India implements uniform 5% tax for all aircraft, aircraft engine parts

On the same subject

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  February 13, 2019 | International, C4ISR

  Leonardo signs contract with NATO to extend cyber defence partnership

  Leonardo has signed an 18-month contract with the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency which will see the company continue to deliver cyber incident detection and management capabilities. The new NATO computer incident response capability (NCIRC) cyber security support services (CSSS) contract provides continuity of service to the NCIRC – full operational capability (FOC) contract which ends in February 2019. Since February 2012, Leonardo has worked in partnership with the NCI Agency to protect NATO's Communications and Information System (CIS) infrastructure from cyber attacks, thus significantly assisting in the support to NATO missions. A combined Leonardo and NCI Agency staff of around 200 digital security experts provide cyber incident detection, management and rapid-response capabilities around the clock, covering NATO staff in 29 countries. Protection extends from portable devices up to networks at 75 sites including NATO headquarters. NCIRC-FOC has also been operationally employed to successfully protect the NATO summits in 2014, 2016, and 2018. The NCIRC CSSS contract follows the successful operation of the NCIRC-FOC over a number of years and a deepening relationship between Leonardo and NCI Agency. In 2015, NCIRC-FOC expanded under the 10 Additional Sites contract to cover newly-opened European headquarters. This contract was completed to budget, specification and on schedule in 2017. In 2016, the two organizations signed an industrial partnership agreement (IPA) to share cyber security information, with the mutual goal of better understanding threat patterns and attack trends. In addition to delivering cyber security expertise to NATO, Leonardo also supports individual nation states, large corporations including defence companies and financial institutions. In September 2017, the company announced that it had been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) as the cyber security partner for the Galileo European navigation satellite program. Leonardo is also active in the Gulf and South-East Asia, working with government and industry customers. Leonardo continues to invest in its cyber expertise. The cyber services and products in the company's portfolio are designed to evolve in-line with the ever-changing cyber battlefield. To ensure its customers maintain their cyber skills, Leonardo offers certified training as well as Cyber Academy and Cyber Range design and delivery, allowing specialists to exercise against new and emerging threats. Demand continues to increase and, in June, Leonardo tripled the size of its cyber and electronic warfare capacity in Lincoln, U.K., to allow 150 students to train at any one time. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/leonardo-signs-contract-with-nato-to-extend-cyber-defence-partnership/

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  July 27, 2018 | International, Land

  The Army wants to replace the ‘Mickey Mouse’ cold weather boots

  By: Todd South The old “Mickey Mouse” cold weather boot, a rubber relic from the 1960s still in service with both soldiers and Marines, could be replaced if a recent Army posting proves fruitful. The aim is to reduce the weight and bulk of the boot, which earned its nickname for its white, bulbous size, like the famed cartoon rodent's feet. The boot does also come in black, and for a time, they were also called “Bunny Boots” by troops. Earlier this month, U.S. Army Contracting Command posted a special notice on fbo.gov, a federal business opportunities website. The notice detailed the procurement of 150 pairs of three models of an Extreme Cold Weather Overboot to replace the classic version, called the Extreme Cold Weather Boot. And the post author noted the long-standing boot's deficiencies. “The current Extreme Cold Weather Boot (ECWB) has remained largely unmodified since the 1960s and utilizes outdated technology and manufacturing processes which are no longer available within the U.S.,” according to the notice. “Additionally, the ECWB is heavy, bulky, and difficult to pack/carry when conducting dismounted operations,” according to the notice. The white, bulky boot provides a vacuum-type seal that maintains foot warmth in temperatures down to -60 Fahrenheit. So much so that troops often soak their socks with sweat while standing in banks of snow. Researchers at the U.S. Army Soldier, Research, Development and Engineering Center along with Product Manager-Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment, “will commence an effort to evaluate insulated overboot solutions with the potential to offer similar environmental protection at reduced weight/bulk.” The boot was developed during the Korean War to combat the extreme cold weather soldiers and Marines faced in fierce fighting during that war. Minor modifications occurred early in its development, including an air valve being added in the 1960s for use in high altitudes, whether on mountainsides or in aircraft. https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2018/07/26/the-army-wants-to-replace-the-mickey-mouse-cold-weather-boots

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  August 24, 2020 | International, Naval

  Watchdog: 75 percent of sub and aircraft carrier maintenance ended late in recent years

  Geoff Ziezulewicz While the U.S. Navy has spent nearly $3 billion to improve shipyard maintenance performance in recent years, “the shipyards continue to face persistent and substantial maintenance delays that hinder the readiness of aircraft carriers and submarines,” according to a government watchdog report released this week. Three-quarters of the 51 aircraft carrier and submarine maintenance periods from fiscal 2015 to 2019 were completed late, resulting in 7,425 days of delays, according to the report by the Government Accountability Office. The Navy's four shipyards — in Portsmouth, Virginia; Kittery, Maine; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Bremerton, Washington — provide vital maintenance that includes ship overhauls, nuclear refueling, alterations and refits, among other duties. The aircraft carrier maintenance periods that ended late exceeded their deadlines by an average of 113 days, the GAO reports, while submarine maintenance periods ending late missed the mark by an average of 225 days. Such availabilities last anywhere from six months to three years, and when they don't end on time, it gums up the entire system, delaying other maintenance periods, deployments and other needs. The main factors leading to the tardiness had to do with shipyard workforce performance and having enough people to perform the vital work, the GAO found. Unplanned work, or tasks identified after finalizing maintenance plans, was also cited as a significant factor resulting in the delays. While the Navy has taken steps to address such delays, the sea service has yet to fully address the unplanned work and workforce factors causing the majority of delays, according to the GAO. https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2020/08/21/watchdog-75-percent-of-sub-and-aircraft-carrier-maintenance-ended-late-in-recent-years/