lisa Blue Swimwear claims to represent "the girl of the future who can be sexy, beautiful, powerful and environmentally aware at the same time."

Acclaimed Indian fashion designer Ritu Kumar feels that many contemporary designers use Hindu imagery "without understanding the symbolism attributed to our gods and goddesses." Ashish Soni, another well-known fashion designer echoed her viewpoint when he said to the Times of India, "Most of this happens out of ignorance. They don't realize the use of godly images, and the fact that they are actually deities worshiped."

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2011/05/dtn-news-australia-news-australian.html

DTN News - BOEING DEFENSE NEWS: Boeing, Australia Announce Order For 5th C-17 Globemaster III....NSI News Source Info # 1837

DTN News - BOEING DEFENSE NEWS: Boeing, Australia Announce Order For 5th C-17 Globemaster III....NSI News Source Info # 1837

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Boeing

(NSI News Source Info) LONG BEACH, Calif., - April 18, 2011: Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced today that the Commonwealth of Australia has signed an agreement with the U.S. government to acquire a fifth Boeing C-17 Globemaster III airlifter. The Foreign Military Sale allows the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to expand its C-17 fleet as it faces an increased demand for humanitarian and disaster relief missions.

RAAF C-17s supported relief efforts to earthquake- and tsunami-affected regions in Japan under Operation PACIFIC ASSIST for nearly two weeks in March. The RAAF delivered personnel and more than 1 million pounds of cargo -- including food and water, vehicles, disaster relief equipment, and pumps to help cool the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Weeks earlier, the RAAF supported relief efforts in Christchurch, New Zealand, following an earthquake there, and to several communities in Queensland, Australia, that were affected by flooding.

"Boeing thanks the RAAF, a C-17 customer since 2006, for its confidence in the airlifter's capabilities," said Bob Ciesla, C-17 program manager for Boeing. "We salute the RAAF and its crews, who helped save lives in Japan, Australia and New Zealand. We are proud to serve as their partner."

Due to the RAAF's immediate need for an additional airlifter, the U.S. Air Force has approved Australia’s request to take delivery of its fifth C-17 in August. The airlifter will be assigned to RAAF Base Amberley’s 36 Squadron, near Brisbane.

The C-17 can transport large payloads across vast ranges, land on short, austere runways, and operate in extreme climates. It is the only airlifter that possesses both tactical and strategic capabilities. Boeing provides support to the RAAF's C-17s through the C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership, a Performance-Based Logistics program that includes an extensive support network.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2011/04/dtn-news-boeing-defense-news-boeing_18.html

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: US Navy ~ No Formal Query On Australia F/A-18s....NSI News Source Info # 1819

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: US Navy ~ No Formal Query On Australia F/A-18s....NSI News Source Info # 1819

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Andrea Shalal-Esa/Reuters

(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - April 13, 2011:

Australia has not asked the Pentagon to submit pricing for 18 F/A-18 Super Hornet warplanes built by Boeing, the U.S. Navy’s program manager for the warplanes said.

U.S. Navy Captain Mark Darrah said he had seen a report in the Australian newspaper that was published on Monday, and was recently in Australia, but Australian officials had not asked for “pricing and availability” of F/A-18s, the first step toward a possible foreign military sale.

The report said Australia was considering buying 18 of the Boeing fighter planes for about $1.6 billion to plug a hole in defense capabilities left by expected delays in Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Australia bought 24 Boeing F/A-18 fighter planes in 2007. It plans to buy up to 100 radar-evading Lockheed F-35 warplanes for about $16 billion, but the newspaper report said Australian officials were worried that further delays in the F-35 program will leave them with a gap in capability.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2011/04/dtn-news-defense-news-us-navy-no-formal.html