why didn’t Australia select the Seahawk when they already operate Blackhawks???

They do operate the Seahawk as well. 😉

[size=5]India fires nuclear-capable missile[/size]

November 19, 2006 – 7:50PM

India test-fired a short-range nuclear-capable missile on Sunday, a top defence official said, days after a similar test by Pakistan.

The indigenously built single-stage missile, Prithvi II, which has been test-fired at least 10 times, was launched off the coast of the eastern state of Orissa.

On Thursday, Pakistan successfully fired an intermediate range Hatf 5 (Ghauri) ballistic missile. India had been informed of the test and Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said at the time it expected New Delhi to carry out a test shortly.

“Today’s test-fire appears to be successful and more trials of the missile will be conducted later this month,” a top Defence Research and Development Organisation official told Reuters.

Future tests would be more exhaustive, he said, with scientists aiming to fire two missiles from different locations and have them collide to test the Prithvi’s accuracy.

In July, a test-firing of the Agni III, India’s longest-range nuclear-capable missile, failed when the projectile failed to separate in its second stage and fell into the Bay of Bengal well short of its target.

The Prithvi II normally takes 300 seconds to reach a target located at a distance of 150 km (90 miles).

http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/India-fires-nuclearcapable-missile/2006/11/19/1163871268297.html

Hmmm, Australia, South Korea, and Turkey chose WEDGETAIL…it figures 😀 .

[SIZE=8]US Export Restrictions Hand Korean E-X Competition to US Firm[/SIZE]

Other countries have criticized the USA’s ITAR policy for being as much about unfair trade competition as it is about genuine security. August 2006 events in Korea would certainly appear to strengthen their case… and now a November 8, 2006 KOIS report puts the final nail in by announcing a $1.6 billion contract “win” for 4 Boeing E-737 early-warning aircraft. Yet Boeing was always the ROK’s second choice, and its “win” came about by default.

E-737 Cutaway

Boeing’s E-737 “Wedgetail” AEW&C was matched up against an American-Israeli consortium of General Dynamics Gulfstream, L-3, & IAI Elta, offering a platform based on the G550 long range business jet for about $400-500 million less overall. The G550 was reportedly favored, but as DID’s reporting noted, the need for US permission under ITAR to incorporate certain technologies was holding up the sale: Data Links (Link 11 and Link 16/MIDS capabilities) for automatic data exchange with other aircraft, ground stations, air defense units, et. al; IFF (Identification Friend or Foe); the Satellite communications module; the UHF/VHF Have Quick Radio; and GPS P(Y) code technology.

Eight months after our earlier report, Boeing’s E-737 was selected. By default.

G550 AEW&C

Full article here:
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2006/1…-firm/index.php

😉