SECURITY & DEFENCE : View Posts

Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana W. White provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis met with President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah yesterday at the Presidential Palace in Kabul. They discussed the South Asia strategy and United States’ commitment to Afghanistan.

Secretary Mattis praised Ghani’s recent offer to negotiate with the Taliban without preconditions. He noted Ghani’s diplomatic approach achieved a level of international support not possible with military action alone. Secretary Mattis offered his full support to the Afghan-led reconciliation process, aimed at achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan.

Secretary Mattis emphasized that the recent peace offer does not eliminate the need for offensive operations against the Taliban, and noted the importance of continued Afghan National Defense and Security Forces progress on the battlefield.

President Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah thanked the United States and coalition partners for their ongoing support and past sacrifices. They reaffirmed their commitment to forge a durable peace alongside regional and international partners. The two Afghan leaders also reinforced that the recent Taliban peace offer without preconditions was genuine, and they are ready to embrace all who are willing to reconcile.

MISSION
The mission of the Department of Defense is to provide a lethal Joint Force to defend the security of our country and sustain American influence abroad.

The Navy will christen its newest Expeditionary Fast Transport, the future USNS Burlington (T-EPF 10), during a 10 a.m. CST ceremony Saturday, Feb. 24, at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

The future USNS Burlington, designated T-EPF 10, will be the first ship in naval service to honor Burlington, Vermont’s largest city. The first Navy ship Burlington (PF-51) was named for Burlington, Iowa and served during WWII.

The principal speaker is U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont. Mrs. Marcelle Pomerleau Leahy, Senator Leahy’s wife of 55 years, will serve as the ship’s sponsor. In a time-honored Navy tradition, she will christen the ship by breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow.

“This ship honors Burlington, Vermont, a city that embodies American values and its patriotic, hardworking citizens for their support and contributions to our Navy,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Burlington, like the other ships in the EPF program, will provide our commanders high-speed sealift mobility and agility. I am thankful for this ship and her crew who will serve our nation for decades to come, and I am thankful for our industrial force teammates whose service makes this great ship possible.”

With an all-aluminum shallow-draft hull, the EPF is a commercial-based catamaran capable of intra-theater personnel and cargo lift providing combatant commanders high-speed sealift mobility with inherent cargo handling capability and agility to achieve positional advantage over operational distances.

EPF class ships are designed to transport 600 short tons of military cargo 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots. The ship is capable of operating in shallow-draft ports and waterways, interfacing with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities, and on/off-loading a combat-loaded Abrams main battle tank (M1A2).

The EPF includes a flight deck for helicopter operations and an off-load ramp that will allow vehicles to quickly drive off the ship. EPF’s shallow draft (under 15 feet) further enhances littoral operations and port access. This makes the EPF an extremely flexible asset for support of a wide range of operations including maneuver and sustainment, relief operations in small or damaged ports, flexible logistics support, or as the key enabler for rapid transport.

The EPF program delivered its ninth ship late last year, USNS City of Bismarck (T-EPF 9). Puerto Rico (EPF 11) and Newport (EPF 12) are currently under construction at Austal’s shipyard.

The Navy will commission its newest Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Omaha (LCS 12), during a 10:00 a.m. PST ceremony Saturday, February 3, at the Broadway pier in San Diego, California.

The future USS Omaha, designated LCS 12, is the eleventh littoral combat ship to enter the fleet and the sixth of the Independence-variant design. It is the fourth warship named for the Nebraska state capital. The first ship was a propeller-driven sloop-of-war. The second ship was a light cruiser, and the third Omaha was an attack submarine.

Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey will deliver the ceremony’s principal address. Mrs. Susie Buffett, an Omaha philanthropist and daughter of Warren Buffett, chairman and chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., will serve as the ship’s sponsor. In a time-honored Navy tradition, she will give the order to, “man our ship and bring her to life!”

“Omaha and her sister ships represent an investment in our Nation, the result of the partnership between the Department of the Navy and our shipbuilding industry. American craftsmen in Mississippi, Alabama, around the country have made USS Omaha possible” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “The LCS fills a unique mission for the United States Navy and as these remarkable ships continue to be produced out of our shipyards, they represent an increase in our readiness and lethality.”

LCS is a modular, reconfigurable ship, designed to meet validated fleet requirements for Surface Warfare (SUW), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), and Mine Countermeasures (MCM) missions in the littoral region. An interchangeable mission package is embarked on each LCS and provides the primary mission systems in one of these warfare areas. Using an open architecture design, modular weapons, sensor systems, and a variety of manned and unmanned vehicles to gain, sustain, and exploit littoral maritime supremacy, LCS provides U.S. joint force access to critical areas in multiple theaters.

The LCS-class consists of the Freedom-variant and Independence-variant, designed and built by two industry teams. The Freedom-variant team is led by Lockheed Martin (for the odd-numbered ships, e.g. LCS 1). The Independence-variant team is led by Austal USA (for LCS 6 and follow-on even-numbered ships). Twenty-nine LCS ships have been awarded to date: 11 have been delivered to the Navy, 15 are in various stages of construction, and three are in pre-production states.

The ceremony can be viewed on the Navy Live blog at http://navylive.dodlive.mil.

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342. For more information about the Littoral Combat Ship class: http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=1650&ct=4

Additional information about the future USS Omaha (LCS 12) can be found online at: https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/o/omaha–lcs-12–iv.html

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

Staff Sgt. David Thomas Brabander, 24, of Anchorage, Alaska, died Dec. 11 in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, as a result of a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Army Alaska, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. The incident is under investigation.

BUCHAREST, Romania, Nov. 29, 2017 — The government of Romania signed an agreement to purchase Raytheon’s (NYSE: RTN) combat proven Patriot from the U.S. Army. The agreement, formally referred to as a Letter of Offer and Acceptance, paves the way for Romania’s Patriot force to rapidly reach Initial Operational Capability, and sets the stage for the U.S. government to begin contract negotiations with Raytheon.

Raytheon’s Patriot™ Solutions is a missile defense system consisting of radars, command-and-control technology and multiple types of interceptors, all working together to detect, identify and defeat tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, drones, advanced aircraft and other threats. Patriot is the foundation of integrated air and missile defense for 13 nations.

Patriot is a purely defensive system that is the backbone of NATO’s defense against ballistic and cruise missiles, advanced aircraft and drones. Romania’s procurement of the system will help the country meet its NATO commitment to spend at least 2% of its Gross Domestic Product on defense.

“With its newly built Patriot capability, Romania’s military will have the ability to defend Romania and its NATO allies,” said Tom Laliberty, Raytheon vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense. “Patriot will also enable Romanian air defenders to train, exercise and interoperate with their U.S. and European counterparts.”

Thirteen other nations depend on Patriot to protect their citizens and armed forces, including the U.S. and four other European nations: Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and Spain.

“This procurement will create jobs in both the U.S. and Romania,” Laliberty added. “Raytheon is developing long-term relationships with Romanian companies to help us build and sustain Romania’s Patriot fleet.”

Romania will receive the Patriot Configuration 3+, the most advanced configuration available, as well as an undisclosed quantity of GEM-T and PAC-3 MSE interceptor missiles. These interceptors will enable Romania’s military to defeat current and emerging threats.

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2016 sales of $24 billion and 63,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 95 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5ITM products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Follow us on Twitter.
www.raytheon.com

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the appointment of 12 new members to its Veterans Advisory Committee on Education, to be chaired by former U.S. Sen. James H. Webb.
“Senator Webb has consistently put Veterans first throughout his career,” said VA Secretary Dr. David J. Shulkin. “He will bring outstanding experience and knowledge to the leadership of the committee.”
By statute, the committee advises the Secretary on existing VA education benefit programs and services, as well as any new programs and services. The committee submits its recommendations and reports to the Secretary and may also submit reports to Congress.
“This committee is an extraordinary and diverse group of professionals who will bring their experiences and expertise for the good of our education programs,” Shulkin said.
Serving alongside Sen. Webb on the committee will be:
Vice Chairman Jared S. Lyon, president and CEO of Student Veterans of America;
Dawn Halfaker, founder and chief executive of Halfaker and Associates;
Dr. Sandra Harris-Hooker, vice president and senior associate dean at Morehouse School of Medicine;
Ashlynne Haycock, senior coordinator for Education Support Services for Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors;
Abby Kinch, Veteran student and president of the Florida State University Student Veterans of America chapter;
Jefferson Bingham Miller, senior legislative advisor at McDermott Will and Emery, former seven-term congressman and former chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee;
Dr. Javier Miyares, president of University of Maryland University College;
Jack Tilley, former sergeant major of the Army;
Robert E. Wallace, executive director, Veterans of Foreign Wars;
Dr. Joseph W. Westcott, executive director of the North Carolina State Approving Agency; and
Kyle Jerome White, seventh living recipient of the Medal of Honor from the war in Afghanistan.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia,– Today the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) took major steps to enhance global security and stimulate economic progress in the United States and the Middle East. KSA has expressed its intent to procure more than $28 billion worth of Lockheed Martin integrated air and missile defense, combat ship, tactical aircraft and rotary wing technologies and programs.

“At Lockheed Martin, we are proud to be part of this historic announcement that will strengthen the relationship between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said Lockheed Martin Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Marillyn Hewson. “We are especially proud of how our broad portfolio of advanced global security products and technologies will enhance national security in Saudi Arabia, strengthen the cause of peace in the region, and provide the foundation for job creation and economic prosperity in the U.S. and in the Kingdom. These agreements will directly contribute to His Majesty’s Vision 2030 by opening the door for thousands of highly skilled jobs in new economic sectors.”

The announcement includes:
Letters of Offer and Acceptance and a Memorandum of Intent covering government-to-government sales of Lockheed Martin programs to include integrated air and missile defense systems, multi-mission surface combatant ships, radar systems, surveillance systems, tactical aircraft and rotary wing programs.

A Letter of Intent, between Lockheed Martin and Taqnia, to form a joint venture to support final assembly and completion of an estimated 150 S-70 Black Hawk utility helicopters for the Saudi government. The program supports work for more than 450 U.S. jobs including in Connecticut at Sikorsky and throughout the U. S. supply chain and also supports KSA’s Vision 2030 by creating an additional 450 jobs in the Kingdom, developing local capabilities through technology and skills transfer, thus enhancing the U.S.-Saudi global security partnership.

A Memorandum of Understanding between Lockheed Martin and Saudi Arabian Military Industries for the parties to work together to build defense capabilities in the KSA to support Vision 2030 and provide for localization efforts associated with Multi-mission Surface Combatants and Aerostats.

Once fully realized, the programs in this announcement will support more than 18,000 highly skilled jobs in the U.S. and thousands of jobs in Saudi Arabia as part of maintaining and modernizing these platforms over the next 30 years. These programs help the Saudi government realize its Vision 2030 objective of building its domestic technology capabilities and skilled workforce.

About Lockheed Martin:
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 97,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

BADEN, SWITZERLAND—March 13, 2017 — GE Power (NYSE: GE) has signed a multiyear service agreement (MYA) with Centrais Elétricas de Sergipe S.A. (CELSE) for a new combined-cycle power plant in northeastern Brazil. The agreement includes operations, maintenance, repairs and digital solutions as well as GE’s first order in Latin America for its OpShield cybersecurity solution. The solutions in the agreement will help improve the plant’s performance and availability and enable safe operational technology connectivity. The 1,516-megawatt (MW) Porto de Sergipe plant is expected to meet an estimated 15 percent of the energy needs of northeastern Brazil. It will be Latin America’s largest gas power plant when it begins operating in January 2020.

“GE has the power generation services and digital expertise we need to reliably and securely operate the Porto de Sergipe plant for years to come,” said Eduardo Maranhão, CEO of CELSE, a new independent power producer in Brazil. “We are pleased this project incorporates the latest digital technology and security solution into our multiyear agreement with GE to help us ensure that our Porto de Sergipe plant operates at the highest levels of reliability and availability to support our power purchase agreements.”

The agreement will cover:
Long-term plant maintenance including scheduled maintenance on the gas and steam turbines, auxiliary components, generators and control systems.
Plant operation and maintenance (O&M) services.
Digital solutions including Asset Performance Management and Operations Optimization, which run on GE’s Predix* platform—the operating system for the Industrial Internet.
OpShield cybersecurity solution, a specialized internet-connected sharing firewall that helps protect critical infrastructure by monitoring and blocking malicious activity directed at plant assets.

GE’s solutions are expected to help the plant achieve better reliability and performance. The cybersecurity solution, with the ability to demonstrate security actions and activities, will help improve operational reliability, reduce risk in business continuity and meet regulatory compliance for NERC CIP.

“Our Fleet360* platform of total plant solutions will help CELSE get the most value out of its investment in building the Porto de Sergipe plant,” said Ramon Paramio, region general manager of GE’s Power Services in Latin America. “The project is particularly noteworthy because it includes end-to-end services tailored to help meet CELSE plant’s availability, heat rate and output targets.”

This agreement follows an announcement GE and CELSE made in October 2016 for the original equipment order, valued at more than $900 million, for the turnkey combined-cycle plant project. The plant, which is being built in Barra dos Coqueiros in the state of Sergipe, will include three of GE’s 7HA gas turbines as well as a steam turbine, heat recovery steam generator and transmission technology. GE also is supplying the entire power island engineered package and remaining balance of plant such as cooling towers, foundations, roads and buildings.

GE employs more than 13,000 people in Brazil, where the company has been present for 96 years. Its equipment already is responsible for supplying more than 33 percent of all energy produced in the country, exceeding 47 gigawatts.

About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the “GE Store,” through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.ge.com

About GE Power
GE Power is a world leader in power generation with deep domain expertise to help customers deliver electricity from a wide spectrum of fuel sources. We are transforming the electricity industry with the digital power plant, the world’s largest and most efficient gas turbine, full balance of plant, upgrade and service solutions as well as our data-leveraging software. Our innovative technologies and digital offerings help make power more affordable, reliable, accessible and sustainable.

Vienna, – The Federal Ministry of Defense and Sports has filed a criminal complaint against the alleged fraudulent and deceptive deception against Airbus Defense and Space GmbH (formerly EADS Deutschland GmbH) and Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH at the Vienna Public Prosecutor’s Office. The Republic of Austria, represented by the Finanzprokuratur, has joined the criminal proceedings against the two Airbus companies as private parties.

The investigation of the “Task Force Eurofighter” set up under the leadership of Generalmajor Hans Hamberger in 2012 is the basis for the presentation of the facts with private stakeholders.

On the basis of the investigations carried out by the “Task Force Eurofighter”, the Ministry assumes in its criminal complaint that the two indicated Airbus companies have confiscated the Republic of Austria since 2002 both about the true purchase price as well as on the true delivery capability and true equipment of the Eurofighter interceptors Intention.

Hans Peter Doskozil, Federal Minister for Defense and Sport: “The report that I have been told states is that the Republic of Austria would not have decided to purchase the Eurofighter in 2003 without the fraudulent deception of Airbus Defense and Space GmbH and the Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH The comparison of June 2007 would never have come about as a minister of defense, I see myself obliged to report to me the known facts of criminal law and to make the damage caused to Austrian taxpayers.

“I am talking about the comprehensive and final cleansing of the Eurofighter purchase, which has been the subject of corruption charges for the last 15 years, and I want to make sure that the cause of the accident is clear, and that taxpayers must be sure that we handle their money with care They will continue to be ready to accept investments in the security of our country, “the defense minister said.

Republic of Austria calls for reparation
Wolfgang Peschorn, President of the Financial Prosecutor: “With regard to damage, causality, illegality and negligence, the Republic of Austria has today joined the criminal proceedings against Airbus Defense and Space GmbH and Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH. The damage to the republic is calculated as the sum of the purchase price paid for 15 Eurofighters plus the difference between the operating costs incurred for the Eurofighters compared to the hypothetical operating costs of an alternative aircraft minus the present value of the 15 Austrian Eurofighters.

The damage known to date can therefore amount to up to 1.1 billion euros. In any case, he is at least 183.4 million euros, which the two displayed Airbus companies have put into the purchase price as part of their sly misleading. In addition, there will be the damage from the future costs of the operation of the more expensive Eurofighter, which can not yet be quantified.

Fraud by deception about the true value of the purchase object
The facts show that the two Airbus companies indicated have never informed the Republic of Austria that they have accounted for almost 10 per cent, exactly EUR 183.4 million, of counter costs in the purchase price of EUR 1.959 billion. Even though the Republic of Austria has already clearly stated in the first tender documents of 2001, it is necessary to identify separately the costs for the settlement of the required countertransactions.

The Republic of Austria had to always assume that the purchase price according to the purchase contract of 1.7.2003 corresponds to the true value and quality of the interceptors ordered and the processing of the required counter transactions will have no financial implications. In fact, the fraudulently priced € 183.4 million was used for legal as well as for criminal counter-transaction costs. Both the prosecutor’s office in Munich and the public prosecutor’s office in Vienna have been investigating this issue for some time.

Fraud by deception on the purchase item
The existence of the “task force Eurofighter” suggests that the two Airbus companies of the Republic of Austria have promised and contracted the delivery of a purchase item since 2002, although they were neither able nor willing to contract it. The comparison between the Republic of Austria and the Airbus companies concluded in 2007 does not alter the criminality of these fraudulent acts.

Peschorn: “We assume that the Republic of Austria would not have concluded either the first purchase contract 2003 or the 2007 settlement with the conditions agreed at the time, if these facts had been known.”

Airspace monitoring secured
With the comprehensive presentation of the facts with a private stakeholders, the claims of the Republic are guaranteed in any case, a legal loss of the civil law claims is now excluded. Regardless of the criminal investigation of the past, his first and most important task as defense minister is to guarantee the security of the country, according to Doskozil.

The Minister: “The airspace surveillance by the Austrian Armed Forces is still guaranteed, and our air forces and pilots do an excellent job of providing high-performance interceptors, and I am 100% committed to airspace monitoring by the Austrian Armed Forces.”

However, according to Doskozil, the Eurofighter of tranche 1 used by the German army is very expensive during operation. “We will pay € 80 million for Eurofighter operation in 2017. In addition, we will have to replace our Saab 105 OE by 2020. We are called upon to find new solutions, so I have a special commission under the command of the commander in the Ministry of Defense The Luftwaffe forces, Brigadier Karl Gruber, to examine, by the end of June 2017, all the options for guaranteeing the safety of our airspace as effectively as today, but more cost-effectively. ”

To the “Task Force Eurofighter”

The “Task Force Eurofighter” was established in 2012 to investigate the impact of the Ministry of Defense on whether the Republic of Austria was harmed in the procurement of Eurofighters. The Task Force’s investigations were conducted under the direction of Generalmajor Hans Hamberger in close consultation with the President of the Financial Prosecutor, Wolfgang Peschorn, and in cooperation with the Vienna Public Prosecutor’s Office, which was already involved in the Eurofighter purchase under the GZ 604 St 6 / 11f has initiated an investigation into suspected corruption and bribery of officials. As external experts, the American law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (Skadden), the Austrian hero Berdnik Astner & Partner Rechtsanwälte GmbH, Grant Thornton Unitreu Advisory GmbH for forensic investigations and the civil law experts Univ.-Prof. Dr. Christian Rabl and Univ.-Prof. Dr. Andreas Kletécka.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., — The U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) will launch the next Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) satellite on Jan. 19 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The launch window is between 7:46 and 8:26 p.m. EST.

The SBIRS GEO Flight 3 satellite will provide key capabilities in the areas of missile warning, missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace awareness once launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, between 7:46 and 8:26 p.m. EST on Thursday, Jan. 19.

SBIRS GEO Flight 3 was designed and built at Lockheed Martin in Sunnyvale, California, as the next in a series of Air Force satellites that provide multi-mission surveillance in the areas of missile warning, missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace awareness. The data provided by SBIRS can also be applied to a number of qualified government and civilian applications, including first response for natural disasters and firefighting.

“At Lockheed Martin, we understand the Air Force’s important mission to protect our nation and allies around the world, as well as the critical role that SBIRS plays in their continued ability to respond to evolving threats,” said David Sheridan, vice president of Lockheed Martin’s Overhead Persistent Infrared systems mission area. “With the launch of GEO Flight 3, we are proud to further enhance SBIRS infrared surveillance capabilities, and we look forward to working with our customer and industry teammates toward 100 percent mission success.”

Once it reaches Geosynchronous Earth Orbit—around 22,000 miles above the Earth—GEO Flight 3 will use powerful sensors and cameras to detect and track infrared events, such as missile launches or other heat-causing events. While some satellites can only “see” what is directly below them, the SBIRS constellation has a view of the whole world, scanning for wide-area surveillance and staring at spots of interest.

With each satellite build, Lockheed Martin has continued to streamline its manufacturing process and increase efficiencies, while also introducing innovations that will keep SBIRS relevant long into the future. The next satellite, GEO Flight 4, will undergo final assembly, integration and test prior to its planned 2017 launch. SBIRS GEO-5 and GEO-6, which are currently in production, incorporate a new common spacecraft bus, Lockheed Martin’s modernized A2100, which dramatically reduces costs and cycle times while increasing the potential to incorporate future advanced sensor suites.

The SBIRS development team is led by the Remote Sensing Systems Directorate at the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, California, is the SBIRS prime contractor, with Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Azusa, California, as the payload integrator. The 460th Space Wing, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, operates the SBIRS system.

About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 98,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

Today, President Obama authorized a number of actions in response to the Russian government’s aggressive harassment of U.S. officials and cyber operations aimed at the U.S. election in 2016. Russia’s cyber activities were intended to influence the election, erode faith in U.S. democratic institutions, sow doubt about the integrity of our electoral process, and undermine confidence in the institutions of the U.S. government. These actions are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

The President released the following statement regarding today’s actions:

“Today, I have ordered a number of actions in response to the Russian government’s aggressive harassment of U.S. officials and cyber operations aimed at the U.S. election. These actions follow repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government, and are a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm U.S. interests in violation of established international norms of behavior.

All Americans should be alarmed by Russia’s actions. In October, my Administration publicized our assessment that Russia took actions intended to interfere with the U.S. election process. These data theft and disclosure activities could only have been directed by the highest levels of the Russian government. Moreover, our diplomats have experienced an unacceptable level of harassment in Moscow by Russian security services and police over the last year. Such activities have consequences. Today, I have ordered a number of actions in response.

I have issued an executive order that provides additional authority for responding to certain cyber activity that seeks to interfere with or undermine our election processes and institutions, or those of our allies or partners. Using this new authority, I have sanctioned nine entities and individuals: the GRU and the FSB, two Russian intelligence services; four individual officers of the GRU; and three companies that provided material support to the GRU’s cyber operations. In addition, the Secretary of the Treasury is designating two Russian individuals for using cyber-enabled means to cause misappropriation of funds and personal identifying information. The State Department is also shutting down two Russian compounds, in Maryland and New York, used by Russian personnel for intelligence-related purposes, and is declaring “persona non grata” 35 Russian intelligence operatives. Finally, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are releasing declassified technical information on Russian civilian and military intelligence service cyber activity, to help network defenders in the United States and abroad identify, detect, and disrupt Russia’s global campaign of malicious cyber activities.

These actions are not the sum total of our response to Russia’s aggressive activities. We will continue to take a variety of actions at a time and place of our choosing, some of which will not be publicized. In addition to holding Russia accountable for what it has done, the United States and friends and allies around the world must work together to oppose Russia’s efforts to undermine established international norms of behavior, and interfere with democratic governance. To that end, my Administration will be providing a report to Congress in the coming days about Russia’s efforts to interfere in our election, as well as malicious cyber activity related to our election cycle in previous elections.”

Here are some of the ways in which President Obama is taking action:
Sanctioning Malicious Russian Cyber Activity
In response to the threat to U.S. national security posed by Russian interference in our elections, the President has approved an amendment to Executive Order 13964. As originally issued in April 2015, this Executive Order created a new, targeted authority for the U.S. government to respond more effectively to the most significant of cyber threats, particularly in situations where malicious cyber actors operate beyond the reach of existing authorities. The original Executive Order focused on cyber-enabled malicious activities that:

Harm or significantly compromise the provision of services by entities in a critical infrastructure sector;
Significantly disrupt the availability of a computer or network of computers (for example, through a distributed denial-of-service attack); or
Cause a significant misappropriation of funds or economic resources, trade secrets, personal identifiers, or financial information for commercial or competitive advantage or private financial gain (for example, by stealing large quantities of credit card information, trade secrets, or sensitive information).
Read more about today’s sanctions on Russia here.

Responding to Russian Harassment of U.S. Personnel
Over the past two years, harassment of our diplomatic personnel in Russia by security personnel and police has increased significantly and gone far beyond international diplomatic norms of behavior. Other Western Embassies have reported similar concerns. In response to this harassment, the President has authorized the following actions:

Today the State Department declared 35 Russian government officials from the Russian Embassy in Washington and the Russian Consulate in San Francisco “persona non grata.” They were acting in a manner inconsistent with their diplomatic status. Those individuals and their families were given 72 hours to leave the United States.

In addition to this action, the Department of State has provided notice that as of noon on Friday, December 30, Russian access will be denied to two Russian government-owned compounds, one in Maryland and one in New York.

Raising Awareness About Russian Malicious Cyber Activity
The Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation are releasing a Joint Analysis Report (JAR) that contains declassified technical information on Russian civilian and military intelligence services’ malicious cyber activity, to better help network defenders in the United States and abroad identify, detect, and disrupt Russia’s global campaign of malicious cyber activities.

The JAR includes information on computers around the world that Russian intelligence services have co-opted without the knowledge of their owners in order to conduct their malicious activity in a way that makes it difficult to trace back to Russia. In some cases, the cybersecurity community was aware of this infrastructure, in other cases, this information is newly declassified by the U.S. government.
The report also includes data that enables cyber security firms and other network defenders to identify certain malware that the Russian intelligence services use. Network defenders can use this information to identify and block Russian malware, forcing the Russian intelligence services to re-engineer their malware. This information is newly de-classified.
Finally, the JAR includes information on how Russian intelligence services typically conduct their activities. This information can help network defenders better identify new tactics or techniques that a malicious actor might deploy or detect and disrupt an ongoing intrusion.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. and TEMPE, Ariz.— Symantec Corp. (NASDAQ: SYMC) and LifeLock, Inc. (NYSE: LOCK) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Symantec to acquire LifeLock for $24 per share or $2.3 billion in enterprise value. The deal, which was approved by the boards of directors of both companies, is expected to close in the first calendar quarter of 2017, subject to customary closing conditions including LifeLock stockholder approval.

In the last year, one third of American citizens and over 650 million people globally were the victims of cybercrime. Consequently, more and more consumers are concerned about digital safety, an estimated $10 billion market growing in the high single digits. In the United States alone, the estimated total addressable market is 80 million people.

“As we all know, consumer cybercrime has reached crisis levels. LifeLock is a leading provider of identity and fraud protection services, with over 4.4 million highly-satisfied members and growing. With the combination of Norton and LifeLock, we will be able to deliver comprehensive cyber defense for consumers,” said Greg Clark, Symantec’s CEO. “This acquisition marks the transformation of the consumer security industry from malware protection to the broader category of Digital Safety for consumers.”
Symantec’s acquisition of LifeLock brings together the #1 leader in consumer security with a leading provider of identity protection and remediation services. The combination will create the world’s largest consumer security business with over $2.2 billion* in annual revenue based on last fiscal year revenues for both companies.

“People’s identity and data are prime targets of cybercrime. The security industry must step up and defend through innovation and vigilance,” said Dan Schulman, Symantec’s Chairman of the Board. “With the acquisition of LifeLock, Symantec adds a new dimension to its protection capabilities to address the expanding needs of the consumer marketplace.”

“After a thorough review of a broad range of alternatives, our board of directors unanimously concluded that Symantec is the ideal strategic partner for LifeLock and offers our shareholders a significant premium for their investment, at closing,” said Hilary Schneider, CEO of LifeLock. “Together with Symantec we can deploy enhanced technology and analytics to provide our customers with unparalleled information and identity protection services. We are very pleased to have reached an outcome that serves the best interests of all LifeLock stakeholders.”
By offering each of the company’s respective customer bases a broader digital safety solution, Symantec expects to achieve additional revenue upside through higher ASPs and improved retention rates.

Symantec expects to finance the transaction with cash on the balance sheet and $750 million of new debt. Symantec’s board of directors has also increased the company’s share repurchase authorization from approximately $800 million to $1.3 billion, with up to $500 million in repurchases targeted by the end of fiscal 2017.
Given the expected closing in the first calendar quarter of 2017, Symantec expects the transaction to have no impact to its quarter ending December 30, 2016. The transaction is also not expected to have a material impact to Symantec’s fiscal year 2017 financial results, and the company is reaffirming its prior fiscal year 2017 financial guidance at this time: non-GAAP revenue of $4,040 – $4,120 million; non-GAAP operating margin of 27-29%; and non-GAAP earnings per share of $1.12-$1.18. The company is also reaffirming its prior fiscal year 2018 non-GAAP earnings per share guidance of $1.70-$1.80. Symantec expects the transaction to be accretive to non-GAAP earnings per share in fiscal year 2019.

The transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval in the United States and LifeLock stockholder approval.
Citi and J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC are serving as co-lead financial advisors to Symantec’s Board of Directors (in alphabetical order). Barclays, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citi, J.P. Morgan, and Wells Fargo are acting as financial advisors and are providing debt financing commitments to Symantec (in alphabetical order). Fenwick & West LLP is acting as legal advisor to Symantec in connection with the acquisition, and Fenwick & West LLP and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP are acting as legal advisors to Symantec in connection with the debt financing. Goldman, Sachs & Co. is acting as financial advisor to LifeLock. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP are acting as legal advisors to LifeLock.

* Rounded down from $2.3 billion to $2.2 billion following first issue of this press release.
Conference Call
Management will discuss the details of this transaction on a conference call scheduled for Monday, November 21, 2016 at 5:30 AM PT/8:30 AM ET. Interested parties may access the conference call on the

Internet at http://www.symantec.com/invest. To listen to the live call, please go to the website at least 15 minutes early to register, download and install any necessary audio software. For telephone access to the conference, call (877) 475-6198 within the United States or (970) 297-2372 from outside the United States. Please call 15 minutes early on November 21 and give the operator conference ID number 24263402. A replay and our prepared remarks will be available on the investor relations home page shortly after the call is completed.

About Symantec
Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ: SYMC), the world’s leading cyber security company, helps organizations, governments and people secure their most important data wherever it lives. Organizations across the world look to Symantec for strategic, integrated solutions to defend against sophisticated attacks across endpoints, cloud and infrastructure. Likewise, a global community of more than 50 million people and families rely on Symantec’s Norton suite of products for protection at home and across all of their devices. Symantec operates one of the world’s largest civilian cyber intelligence networks, allowing it to see and protect against the most advanced threats. For additional information, please visit www.symantec.com or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

About LifeLock
LifeLock, Inc. (NYSE: LOCK) is a leading provider of proactive identity theft protection services for consumers and consumer risk management services for enterprises. LifeLock’s threat detection, proactive identity alerts, and comprehensive remediation services help provide peace of mind for consumers amid the growing threat of identity theft. Leveraging unique data, science and patented technology from ID Analytics, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary, LifeLock offers identity theft protection that goes significantly beyond credit monitoring. As part of its commitment to help fight identity theft, LifeLock works to train law enforcement and partners with a variety of non-profit organizations to help consumers establish positive habits to combat this threat.

DALLAS, Nov. 9, 2016 – Lockheed Martin’s (NYSE: LMT) first modernized Tactical Missile System (TACMS) missile completed a successful first flight test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
The missile was launched from a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher at a target area more than 130 kilometers away, precisely hitting the target with a proximity sensor-enabled detonation. All test objectives were achieved.

“This was a successful test that proves that the new Modernized TACMS retains the extreme precision this product line is known for,” said Scott Greene, vice president of Precision Fires/Combat Maneuver Systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “With Modernized TACMS, we are taking existing missiles from inventory and giving our customer an essentially new missile.”

As part of the U.S. Army’s TACMS Service Life Extension Program inventory refurbishment effort, the modernized missile includes updated guidance electronics, and added capability to defeat area targets without leaving behind unexploded ordnance. The missile was produced at the Lockheed Martin Precision Fires Production Center of Excellence in Camden, Arkansas.

The TACMS (formerly ATACMS) modernization process disassembles and demilitarizes previous-generation submunition warheads that do not comply with the international Convention on Cluster Munitions, replacing them with new unitary warheads. The modernization process also resets the missile’s 10+ year shelf life.

Additionally, the TACMS platform provides flexibility to quickly integrate novel payloads and new capabilities as required by the warfighter.

With unsurpassed performance and an unwavering commitment to production excellence, TACMS is the only long-range tactical surface-to-surface missile ever employed by the U.S. Army in combat. TACMS missiles can be fired from the entire family of MLRS launchers, including the lightweight HIMARS.

About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 98,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

MCKINNEY, Texas, – Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and Logos Technologies are partnering to provide advanced multi-intelligence, or multi-INT, sensor systems to address challenging intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, requirements.  Raytheon’s high-definition Multi-Spectral Targeting System, or MTS™, and Logos’ wide-area motion imagery, or WAMI, technology will be integrated into a modular, lightweight sensor system suitable for a wide range of platforms.

This new multi-INT sensor system will support multiple sensor types, depending on customer size and weight requirements, including WAMI, multispectral full-motion video or FMV, hyperspectral imaging, light detection and ranging, and signals intelligence. The new sensor system will allow military ISR operators to use multi-sensor data to detect, recognize and identify hard-to-find targets across wide areas and in near-real time without extensive post-mission processing.

“Combining high-resolution FMV, wide-area motion ISR and other sensor modalities delivers an unparalleled advantage in real-time processing and data exploitation,” said Fred Darlington, vice president of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems at Raytheon’s Space and Airborne Systems.

First used by U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, WAMI technology was recently deployed to help protect crowds at the 2016 Summer Olympics. “WAMI provides the ability to monitor an entire city-sized area at once,” said John Marion, president of Logos Technologies. “You can track—from the air and in near-real time—multiple suspects scattering in different directions and see where they’re going, who they meet up with and where they’ve been.”

Because multi-INT means more combined intelligence data, it increases confidence of target detection and real-time, actionable battlespace awareness. Multi-INT technology, built on an open, scalable framework, can be deployed on existing platforms or positioned for next-generation platforms.

About Logos Technologies
Founded in 1996, Logos Technologies LLC is a diversified science, engineering and technology company specializing in the fields of advanced sensors, wide-area motion imagery, advanced analytics and processing of large, multisource datasets. Logos serves government customers, including the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community and Department of Homeland Security, as well as a range of customers in commercial and international markets. Learn more at http://www.logos-technologies.com/.

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2015 sales of $23 billion and 61,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 94 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5I™ products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Follow us on Twitter @Raytheon.

Regional cooperation was critical to combating terrorism as that threat expanded and took on new forms, ranging from cyberterrorism to State-sponsored terrorism, speakers stressed, as the Sixth Committee (Legal) continued its deliberations on measures to eliminate international terrorism today.

Terrorism was crossing borders, not just geographically, but also online through social media and media networks, several delegates pointed out. “We should resolutely crack down on cyberterrorism,” the representative of China urged, noting that terrorist groups were using the Internet to incite ethnic hatred and disseminate violent extremist ideologies.

Morocco’s representative also emphasized the dangers of cyberterrorism, and said that groups such as the Taliban, Al-Qaida, Al Shabaab and ISIL/Da’esh were using communications technology and social networks to recruit and radicalize young people.

Also acknowledging the rise in terrorists’ use of communications technologies, Ethiopia’s delegate, citing a recent speech given by her Prime Minister at the General Assembly, stressed that social media’s many advantages also had a negative side. It was empowering extremists to spread messages of violent extremism and hate without boundaries or inhibition.

However, many Member States also emphasized how international and regional cooperation and knowledge-sharing was vital in addressing such threats. Georgia’s delegate pointed out that Islamic State in Iraq/the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) recruited terrorists through encrypted networks. As no country had complete access to relevant data, her Government had taken the step of simplifying intelligence sharing with other countries.

The threat of State-sponsored terrorism was also brought to the fore during the all-day meeting. The representative of Afghanistan, sharing lessons learned from his country’s fight against a “sophisticated nexus” of nine terrorist groups, noted that States or elements within States perpetrating attacks must be held accountable. He also emphasized the need to address the problem of terrorist sanctuaries, safe havens and training centres.

India’s delegate voiced his concern that the Ad Hoc Committee’s efforts to develop the draft comprehensive convention to combat terrorism had gotten entangled in the issues of “who”, and “under what conditions” would be exempted from the coverage of the convention. There could be no distinction between “good and bad terrorism,” he stressed, adding that financial assistance should not be given to terrorist groups or individual members by States.

The representative of Syria highlighted the “indirect support lent by certain members of this Organization to terrorist groups”, adding that terrorism was being politicized by some Member States to attack the stability of certain other countries. He called for prompt and serious work to adopt a convention against international terrorism, one that included a clear definition of terrorism that drew a distinction between terrorism and self-determination.

Yet, despite the myriad of concerns raised, Algeria’s representative reminded delegates that the fight against terrorism could not be won by security means alone. Pointing to his country’s historical reconciliation policy, he emphasized that all stakeholders must be equally involved in combatting terrorism.

Also speaking today were representatives of Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Myanmar, Viet Nam, Malaysia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Bahrain, Tunisia, Iraq, Uganda, Azerbaijan, and Nigeria.

The Sixth Committee will next meet at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 5 October, to continue its consideration of measures to eliminate international terrorism and to take up the rule of law.

Statements

NAWAF ALTHARI (Saudi Arabia), speaking for the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), stated that terrorism was not only a flagrant violation of international human rights law, but also contradicted the principles of Islam. Furthermore, terrorism should not be associated with any religion, faith, theology, society or group. Strongly condemning attempts to link Islam with terrorists, he reiterated the importance of promoting dialogue between religions and civilizations. The international community must address the root causes of terrorism including festering international disputes and political marginalization.

It was essential, he added, that Member States enhance cooperation to refute the narratives of terrorist groups. There was a distinction between terrorism and the struggle for the right to self-determination. That distinction was observed in international law and international human rights law, as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Stressing that the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy should be implemented in a balanced manner, he called on the international community to reach a consensus agreement on the draft comprehensive convention to combat terrorism.

WU HAITAO (China) said that it was imperative to improve strategies and legal frameworks for international cooperation against terrorism. “We should resolutely crack down on cyberterrorism,” he stated, as terrorist forces were using the Internet and other information and communications technology to disseminate violent extremist ideologies and incite ethnic hatred. Turning to cross-border movement of foreign terrorist fighters, he added that the flow of such fighters had caused great harm, exacerbating regional conflicts and posting serious threats to the stability and security of countries of origin, transit and destination. In addition, the international community should firmly suppress attempts by terrorist organizations to acquire financing through the smuggling of oil, cultural relics and drugs.

INGA KANCHAVELI (Georgia), aligning her delegation with the European Union, said the challenge of terrorism required a coordinated approach from the international community. Her country had joined three counter-ISIL/Da’esh working groups, and had also undertaken legislative and practical measures, including signing and ratifying counter-terrorism instruments, and implementing all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions. Georgia has kept a list of people suspected of terrorist activities which it regularly updated and shared with relevant State structures. Amendments had been made to its criminal code on terrorism with regard to foreign fighters, recruitment and traveling for terrorist purposes. Because ISIL recruitment of terrorists used encrypted networks and no single country had full access to relevant data, Georgia had also simplified intelligence sharing. She stressed that more must be done to address the root causes of terrorism, with policies for social and economic development, as well as youth employment and political engagement.

BURHAN GAFOOR (Singapore), associating his delegation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said Southeast Asia had become a fertile recruiting ground for terrorist organizations such as Islamic State in Iraq/the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh). His Government had adopted a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy and had enhanced its capabilities for security responses as well as strengthening the community’s vigilance and resilience. Police and security forces were being trained and equipped with new skills and tools. A new national movement, “SG Secure”, had been launched, aimed at rallying all citizens to unite in the fight against terrorism. In addition, Singapore was party to 14 universal counter-terrorism agreements, he said, adding that Singapore had acceded to the 2007 ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism.

NANG PHYU SIN THAN MYINT (Myanmar), associating herself with the Non-Aligned Movement and ASEAN, said that her country had taken a series of concrete measures to fight terrorism, including, among others, strengthening its national legislation and institutions by enacting the domestic law on combating terrorism in June 2014. At the regional level, Myanmar signed the ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism in 2007. In 2009, the country became a State party to the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation Convention on Cooperating in Combating Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking. Myanmar had also participated in meetings on Asia-Pacific Foreign Terrorist Fighters organized by International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). She stressed that her Government had reinforced its commitment to anti-terror cooperation by acceding to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention in 2014, and had deposited the instrument of ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty this year.

NGUYEN TA HA MI (Viet Nam), associating herself with ASEAN and the Non-Aligned Movement, condemned all acts of terrorism and noted that the root causes of international terrorism were political, social and economic inequality and injustice. Actions to counter terrorism, she stressed, must be in line with international law and human rights. Her country’s law on counter-terrorism had set out a legal framework to combat the scourge on a national level. At the regional level, Viet Nam was part of ASEAN’s efforts to implement its Convention on Counter-Terrorism and its Comprehensive Plan of Action on Counter-Terrorism. She voiced supported for the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and noted the Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism. Her country, she added, would spare no efforts to contribute to peace and its commitment to international law was unwavering.

TAN SRI DATO SRI MOHAMED APANDI ALI, Attorney General of Malaysia, aligning his delegation with ASEAN and the Non-Aligned Movement, emphasized the need for immediately convening a high-level conference on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism, which should effectively address the root causes of terrorism, including unresolved conflicts. Reporting that, as of September 2016, his country had arrested 239 ISIL militants, he also said that, as part of the effort to enhance the legal framework for fighting the scourge, a new national security act had been passed. The act had stirred controversy since it assigned greater powers to the National Security Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, and to security forces. He stressed that the safeguards provided by the act were “well within legal limits” and that the act had important preventive functions. Offering condolences to victims of terrorism around the world, he affirmed the need for international cooperation on the matter and described regional frameworks within which Malaysia participated.

MOHAMMED ATLASSI (Morocco), aligning himself with the OIC, noted that terrorist groups, including the Taliban, Al-Qaida, Al-Shabaab, Da’esh and their affiliates used all means, including information and communications technology and social networks, to recruit young people. Illicit oil trade and cross-border crimes enabled them to have the financial resources to conduct their heinous acts. The number of foreign terrorist fighters had reached 40,000 and they came from hundreds of countries, including developed ones. Calling for a global response to the problem, he added that capacity building, training, and information exchange were vital, while respecting the four pillars of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The adoption of various Security Council resolutions including Resolution 2178 (2014) had brought new dynamism and guidance to international cooperation in the matter.

JO JONG CHOL (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea), associating his delegation with the Non-Aligned Movement, said that the world refugee crisis had resulted from aggression, intervention and other atrocities against sovereign States as part of the so-called “war on terror,” which, in turn, had brought about more terror through the emergence of extremist groups such as ISIL. The United States had designated State sponsors of terrorism to apply pressure in order to overthrow sovereign States’ systems. The “war on terror” was therefore in itself State terrorism. To truly end terror, root causes must be eliminated; the focus should be on ensuring the fair settlement of international disputes. His Government opposed all forms of terrorism and any assistance to terrorist groups, and had signed onto a range of international instruments for that reason. He pledged that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea would continue to fulfil its international obligation to help eliminate terrorism and to strengthen international cooperation for that purpose.

MIRGUL MOLDOISAEVA (Kyrgyzstan), aligning herself with the Collective Security Treaty Organization, stated that the central role in coordinating the efforts to fight terrorism must be played by the United Nations. Her country believed the Global Strategy was an effective foundation for that and the States of Central Asia had adopted a joint Plan of Action that consisted of forty-eight measures, which had been introduced into national strategies. Kyrgyzstan had acceded to ten out of sixteen international United Nations documents regarding counter-terrorism measures, and was working to ensure that national legislation was in line with ratified international conventions. Further, the country was improving security training, raising awareness through mass media and protecting the Internet from being used for the spread of terrorism.

HUSSEIN MAKHLOOQ (Bahrain), associating himself with the Non-Aligned Movement, stated that his country’s history in combating terrorism proved that Bahrain had consistently cooperated with the international community. Bahrain had joined a number of international regional conventions and instruments and had supported the international alliance against Da’esh. As well, Bahrain was committed to implementing international resolutions on countering terrorism, including Security Council resolution 2253 (2015). His country would continue to closely monitor borders and had worked with the “brotherly countries” of the Gulf Cooperation Council to adopt a security strategy to counter extremism. In addition, since 2001, a Government committee had been established to prevent money-laundering.

BASHAR JA’AFARI (Syrian Arab Republic), associating his delegation with the Non-Aligned Movement, stressed the absence of consensus on the “competence of the current chair of the Sixth Committee”. He also underscored respect for international law, “especially where it refers to occupation of territories and United Nations decisions on said occupation.” The danger of terrorism increased each day and was a threat to international peace and security. However, the issue was being politicized by certain member countries that had been trying to use terrorism to attack the stability of certain other countries. He noted the “lack of political will” in some nations and the “indirect support lent by certain members of this Organization to terrorist groups,” adding that some Member States saw those terrorists as “jihadists.” There should be prompt and serious work to adopt a convention against international terrorism, and it should include a clear definition of terrorism, “drawing a distinction between terrorism and self-determination.” He also highlighted the need to stop terrorists from using the Internet and social media to recruit youths, and welcomed the role that the Russian Federation and Iran played in Syria.

MAHLET HAILU GUADEY (Ethiopia), associating herself with the African Group and the Non-Aligned Movement, stated that the international community should be concerned about the increasing use, in a globalized society, by terrorists of new information and communications technologies. Citing the speech given by her country’s Prime Minister in the General Assembly, she added that as much as social media was offering a digital platform to improve exchange of information and enhance popular participation, its attendant negative impacts could not be ignored. Social media had also empowered populists and other extremists to exploit people’s genuine concerns and spread their message of bigotry and hate without any inhibition. She also noted that her country had ratified many regional and international agreements on combating terrorism, and had taken a number of legal and administrative measures to implement those agreements.

MOHAMED KHALED KHIARI (Tunisia), associating himself with OIC and the Non-Aligned Movement, said there was a need to understand the reasons for violent extremism and for a mechanism to exchange knowledge. He referred to the difficult geographical context of Tunisia, where terrorism was a major threat to the region. His Government had adopted a series of measures to optimize national capacities in fighting terrorism, including laws supressing money-laundering, criminalizing acts of recruitment, glorifying terrorism, funding terrorism or traveling to areas of conflict. As well, his country had worked with relevant United Nations bodies to finalize its national strategy. In addition, Tunisia was working regionally and sub-regionally through bilateral agreements and through the ratification of regional and international conventions.

MAHMOUD SAIKAL (Afghanistan), associating himself with the Non-Aligned Movement, said numerous terrorist attacks continued in his country and many others around the world. “The status quo makes it ever more evident that despite ongoing efforts, the global counter-terrorism campaign must be revitalized for a more responsive approach,” he said, warning that terrorist threats had rapidly increased rather than subsided. There was merit in a review of United Nations entities to identify and fill gaps, while assessing what could really be done to achieve results. Far too often, elements in some States – particularly one in his region – still resorted to terrorism as a tool to advance their misguided foreign policy agendas. Emphasizing the need to address the lingering problem of terrorist sanctuaries, safe havens and training centres, he said any State or elements within a State involved in the perpetration or orchestration of terrorist attacks must be held to account. Afghanistan’s fight against a sophisticated nexus of nine terrorist groups continued unabated, with scores of civilian lives lost in recent months. Describing national efforts to combat such attacks, he joined the call for the conclusion of the draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism, the conclusion of which “has eluded us for far too long”.

GHASSAN SADDAWI (Iraq), associating himself with the Non-Aligned Movement and OIC, stated that terrorism had destabilized societies and deprived individuals of their rights. Underscoring his country’s condemnation of all terrorist acts in all forms and manifestations, he called on the international community to work together under the auspices of the United Nations and regional organizations to bring perpetrators of terrorism to justice. Iraq had ratified and acceded to four important treaties that aimed to combat terrorism, including the Arab Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference Convention on Combating International Terrorism. With Da’esh controlling some of its territories, Iraq was a victim of some of the most brutal terrorist attacks. The armed forces and people of Iraq were confronting terrorism on behalf of the whole world and the international community must support Iraq in combating that.

DUNCAN LAKI MUHUMUZA (Uganda), associating his delegation with the African Group and the Non-Aligned Movement, affirmed that the United Nations was best suited to coordinate international efforts to fight terrorism, complemented by regional, sub-regional and national initiatives. However, those must, in turn, be supported by the provision of necessary resources. Ugandan forces had, in recent years, successfully driven terrorist groups such as the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Allied Democratic Forces out of its territory. He called on all States in the region to cooperate to eradicate the remnants of those groups in neighbouring countries. Such cooperation had already led to the capture and prosecution of leaders who were now facing prosecution in different forums. While commending efforts to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, he pointed out that goal was being undermined by the dumping of toxic waste material off the Indian Ocean coast of Somali which could “easily constitute an arsenal” for those groups. He affirmed the need for a comprehensive convention on terrorism, and stressed the importance of taking hard decisions, including assigning a definition to terrorism.

MOHAMMED BESSEDIK (Algeria), associating himself with the African Group, OIC and the Non-Aligned Movement, said the struggle against extremism also included the struggle against Islamophobia which was emerging as the new face of extremism. Underscoring the importance of consolidating efforts at the bilateral, regional and international levels, he called for Member States to agree upon an accurate definition of terrorism, in line with the United Nations Charter. From its own fight against violent extremism, Algeria had learned precious lessons, which were reflected in the historical reconciliation policies of its President. Defeating terrorism solely by security means would make for an incomplete defeat. It was important to address all stakeholders in its national plan to prevent terrorism.

KOTESWARA RAO MADIMI (India) stated the international community needed to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. The Ad Hoc Committee’s efforts to develop the draft of the comprehensive convention had gotten entangled in the issues of “who”, and “under what conditions” would be exempted from the coverage of the convention. There could be no distinction between “good and bad terrorism,” he stressed, adding that the Member States of the Committee should acknowledge their failure in fulfilling the mandate to achieve the convention. His Government had enacted legislations to deal with all aspects of terrorism, such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967 which criminalized the raising of funds for terrorist activities. India also condemned direct or indirect financial assistance given to terrorist groups or individual members by States and their machineries.

TOFIG MUSAYEV (Azerbaijan) said his country had been repeatedly a target of terrorist attacks since the 1980s, which had claimed the lives of over 2,000 citizens. He voiced his strong support for international cooperation, as well as enhanced individual and collective efforts to combat terrorism, noting the important work of the Security Council committees with counter-terrorism mandates. It was critical to intensify conflict resolution efforts as most terrorist activities occurred in countries mired in new or old conflicts. The absence of a clear definition of terrorism in international law hampered efforts to bring terrorists and terrorist organizations to account, as well as States that promoted, supported or financed terrorism. Lastly, he stressed that the war on terrorism could not and must not be used to target any religion or culture, a principle that must be part and parcel of any counter-terrorism strategy.

TAIWO ABIDOGUN (Nigeria), aligning himself with the African Group, stated that terrorist attacks across the world were a threat to “the great and small, strong and weak alike.” Stressing that it was time for “all hands to the deck,” he praised the synergy between the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre and the Counter-Terrorism Task Force and voiced support for the Working Group’s aim to finalize the draft comprehensive convention. In Nigeria, Boko Haram had indiscriminately targeted civilians, Muslims and Christians, places of worship and recreational establishments. “Even the United Nations building in Abuja was not spared,” he noted. Such acts had strengthened Nigeria’s resolve to fight terrorism and the country was cooperating closely with its neighbours, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin by forming a multinational joint task force.

BETHESDA, Md., – Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has completed the separation of its Information Systems & Global Solutions (IS&GS) business segment and merged it with a subsidiary of Leidos Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LDOS). The transaction concludes Lockheed Martin’s portfolio reshaping strategy announced last year and was finalized through a tax-efficient Reverse Morris Trust transaction.

The merger creates tangible value for both businesses. It will enable Lockheed Martin to reinforce its heritage in aerospace and defense and deliver more value to stockholders. As for the newly combined company, it will offer a broader and more affordable portfolio of capabilities and services to customers.

“This strategic transaction enhances our competitive posture in our core aerospace and defense markets and increases the value we deliver to our stockholders,” said Lockheed Martin Chairman, President and CEO Marillyn Hewson. “As we position our company for the future, this action will enable us to focus our business growth strategy, align our technology investments and increase the value we deliver to customers worldwide.”

The closing of the merger followed the expiration of the exchange offer and the satisfaction of certain other conditions. As part of the transaction, Lockheed Martin received a $1.8 billion special cash payment, which the Corporation will use to repay debt, pay dividends, and/or repurchase its stock. As a result of the exchange offer, Lockheed Martin reduced outstanding shares of its common stock by 9,369,694 shares, or approximately 3% of the outstanding common shares. Lockheed Martin stockholders who participated in the exchange offer received an approximately 50.5 percent stake in Leidos (approximately 77 million shares of Leidos common stock). The special cash payment, plus the shares of Leidos common stock to be received by participating Lockheed Martin stockholders (valued based on Leidos’ August 15 closing price adjusted for the $13.64 per share Leidos special dividend to be paid), results in an aggregate transaction value of approximately $4.6 billion.

Preliminary Results of Exchange Offer
Lockheed Martin stockholders had an opportunity to exchange their shares of Lockheed Martin common stock for shares of Abacus Innovations Corporation (Abacus), a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin created to facilitate the transaction, which automatically converted into the right to receive shares of Leidos common stock at the close of the transaction. The final exchange ratio for the exchange offer was set at 8.2136 shares of common stock of Abacus for each share of Lockheed Martin common stock. Each share of Abacus common stock was converted in the merger into one share of Leidos common stock. As a result, Lockheed Martin stockholders who tendered and did not properly withdraw their shares of Lockheed Martin common stock in the exchange offer received approximately 8.2136 shares of Leidos common stock (subject to the receipt of cash in lieu of fractional shares) for each share of Lockheed Martin common stock accepted for exchange.

Pursuant to the exchange offer, which expired today at 8:00 a.m. EDT, Lockheed Martin accepted 9,369,694 shares of Lockheed Martin common stock in exchange for the 76,958,918 shares of Abacus common stock owned by Lockheed Martin, which represent all of the outstanding shares of Abacus.
Because more than 9,369,694 shares of Lockheed Martin common stock were validly tendered and not properly withdrawn in the exchange offer, the exchange offer was oversubscribed and all shares of Abacus common stock owned by Lockheed Martin were distributed in the exchange offer. As a result of the oversubscription, it was not necessary to distribute shares of Abacus common stock to Lockheed Martin stockholders as a pro rata dividend. Earlier today, Lockheed Martin announced a preliminary proration factor of approximately 8.01 percent.

About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 98,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

FARNBOROUGH, UNITED KINGDOM, July 11, 2016 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] will deliver 50 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters to the British Army under an agreement signed between the U.S. and UK governments, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced today. The agreement is also a precursor to potential, significant long-term support opportunities for Boeing.

David Pitchforth, vice president and managing director of Boeing Defence UK Limited, said: “This is not only a major boost to the British Army but it will also mean long-term, sustained jobs in the UK as the vast majority of the training, maintenance, repair and overhaul will be done here over the service life of the aircraft. We are working closely with our extensive UK supply chain, including Leonardo Finmeccanica Helicopters (Leonardo), to support initial operating capability of the aircraft in 2022”.

Boeing has a long-standing relationship with Leonardo on the existing Apache programme. Boeing will support UK prosperity through increasing spend with UK suppliers and is in advanced discussions with Leonardo on the AH-64E contract and other opportunities.

To date, Boeing has delivered 149 AH-64Es to the U.S Army, logging more than 60,000 flight hours and 17,000 combat flying hours. The Apache performs across the full spectrum of operations and as a force multiplier for combat commanders and supports the safe return of troops.

Boeing has 2,000 employees across the UK at numerous sites, from Glasgow to Gosport, and the company is experiencing solid organic growth. Today the UK remains a critically important market, supplier base and a source of some of the world’s most inventive technology partners. Boeing’s expenditure with the UK aerospace industry in 2015 was £1.8 billion and the company’s activities worldwide support more than 60,000 UK jobs, in the process enhancing skills, facilitating exports and generating intellectual property. For more information visit www.boeing.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @BoeingUK.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) and Mexico’s Office of the Attorney General (PGR) sponsored a Trinational Forum yesterday and today in Mexico City, bringing together Amber Alert Coordinators from Mexico, the United States and Canada. The forum aimed to create mechanisms for the international coordination of Amber Alerts in order to better respond to potential cross-border cases of missing children.

Opening the forum, Mexican Attorney General Arely Gomez highlighted the importance of international cooperation in the identification of missing children, noting that the Amber Alert program “breaks the barriers of communication, time and distance,” and highlighted that the “neutralization and disruption of criminal groups and their operations cannot depend on limits created by borders or national identities.”

The importance of the Amber Alert system also was recognized by U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch in her remarks yesterday at the annual National Missing Children’s Day Ceremony in Washington, D.C., where she noted the Trinational Event in Mexico City and said, “and our commitment to rescuing missing children does not stop at the border. I am proud to say that our Department of Justice has collaborated with the Attorney General of Mexico on the development of Mexico’s AMBER Alert System, which has already resulted in the rescue of hundreds of Mexican children.”

OPDAT Senior Resident Legal Advisor Ray Gattinella told Amber Alert coordinators in Mexico City, “we currently have 75 open abduction cases from the United States to Mexico and 183 open cases from Mexico to the United States. So it makes sense that our countries would continue the collaboration on Amber Alert we started four years ago and begin coordinating on potential cross-border and interstate missing children cases.”

OPDAT assisted PGR in the creation and implementation of Amber Alert Mexico based on the U.S. program in May 2012. Since that time, Amber Alert has led to the rescue of over 350 children in Mexico. The program has also become a central piece of OPDAT’s programming in Mexico under the Merida Initiative. The United States immensely values the cooperation and collaboration from both Mexico and Canada in this critical area.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., — A team led by Raytheon BBN Technologies is developing methods to make mobile applications viable for up to 100 years, despite changes in hardware, operating system upgrades and supporting services. The U.S. Air Force is sponsoring the four-year, $7.8 million contract under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Building Resource Adaptive Software Systems program.

“Mobile apps are pervasive in the military, but frequent operating system upgrades, new devices and changing missions and environments require manual software engineering that is expensive and causes unacceptable delays,” said Partha Pal, principal scientist at Raytheon BBN. “We are developing techniques to eliminate these interruptions by identifying the way these changes affect application functionality and modifying the software.”

To provide software usefulness for many years, the Raytheon-led team, which also includes Securboration, Inc., Oregon State University, Vanderbilt University and Syracuse University, plans to:

Develop a set of static and dynamic discovery techniques to identify the ways in which changes in the application’s ecosystem can affect the software’s functionality;
Develop a set of transformation technologies that modify the software as needed to adapt to these changes;
Create a software framework to demonstrate and evaluate software evolution in response to ecosystem changes.
These advances could lead to long-lived software systems that satisfy critical customer needs over generations of devices and emerging missions.

Raytheon BBN Technologies is a wholly owned subsidiary of Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN).

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2015 sales of $23 billion and 61,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 94 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5I™ products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. Visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @raytheon.

NEW YORK– May 9, 2016– L-3 Communications (NYSE:LLL) announced today that it has reinstated the name of its Madison, Mississippi-based aerospace sustainment and support services business to L-3 Vertex Aerospace.

“The L-3 Vertex Aerospace name stands for our legacy of delivering sophisticated and customer-focused services and support that provide consistent, measurable value,” said Mark Von Schwarz, president of L-3 Aerospace Systems, which includes the L-3 Vertex Aerospace business. “Vertex Aerospace goes well beyond providing logistical support, specializing in targeted technical services that require comprehensive expertise and an unwavering commitment to helping our military and government customers successfully complete their missions.”

L-3 Vertex Aerospace is widely known as a premier provider of specialized aerospace sustainment and support services and as a pioneer in the field of contractor logistics support and aerospace services. Its unique expertise is sought after for a broad range of programs, from aircraft maintenance programs that support thousands of mission and training sorties daily, to supply chain management and quick-reaction field teams that rapidly deploy globally to fulfill exacting customer needs.

“The name Vertex Aerospace resonates with our customers and employees because it has long been synonymous with our hard-earned reputation for expertise, competitiveness and total commitment to our customers,” said John E. ‘Ed’ Boyington, president of L-3 Vertex Aerospace. “We work with our customers as true business partners, so we understand their specific requirements and tailor our solutions to achieve successful outcomes. Our dedication to building and maintaining long-term customer relationships is both our legacy and our future.”

As one of four sectors within the L-3 Aerospace Systems business segment, L-3 Vertex Aerospace comprises the business areas that were previously called Logistics Solutions, which include aircraft and base maintenance programs, Contract Field Teams, Army Fleet Support and Flight International.

L-3 Vertex Aerospace, based in Madison, Mississippi, is a worldwide provider of aerospace sustainment & support and aviation & aerospace technical services for the U.S. Department of Defense, government agencies and foreign governments. Its workforce of 7,300 professionals at 136 locations offers integrated logistics support, contractor logistics support, component repair and overhaul, in-house component repair, supply chain management, repair station support, pilot services and contract field services. L-3 Vertex Aerospace also provides turnkey customized solutions, contractor-operated and -maintained base supply services, supplier and vendor base services, and quick-reaction global deployment team support services.

Headquartered in New York City, L-3 employs approximately 38,000 people worldwide and is a leading provider of a broad range of communication and electronic systems and products used on military and commercial platforms. L-3 is also a prime contractor in aerospace systems. The company reported 2015 sales of $10.5 billion.

To learn more about L-3, please visit the company’s website at www.L-3com.com. L-3 uses its website as a channel of distribution of material company information. Financial and other material information regarding L-3 is routinely posted on the company’s website and is readily accessible.