Missile Defense System Enters Production
The United States and its allies may soon be a little safer from missile attacks now that the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) weapon system is in production. The Missile Defense Agency awarded the $619 million contract to Lockheed Martin Corporation. The contract for the first two THAAD fire units includes 48 interceptors, six launchers and two fire control and communications units. The system is scheduled to begin fielding in fiscal year 2009. THAAD is designed to defend U.S. troops, allied forces, population centers and critical infrastructure from short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.

Employment Outlook Bright for IT Professionals
Chief information officers from more than 1,400 companies predict an increase in the hiring of information technology professionals during the first quarter of this year. According to responses to a survey developed by Robert Half Technology, a placement firm that specializes in the information technology sector, Windows server administrators will be in the greatest demand, followed by network administrators. Technology executives at firms with 1,000 or more employees anticipate the largest hiring increase, with a 23 percent net increase in staffing levels. According to survey participants, business growth is the primary reason for the expected surge in hiring.

Banned Radio Frequencies
The U.S. Coast Guard released a reminder message that all commercial and recreational watercraft are now banned from using the 121.5 and 234 megahertz (MHz) Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons. The ban does not apply to 121.5/243 MHz man-overboard devices. The prohibition was put in place in preparation for the termination of all satellite processing of these signals beginning February 1, 2009. After that date, the International Cospas-Sarsat Satellite System, which provides distress alert and location data for worldwide search and rescue missions, will detect only 406 MHz beacons. All U.S. users are legally required to register their beacon in the U.S. 406 MHz Beacon Registration Database. International boaters can register with their country when applicable, or otherwise in the International Beacon Registration Database.

Learn While You Earn
The Naval Education and Training Command is offering chiefs the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree while continuing to work full time at their current duty station and earn full pay and benefits. The Advanced Education Voucher program covers 100 percent of tuition, books and fees up to $20,000 for a bachelor’s degree and $40,000 for a master’s degree. Participants in the program must major in specific fields including strategic foreign languages, human system integration, civil engineering, information technology and several others. The program is limited to chiefs with no more than 17 years’ time in service (TIS), senior chiefs with not more than 20 years’ TIS and master chiefs with no more than 22 years’ TIS. The deadline for applications to the program is February 23, 2007.

DHS Doles Out Funds for Local Counterterrorism
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is allocating approximately $1.7 billion for state and local counterterrorism initiatives for 2007, a move the department hopes will promote and improve regional and community efforts in disaster preparedness. The Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) is targeting interoperable communications, information sharing and citizen preparedness through the funding, which prioritizes high-risk communities such as urban areas. The money will be used to help facilitate efforts such as planning, organization, equipment purchases, management, training exercises and administration. The grants support objectives of the National Preparedness Goal and the HSGP.

Army Quickens Pace of Organizational Change
The U.S. Army is accelerating the conversions of two divisions to the modular design of two active-component brigade combat teams (BCTs) to increase the number of combat and combat-support units available for various missions. In April, nearly a year earlier than planned, the 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division at Fort Riley, Kansas, will be converted to a heavy BCT. Also in April, 17 months earlier than planned, the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, will be converted to an infantry BCT. Increasing the number of available BCTs is intended to reduce stress on the current force by allowing soldiers to spend more time at their home station between deployments.

Iraqi Radio Station Heralds Free Speech
Coalition forces, including members of the U.S. Army 5-73 Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, have developed a project to bring mass communication to the farmlands of Balad Ruiz, Iraq. The new Al Noor radio station, also known as “The Light,” will not only improve local communication, technology and awareness but also help counter terrorist propaganda and encourage both free speech and economic growth. The new station brings news and information into the homes of the people who live in the agricultural region and allows the government to reach constituents more efficiently.

Justice Increases Efficiencies
The U.S. Department of Justice is adopting information technology standardization and interoperability in its offices, bureaus and divisions. Under a $42 million blanket purchase agreement (BPA), GTSI Corp. will deliver workstation, desktop and laptop solutions that are consistent with the Office of Management and Budget’s strategic sourcing initiatives. The three-year BPA aims at enabling the department’s internal organizations to increase efficiencies and work more effectively with each other. The solutions the company will offer include imaging and integration, call support, asset management and managed logistics.

Air Force Explores Fuel Conservation
Leaders of the U.S. Defense Department’s largest consumer of fuel, the U.S. Air Force, are examining methods to reduce fuel consumption without hindering global military operations that support the Global War on Terrorism. Measures involving simulation, aircraft training, logistics efficiencies, scheduling, flight operation, acquisition and technology development are being considered, as are ideas and suggestions from airmen of all ranks. In exploring effective options, the Air Force also is utilizing techniques from the Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century program, which is designed to improve processes and efficiency by standardizing work practices to maximize value and minimize waste.

Anti-Air Warfare Suite Aids Interoperability
The Royal Danish Navy has purchased three anti-air warfare (AAW) suites that will enable its ships to interoperate with similarly equipped vessels in allied navies. Manufactured by the Thales Group, each AAW suite consists of an active phased array multifunction radar, a signal multibeam acquisition radar for tracking, an L-band (SMART-L) volume search radar and a fire control cluster. The suites will be installed on three new patrol ships that will enter service between 2011 and 2013. The system integrates U.S. manufactured missiles and has an embedded potential tactical ballistic missile defense capability. The AAW suites also allow Danish ships to cooperate with German and Dutch warships, which are equipped with the system.

DARPA Resolves Prize Confusion
After some uncertainty about its authority to award cash prizes in the Urban Challenge later this year, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has clarified that the agency will award cash prizes only to the top three finishers in the competition. As originally designed, research funds also were scheduled to be awarded to qualified participants; however, the passage of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 eliminated the agency’s cash prize authority. Despite the change, the autonomous unmanned vehicle competition is scheduled to take place in November, and $2 million, $1 million and $500,000 will be awarded to first, second and third place finishers, respectively.

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