Falcon 2000S, 900LX, 7X to Highlight Dassault’s EBACE Display as Company Marks 50th Anniversary

GENEVA, May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –

Dassault Falcon will present a full lineup of long-range large-cabin executive jets at this year’s European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, May 21-23.

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120925/564526-a )
     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130520/613982 )

The lineup will feature the recently certificated Falcon 2000S, Dassault’s new entry level jet, along with the Falcon 900LX long-range aircraft and the top-of-the-line Falcon 7X.

The show will also highlight the EASy II advanced avionics suite, FalconCabin HD+ entertainment system and FalconBroadcast airborne health monitoring service, which in the first half of 2013 were expanded to all new Falcon models.

The 3,350 nm Falcon 2000S brings large cabin size and comfort to the super midsize price segment and comes fully equipped with a full slate of popular features. Standard equipment includes Easy II, FalconCabin HD+ and an attractive cabin conceived with BMW Group DesignworksUSA. The 2000S was certificated by the FAA and EASA in April and has already begun entry into service.

The new 4,000 nm Falcon 2000LXS was also certificated in April. It combines the short field performance of the 2000S with the long range capability of the LX that it will replace by the end of 2013.

Both the 2000S and the 2000LXS are fitted with moveable inboard slats and winglets that permit them to operate from hard-to-access airports like London City, with its challenging, steep approaches and short runway-something not possible with other business jets in their class.

The 5,950 nm Falcon 7X trijet flies faster, farther and higher than any Falcon ever built. Its advanced Digital Flight Control System brings a level of sophistication and safety unequalled in business aviation. Pilots love the precision and control the system provides and passengers love the smooth, quiet ride.

This year’s EBACE will be extra special as it coincides with the 50^th Anniversary of the Falcon brand. The first Falcon – born the Mystère 20 and later rechristened the Falcon 20 at the behest of its launch customer, Pan American Airways – jetted into the sky on May 4, 1963, ushering in a new era in business aviation.

“The 50^th Anniversary is far more than a celebration of the past,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation. “Sure, it’s a convenient milestone to recall a rich heritage peppered with wonderful stories from our many customers. But first and foremost, it’s a window into a very bright future, beginning with a brand new model, code named SMS, to be unveiled in the autumn.”

About Dassault Falcon

Dassault Falcon is responsible for selling and supporting Falcon business jets throughout the world. It is part of Dassault Aviation, a leading aerospace company with a presence in over 70 countries across five continents. Dassault Aviation produces the Rafale fighter jet as well as the complete line of Falcon business jets. The company has assembly and production plants in both France and the United States and service facilities on multiple continents. It employs a total workforce of over 12,000. Since the rollout of the first Falcon 20 in 1963, 2,250 Falcon jets have been delivered to 82 countries worldwide. The family of Falcon jets currently in production includes the tri-jets-the Falcon 900LX, and the 7X-as well as the twin-engine 2000LX, 2000LXS and Falcon 2000S.

Press Contacts

Dassault Aviation (Saint-Cloud, France)
Vadim Feldzer Tel. +33-1-47-11-44-13                    
Marie-Alexandrine Fouillard Tel. +33-1-47-11-64-23

Dassault Falcon Jet (Teterboro Airport, USA)
Andrew Ponzoni Tel. +1-201-541-45-88                
Grant Kielczewski Tel. +1-201-541-46-79

Photos

Hi Res Photos at: http://www.falconphotogallery.com

Joint High-Speed Vessels May Answer the Changing Logistics Needs of Navies, Finds Frost & Sullivan

- Low-cost, highly efficient JHSVs offer superior versatility, covering both military and logistics operations

LONDON, May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The Joint High-Speed Vessel (JHSV) is a joint programme of the U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps to sustain a fast and efficient sea transport for troops and equipment. With the aim of providing an intra-theatre logistics solution, the decision-makers at the Pentagon chose a low-cost, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) platform offered by Austal, an Australian-based shipbuilding company.

"The JHSV is an interesting example of applying a low-cost, commercial solution to a naval environment," noted Frost & Sullivan's Aerospace & Defence Industry Analyst Dominik Kimla. "Due to budget constraints, it is expected that navies around the world will be leveraging COTS solutions and adopting other commercial approaches more frequently to provide the necessary naval capabilities."

New Market Insight (MI) from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.defence.frost.com), High Speed Vessels: The Future of Naval Logistics, finds that the JHSV offers notable project budget efficiency. It has allowed the U.S. Navy to quickly gain a cost-effective and operationally efficient capability, while minimising project production outlays and financial risk.

Apart from operational efficiency, a major benefit of the JHSV is low maintenance and operational costs. A commercial approach has meant that operations run smoothly and within budget – critical in times of shrinking defence expenditures.

From a military logistics point of view, the JHSV is tremendously versatile. It is capable of transporting a company size unit with equipment, a full infantry battalion (as a troop transport), or 635 tonnes of payload, and transport it in-theatre within 1,200 nautical miles of range at an average 35 knots, almost twice as fast as current ships.

"The JHSV can offload the logistics at even the most basic ports," added Kimla. "This makes it an essential tool for logistics support in various operations, including rapidly deploying response forces to distant areas, transporting cargo at high speed into an active operating theatre, conducting relief operations in small or damaged ports, responding to natural disasters, providing humanitarian assistance, and participating in multinational operations and counter-piracy missions."

Furthermore, JHSV is able to interact with cargo ships at sea, providing logistics scalability and force projection over a larger combat footprint. Also, the shallow-draft capabilities of JHSV give it multi-sea access and increased littoral operations, which are particularly important assets in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, where there are many areas with shallow waters.

The JHSV is, for now, primarily a U.S. concept, with the country ordering 10 vessels. However, Frost & Sullivan research indicates that the market potential for high-speed logistics vessels is substantially bigger.

In addition to the U.S. military, demand is likely to come from the APAC. It is expected that the closest U.S. allies in the region – South Korea, Japan and the Philippines – and scattered island countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, will be potential customers for the high-speed logistics vessels.

"In the mid- and long-term perspective, this type of vessel would be an effective capability to have for the European Union multinational, rapid humanitarian and crisis management missions conducted under the framework of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)," concluded Kimla. "Additionally, high-speed logistic vessels, similar to JHSV, could be commonly operated/managed by a few navies as a pooling and sharing asset across EU/NATO countries, securing critical sea routes and providing rapid-response logistical support in disaster-hit areas."

This Market Insight, High Speed Vessels: The Future of Naval Logistics, is part of Frost & Sullivan's Aerospace, Defence & Security Growth Partnership Services programme. If you are interested in more information on this research, please send an e-mail to Joanna Lewandowska, Corporate Communications, at joanna.lewandowska@frost.com, with your full contact details. The MI is also available on Slide Share.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants.

Our "Growth Partnership" supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure.

• The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation.
• The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible. This includes our 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, career best practices as well as our global footprint of more than 40 offices.

For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organisation prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?

Contact Us:     Start the discussion

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Corporate Communications – Europe
Frost & Sullivan
Tel: +48 22 481 62 20
E-mail: joanna.lewandowska@frost.com
http://www.frost.com

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Air Partner – "Shifts in Private Jet Procurement Expected to Create a ‘Battle of the Jet Providers’"

LONDON, May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –

Air Partner, the only aviation company to hold a Royal Warrant from HM Queen Elizabeth II, is a leading provider of aviation services to high net worth individuals, corporates and six of the G8 group of governments.

New research from independent aviation consultants Conklin & de Decker assesses the jet card products offered by NetJets Europe and Air Partner across six key criteria.  The ‘key findings’ from the independent research give 51 year old Air Partner the ‘advantage’ over NetJets Europe in four out of six criteria, and ranks Air Partner and NetJets Europe’s products as ‘comparable’ in the remaining two areas.  

The six areas that Conklin and de Decker based its ‘key findings’ on are  (i) Accessible Service Areas (ii) Notice Period (iii) Aircraft Choice (iv) Pricing (v) Flexibility, and (vi) Quality Assurance, Service and Safety. Conklin & de Decker’s full research report “Jet Cards Compared” can be downloaded at http://www.airpartner.com/en-GB/privatejets/Jetcard/Prices/.  

Commenting on the results of the research, Simon Wheatley, Air Partner‘s Manager for Private Jets, said, “We are delighted that research carried out by a leading independent aviation consultant has recognised the benefits of Air Partner‘s JetCard programme.  All credit to NetJets which has raised the profile and benefits of private aviation, but the sector is very competitive now and clients are looking to the benefits and advantages offered by other cutting edge products in today‘s market. Many of our clients tell us that actions speak louder than words; they like the fact that we spend money on ensuring the best services, safety, prices and products, rather than just advertising how great we are.“

Key Findings from Conklin & de Decker’s Jet Card Comparison:

                                          Air Partner      Criteria Assessed NetJets Europe      JetCard           Advantage        Accessible          Europe +       Europe, Middle       Air Partner JetCard      Service Area        special        East, Continental      (without penalty)   destinations   USA, Mexico,                                         Caribbean +                                         special                                         destinations        Notice Period     24 hrs in         24 hrs in           Comparable                        Europe            Europe              products        Aircraft Choice                     6 categories       Air Partner                                          from smallest      Jetcard                                          to largest                        4 categories      37+ individual                        and 10 aircraft   aircraft types                        types only                               Cost penalties    No cost                        for interchange   penalties for                                          interchange        Pricing           Higher base                          Air Partner                        cost, and         Lower cost         JetCard                        Fuel Cost         relative to                        Adjustments       NetJets Europe        Flexibility                         Hours don't        Air Partner                                          expire             JetCard                                            Full balance                        Hours have        refund                        limited life      available at                        span              anytime                          Limited or no     Hours can be                        refunds           freely                                          exchanged for                        Interchange       other                        rates with        goods/services                        other             purchased                        categories        through Air                        usually involve   Partner without                        a cost penalty    penalty          Quality           Robust internal   Robust internal   Comparable      Assurance,        controls to       controls to       products      Service and       assure premium    assure premium      safety            quality,          quality,                        service and       service and                        safety            safety                        standards         standards  

(See Conklin & de Decker‘s full research report “Jet Cards Compared“ at http://www.airpartner.com)

In summarising the ‘Key Findings’ of its research, independent aviation consultants Conklin and de Decker reported, “Air Partner and NetJets Europe offer a wide range of private air transportation services with their card programs. Both offer high levels of service and the ability to fly globally. Air Partner‘s JetCard pricing is inclusive, and avoids the unknown of the fuel cost adjustment that NetJets Europe (and most other providers) charge. Based on current pricing and policies, the Air Partner JetCard is the lower cost alternative to the NetJets Europe Private Jet Card.“

Air Partner’s Wheatley commented: “In today‘s 24 hour, global community, private jets can be a valuable business tool, enabling pressured individuals to create more time in their lives.   As stock markets rally and many economies show tentative signs of recovery, we expect to see increased growth in private jet usage - and this new generation of educated charter buyers will demand the uniquely flexible, client friendly, and value added proposition that Air Partner represents.“

Air Partner is already seeing a shift away from fractional ownership, as jet users look for charter solutions that more closely match their travel programmes.  Air Partner’s Wheatley explains: “Some 30% of Air Partner‘s new JetCard customers have transferred from rival fractional ownership schemes, and ad hoc charter is up more than 10% on last year.  Our products offer a full range of benefits to our customers, but they share one guiding principle that is unique to Air Partner – we don‘t spend one penny of our client‘s money until they choose to fly“.

Aside from the key findings, other notable extracts from Conklin & de Decker’s report include comments on pricing, flexibility, geographic reach and client service:

“Air Partner has strived to maintain a simple-to-understand and predictable cost structure.”

“The Air Partner JetCard has no expiration of funds and offers a guaranteed refund of any unused funds. NetJets Europe does not offer the same guarantees and their stated term of service for their card is 12 months.”

“Air Partner’s JetCard is inclusive of the total cost of fuel – a rarity. NetJets Europe, like most card programs, charges a Fuel Cost Adjustment that can range up to €1,500 per flight hour, or more.”

“For NetJets Europe flights outside the service area, there may be additional fees associated with positioning the aircraft for the trip, and perhaps added customs and airport fees.”  

“The below table highlights some possible added charges:

               Added charge         Air Partner JetCard       NetJets Europe Private JetCard          Catering                     Included in price           Extra for larger aircraft        Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA)   Included in price         Yes E650 to E1,900 estimated      Additional Airport fees (in        service area)              Included in price                      Yes      Interchange/upgrade fee      Included in price                      Yes      Ferry Fee (outside Service        Area)                             Yes                             Yes      Carbon Offset Available             Yes                             Yes  

“For trips to/from the Middle East, it appears that Air Partner offers more destinations than NetJets Europe.”

“The Air Partner JetCard offers a locally based account manager. The hours can also be used for one of Air Partner’s other transportation services such as helicopter charter or limousines. NetJets Europe does not offer the same flexibility.”

Air Partner supports transparency, openness and the provision of best practice customer service in the aviation industry. Other private jet products were asked to submit or provide information for this research but declined to do so.

20 May 2013

Notes to Editors

About Air Partner’s JetCard

When developing their JetCard programme, Air Partner, the only aviation company to hold a Royal Warrant from HM Queen Elizabeth II, called on the Group’s 50 year private aviation experience to create the best membership programme in the market today.  The result is a programme which provides all the benefits of existing cards, but is more flexible and firmly focused on clients’ needs. Air Partner has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since 1989.  The company has no debt, is profitable, and updates stakeholders on financial progress four times per year. (http://www.airpartner.com)

About Conklin & de Decker

Conklin & de Decker’s mission is to enable the general aviation industry to make more informed decisions when dealing with the purchase, operation and disposition of aircraft by furnishing objective and impartial information. With nearly 30 years in business, Conklin & de Decker is a leader in aviation research, consulting and education with offices in Massachusetts, Texas and Arizona. Founded in 1984, the company focuses on fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft operating costs, performance and specification databases, maintenance management software, financial management, fleet planning, market research, aviation tax issues, and financial, tax and management seminars. Conklin & de Decker consults with numerous individuals, corporations and government agencies worldwide. (http://www.conklindd.com)

Enquiries:

Air Partner, Private Jet Division (http://www.airpartner.com), +44(0)1293-844-788
Simon Wheatley (Simon.wheatley@airpartner.com)    

Temple Bar Advisory (PR advisor to Air Partner), +44(0)207-002-1080
Tom Allison (toma@templebaradvisory.com), +44(0)778-9998-020
Joanna Crawford (joannac@templebaradvisory.com), +44(0)777-6253-482

Edison Expands International Aerospace & Defence Large Cap Presence With Launch of Full Coverage of Rolls-Royce

LONDON, May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –

Edison Investment Research, a leading international investment research firm, announces the initiation of full coverage of Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR), a global power systems business with activities across civil aerospace, defence, marine and energy markets.

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130417/608168 )

Edison has recently published a comprehensive report examining the investment merits of Rolls-Royce, focusing on the group’s potential to benefit from delivery of its £60bn order book, more than doubling revenues over the next decade. In his report, on the shoulders of giants, Edison’s head of Industrials, Roger Johnston, argues that the group is building on its consistent strategy and benefiting from the significant investment in R&D and manufacturing facilities over the past decade to deliver increasing numbers of high-value Trent engines. As a result, Rolls-Royce has the opportunity to deliver significant operational gearing and bottom-line growth. In addition, management focused on ensuring a culture of delivery and on customers (delivering on promises), concentration (where to invest) and cash/cost (improving financial performance) is designed to drive operational margins and cash flow toward best in class across the group over the next decade. Modelling several scenarios by which this strategy could be achieved, Edison values Rolls-Royce between 1,419p/share, a 17% premium to the current share price, and 1,714p/share, a 41% premium to the current share price.

For the full report see: http://www.edisoninvestmentresearch.com/research/company/rolls-royce

The launch of coverage on Rolls-Royce is part of a programme of research initiations on industrials companies exposed to global market opportunities. Edison provides detailed research coverage on more than 50 industrials and support service companies in Europe, North America and Australia. Its industrials team has a range of coverage across small-, mid- and large-cap companies active in subsectors such as Aerospace & defence, Speciality materials, Alternative energy, Building materials and Industrial support services, allowing a complete understanding of industrial supply chains. All reports published by Edison are available to download free of charge from its website http://www.edisongroup.com.

About Edison Investment Research

Edison, the investment intelligence firm, is the future of investor interaction with corporates. Our team of over 100 analysts and investment professionals works with leading companies, fund managers and investment banks worldwide to support its capital markets activity. We provide services to more than 400 retained corporate and investor clients from our offices in London, New York, Berlin, Sydney and Wellington. Edison is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (http://www.fsa.gov.uk/register/firmBasicDetails.do?sid=181584).

Edison is not an adviser or broker-dealer and does not provide investment advice. Edison’s reports are not solicitations to buy or sell any securities.

industrials@edisongroup.com

About Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce is a UK FYSE-100 listed, global power systems company active in the civil aerospace, defence, marine and energy markets. It provides power systems (engines, controls and complex sub-systems) for both original equipment manufacturers (48% of 2012 sales) and aftermarket services (52%). The group employs more than 45,000 people across 50 countries worldwide in engineering and service centres across all divisions. This reach is mirrored by the balanced sales profile across North America (36% of 2012 sales), Europe (31%), Middle East and Asia (18%), China (9%) and RoW (6%).

For more information please contact:

Roger Johnston
Edison Investment Research    
+44-(0)-20-3077-5722

Lord Ashcroft Poll: Most Scots Want Replacement for Trident

LONDON, May 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –

More than half of Scots would like Britain to have a new nuclear weapons system when Trident is decommissioned, a new poll by Lord Ashcroft has found. Only one third of Scots want the UK to give up nuclear weapons completely.

Lord Ashcroft’s poll calls into question the findings of survey commissioned earlier this year for CND, which claimed to find that 60% of Scots were against replacing Trident. However, as Lord Ashcroft says in his commentary on the results, the CND survey question quoted a misleading figure for the estimated cost of Trident, and failed to mention that the current system was coming to the end of its useful life.

The findings of Lord Ashcroft’s poll of 1,236 adults in Scotland, conducted between 29 April and 2 May, include:

• 51% of Scots think Trident should be replaced when it comes to the end of its useful life (20% with an equally powerful system, 31% with a less powerful but cheaper system).
• 43% think the UK‘s nuclear weapons should continue to be based in Scotland, with 39% against and 18% saying “don’t know” (though 68% of pro-independence respondents were against keeping UK nuclear weapons in Scotland).
• Only half of Scots thought Britain‘s nuclear weapons should cease to be based in Scotland if Scotland became independent. 35% would be happy for the UK to lease the Faslane base, with 15% undecided.
• While 22% of Scots think Britain needs nuclear weapons less than it did during the Cold War, 29% think the country needs them just as much today and 10% think we need them more. Only a quarter think Britain did not need nuclear weapons during the Cold War or today.

Lord Ashcroft’s commentary on the poll, published on Conservative Home on Friday, is as follows:

CND ARE NOT THE BEST PEOPLE TO ASK WHAT SCOTS THINK OF TRIDENT

As I never tire of pointing out, it is always worth looking twice at any survey that seems to show that the public support the agenda of whoever commissioned it. Perhaps not at all surprisingly, a recent poll about nuclear weapons conducted in Scotland for CND is a case in point.

The poll, carried out in February, found 60 per cent of Scots saying they opposed “the UK Government buying a new nuclear weapons system to replace Trident”, with only 14 per cent in support. Quite a margin, which is at least partly explained by the preamble to the question, which was as follows: “The UK Government plans to replace the existing Trident nuclear weapons with a new system, at a cost of £65 billion”.

The main problem with this question is not the use of “UK Government”, which is at least factual even if it was intended to serve as a kind of dog whistle to independence-minded respondents. And since for most people one multi-billion pound number sounds much like another, nor is the stated cost (even though it is something in the region of three times the true replacement figure: £65 billion includes the estimated running costs for thirty years, though CND evidently thought that pointing this out would complicate things too much).

Most importantly, CND omitted to mention (perhaps they thought it would have made the question too long) that the government plans to replace Trident because it is coming to the end of its useful life. As it was, the question allowed those polled to assume the government wanted to spend billions on new nukes just for the hell of it. Looked at in that light, the results are hardly remarkable. Even so, the numbers served CND’s purpose, and were duly seized upon by parts of the Scottish press, and the SNP, which declared the issue a huge opportunity for the independence campaign.

As we know from their attempt to rig the referendum question, the SNP has form on this sort of thing. Trying to show that people think what you want them to think is not the same thing as trying to find out what they really do think. I am more interested in the latter – so last week I asked what people in Scotland really do think about Trident.

Told that the Trident system is coming to the end of its useful life and will soon have to be scrapped or replaced, only one third of Scots said the UK should give up nuclear weapons completely. More than half thought Trident should be replaced, either with an equally powerful system (20 per cent) or a cheaper but less powerful system (31 per cent). Asking a separate sample the same question but adding that the cost of replacing Trident would be £20 to £25 billion made no significant difference).

Scots were slightly more likely to think Britain’s nuclear weapons should continue to be based in Scotland (43 per cent) than that they should not (39 per cent), though opinion differed sharply between pro- and anti-independence respondents. In the event of Scotland becoming independent, only half of Scots thought Britain’s nuclear weapons should cease to be based at Faslane; 35 per cent would be happy to see the UK lease the naval base, with 15 per cent undecided. Again, those in favour of independence opposed the idea by more than two to one.

Overall, only a quarter of Scots thought Britain did not need nuclear weapons during the Cold War and does not need them today. More than a fifth said the need is lower than during the Cold War, while for nearly two fifths Britain needs nuclear weapons just as much as before (29 per cent) or even more (10 per cent): hardly a picture of overwhelming opposition.

It’s a pity CND had no room for such questions on its survey. As ever, I am happy to help.

Notes to Editors

1. For Lord Ashcroft’s poll 1,236 adults in Scotland were interviewed online between 29 April and 2 May 2013. Results have been weighted to be representative of all adults in Scotland. Full data tables will be available at LordAshcroftPolls.com on Friday.
2. For the CND poll, 1,001 adults in Scotland were interviewed face to face between 20 and 28 February 2013.
3. Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC is an international businessman, author and philanthropist. He is founder and Chairman of the Board of Crimestoppers, a member of the Board of the Imperial War Museum and a Trustee of the Imperial War Museum Foundation, Chairman of the Trustees of Ashcroft Technology Academy, Chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University and Treasurer of the International Democrat Union. From 2005 to 2010 he was Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party.
4. His political books and research papers include Smell The Coffee (2005), Minority Verdict (2010), Project Blueprint (2011 & 2012), The Leadership Factor (2011), Degrees of Separation (2012), The Armed Forces & Society (2012), Blue Collar Tories (2012), Project Red Alert (2012), They‘re Thinking What We‘re Thinking: Understanding The UKIP Temptation (2012), and What Are The Liberal Democrats For? (2013).
5. Visit LordAshcroftPolls.com for full details of Lord Ashcroft’s polling and to sign up for news alerts. You can also follow him on Twitter: @LordAshcroft.

Frost & Sullivan: Global Military Training and Simulation Market Geared to Address New Realities with Novel Solutions

- Live, virtual, constructive type training will allow end users to train faster and more effectively

LONDON, May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Global economic downturns, armed forces reorganisation and allied troops withdrawals from Afghanistan could draw dark perspectives over the training and simulation (T&S) market. However, each of these factors is triggering strong dynamics, pushing the market to develop the most customised training solutions for increasingly demanding soldiers' requirements.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.defence.frost.com), Global Military Training and Simulation Market Assessment, finds total expenditures of $36.88 billion in 2012 and estimates this to increase to $46.09 billion by 2021. The research covers end users (air, land and naval forces), military capabilities (platform-based training, system-based training and platform maintenance-based training), and training types (live training, virtual training, constructive training and live, virtual, constructive (LVC) training.)

"In addition to military equipment modernisation driving the global T&S market, lessons have been learned from battlefields in the Balkans and the Middle East," noted Frost & Sullivan Aerospace & Defence Research Analyst Alix Leboulanger. "The key lesson has been that conventional training types are no longer fully adequate to prepare armed forces for military operations other than war (MOOTW's) challenging environments."

As a result, apart from live training, virtual and constructive training will also grow at very dynamic pace. The increasing trend of blending training types will be stimulated by developed countries looking for more realistic but affordable training solutions.

End users are looking for training solutions providing fully immersive, seamless and realistic environments to solve the delicate equation of training costs, place and time issues. Military end-users globally will use more complex weapons systems, C4ISR capabilities and are also expected to conduct more joint operations in shorter turnaround times.

"Therefore, the T&S industry has to develop new training solutions based on the LVC type, by enhancing new technologies such as Augmented Reality, haptics and embedded systems integration to enable military end-users to train faster and more effectively within an increasingly interactive and networked centric environment," remarked Leboulanger.

Before LVC training takes over and whilst live and virtual training remain highly expensive, a strong demand for constructive training is forecast during the next ten years. This is also due to a growing number of constructive training solutions being made available under the commercial off the shelf (COTS) format, hence offering a cost-affordable training solution for both transitioning and cost-saving end-users economies.

If you are interested in more information on this research, please send an email to Joanna Lewandowska, Corporate Communications, at joanna.lewandowska@frost.com, with your contact details. The Executive Summary of the study is also available on Slide Share.

Global Military Training and Simulation Market Assessment Market (M8FB-16) is part of the Defence Growth Partnership Service programme. Frost & Sullivan's related research services include: Global Military C4ISR Market, Global Military Unmanned Aerial Systems Market, Global Force Protection market, and Global Military Land Vehicles Market. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants.

Our "Growth Partnership" supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure.

• The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation.
• The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible. This includes our 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, career best practices as well as our global footprint of more than 40 offices.

For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organisation prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?

Contact Us: Start the discussion

Join Us: Join our community

Subscribe: Newsletter on "the next big thing"

Register: Gain access to visionary innovation

Contact:
Joanna Lewandowska
Corporate Communications – Europe, Frost & Sullivan
Tel: +48 22 481 62 20
E-mail: joanna.lewandowska@frost.com

http://www.frost.com
www.twitter.com/frost_sullivan
www.facebook.com/FrostandSullivan

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Magellan Aerospace Announces Report on Voting Results for Directors

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, May 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –

Magellan Aerospace Corporation (the “Corporation”) announces that today at the annual meeting of shareholders of the Corporation the proposed nominees for directors of the Corporation received the following votes:

                                                                   Percentage of                                          Percentage of  Votes       Votes      Name of Proposed Nominee Votes For    Votes For   Withheld   Withheld        N. Murray Edwards        48,363,985        99.98%   10,422         0.02%        Richard A. Neill         48,309,799        99.87%   64,608         0.13%        James S. Butyniec        48,363,853        99.98%   10,554         0.02%        Hon. William G. Davis    48,302,614        99.85%   71,793         0.15%        William A. Dimma         48,310,281        99.87%   64,126         0.13%        Bruce W. Gowan           47,649,385         98.5%  725,022          1.5%        Donald C. Lowe           48,366,741        99.98%    7,666         0.02%        Larry G. Moeller         48,364,841        99.98%    9,566         0.02%        Steven Somerville        48,362,285        99.97%   12,122         0.03%    

As a result, all of the above named nominees have been elected to hold office for the ensuing year, or until their successors are duly elected or appointed, subject to the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) and by-laws of the Corporation.

About Magellan Aerospace:

Magellan Aerospace is one of the world’s most integrated aerospace industry suppliers. Magellan designs, engineers, and manufactures aeroengine and aerostructure assemblies and components for aerospace markets, advanced products for military and space markets, and complementary specialty products. Magellan is a public company whose shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: MAL), with operating units throughout Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Northern Ireland, and Poland.

SOURCE: Magellan Aerospace Corporation

For further information:
James S. Butyniec 
President & Chief Executive Officer 
Magellan Aerospace Corporation 
T : +1(905)677-1889 ext. 233 
E:  jim.butyniec@magellan.aero

John Dekker
Chief Financial Officer & Corporate Secretary
Magellan Aerospace Corporation
T: +1-905-677-1889 Ext 224
E: john.dekker@magellan.aero

High Time for EU and US Policies to the Western Sahara to Reflect Changing Security Realities

PRAGUE, May 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –

The United States and Europe should worry that the conflict over the Western Sahara is souring relations between Morocco and Algeria and preventing them from joining forces to work together against Islamist violence and extremism. As U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has recently warned, the ongoing conflict in Mali threatens to spill over into the Western Sahara, whereby there is a possibility of infiltration by foreign militant groups in this region. The recent U.S. policies to the Western Sahara and rising security risks for both the U.S. and EU stemming from the unresolved dispute over the territory are analyzed by an international expert team comprising Dustin Dehez (Global Governance Institute), Dr. Alex MacKenzie (University of Salford) and Dr. Daniel Novotny (Global Europe) in a newly released briefing paper entitled “United States’ U.N. Proposal and Policy on Western Sahara: A Dead-End?”.

In late April 2013, the “U.N. Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara” (MINURSO), a not much noticed United Nations’ peacekeeping mission in the disputed territory of the Western Sahara, was extended by the U.N. Security Council for another year after Washington practically abandoned its highly controversial proposal that called for an expansion of the U.N. mission’s mandate to include human rights monitoring. According to the briefing paper, it is hard to see what tangible and long-term benefits such as U.S. proposal would have brought to the United States, Morocco, and the Maghreb region in general, if the U.S. had been successful in their effort to get its draft resolution through. Most importantly, it questions if a new, amended mandate for the U.N. Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) would have unfreezed this protracted conflict or fostered its resolution.

In the context of the deep-rooted mistrust between Morocco on the one hand and Algeria and the Polisario Front on the other, the expansion of the U.N. mandate to include monitoring and reporting mechanism concerning real or alleged human rights violations would ultimately run against the main underlying objective of the U.N. mission – to design and implement confidence building measures. Had the U.S. proposal found its way into the U.N. resolution, it is easy to envision an endless chain of mutual accusations of human rights abuses by both Morocco and the Polisario Front, backed by Algeria – a scenario that would hardly serve as a good example of an effective confidence-building strategy.

The U.S. proposal was all the more surprising as the terrorist threat is endangering the region more than ever. The Malian crisis is but an instance of what extremists and terrorists can do, when central power is weakened and the army is disorganized. Mali also provides additional evidence, if need be, that a weak state can easily descend into civil war and become a breeding ground for terrorism. Moreover, the fall of the former Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi and the ensuing instability in this other North African country has clearly demonstrated how a political vacuum can engender dangerous processes that can in turn destabilise a wider region.

The paper further elaborates on the prospects for progress on the Western Sahara – one of the most divisive and hotly contested issues on the geopolitical landscape of North Africa that has already been going on for over 30 years. Since 1994, the border between Morocco and Algeria remains closed, hampering all efforts to foster economic and security cooperation between the two countries and in the region in general. With the negotiations stalemated, this situation generates an overall atmosphere of instability with dire effects on the economic prospects for the whole Maghreb. The briefing paper argues that the protracted conflict in the Western Sahara should draw renewed attention from both Washington and Brussels as the disaffected Sahrawi population is losing patience and radical elements could further destabilise North Africa.

The briefing paper “United States‘ U.N. Proposal and Policy on Western Sahara: A Dead-End?“ provides a unique and complex analysis of the recent developments in the Western Sahara from the European perspective. The full version of the briefing paper published by Global Europe is available at: http://www.global-europe.org/detail-articles.php?articles=0000000045

Global Europe is an independent, not-for-profit think tank whose mission is to stimulate independent thinking on European Union’s external affairs. We organize international conferences, workshops and seminars, promote international research collaboration and publish highly readable briefing papers, policy briefs and commentaries that aim to stimulate the much needed debate on different policy-security challenges facing Europe. Global Europe is committed to presenting a diversity of voices and ideas both from within and outside of Europe with the aim of achieving a balanced dialogue between different stakeholders and constituencies.

Senior MoD Figures Debate Army’s Future Capabilities at Roke Event

ROMSEY, England, May 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –

Thirty senior Ministry of Defence (MoD) figures recently attended a Land Forces Event, hosted by Roke and Chemring EOD.

Event guests, which included Lieutenant General Jacko Page, Commander Force Development & Training for the British Army, were welcomed by Major General Paul Jaques, Director General Logistics, Support & Equipment for the British Army; Mark Papworth, Chief Executive of the Chemring Group; and Stephen Grinham, Managing Director of Roke.

Under the new MoD Capability Action Plan, UK Defence Forces’ front line command is now responsible for the specification and purchase of equipment. The event focused on new military capability technology developments, including a debate led by Brigadier Simon Deakin, Director Army Force Development for the British Army, discussing the UK Army’s future acquisition of research & development services.

Major General Paul Jaques, Director General Logistics, Support & Equipment for the British Army, said: “The event was an excellent way for those in Army HQ to get a clear industry perspective on how technology can be applied in the Land Environment and a good insight into Roke’s capabilities.”

The event showcased more than 30 demonstrations of innovative Roke and Chemring EOD technologies, currently in use and under development. These included counter-IED technologies, a virtual simulator to evaluate future technology concepts, Electronic Warfare systems, full-motion video to track ground movement, and under-vehicle scanning.

Guests included senior figures from the UK Government’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Defence Equipment & Support for the British Army, MoD Joint Forces Command and Front Line Command from Army Headquarters.

About Roke http://www.roke.co.uk

Roke, based in Romsey, Hampshire, is the principal electronics research and development centre of Chemring Group Plc. Founded in 1956, Roke is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of innovative solutions and contract R&D, pioneering developments in electronic sensors, networks and communications technology. It employs 450 staff and has over 430 patents to its name.

About Chemring EOD http://www.chemringeod.com

Chemring EOD, part of the Chemring Group, is a global provider of EOD, Counter-IED, and security systems. With over four decades supporting government agencies, armed forces, and civilian security teams, it has an established track record in making life safer by countering explosive and other threats.

Supreme Master Ching Hai Speaks About Situation on Korean Peninsula

LOS ANGELES, May 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –

Supreme Master Ching Hai shared insights about the tensions on the Korean peninsula to help assuage people’s concerns. The world-renowned spiritual teacher and humanitarian offered her advice during a teleconference on April 14 at the invitation of Supreme Master TV in Los Angeles, USA.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130507/607836 )

When asked how conflict could be avoided, the Supreme Master replied: “Continue praying for peace. But don’t worry, it [war] won’t happen.”

Saying that there has been spiritual intervention by “the saints, sages and Heaven,” Supreme Master also stated, “There is nothing to worry about because the North Korean leader and the North Korean people are intelligent… They know it is suicide if they start a war with anybody.”

She further said, “Having denuclearization is the best thing to do because having a nuclear weapon is not an insurance for your country’s safety at all. If you destroy others, they will destroy you… Nowadays, everybody understands the situation.”

The Supreme Master was able to share through meditation a deeper understanding about the North Korean leader. “He doesn’t have violence in his being. He doesn’t want war at all. Even though he’s young, he’s a smart person. They will find that Mr. Kim Jong-un is not that difficult to talk to.”

While encouraging fair dialog among the countries involved, she spoke on how North Korea could become a more successful nation: “They could try to open doors more toward other nations…even if they still want to keep their own political system… The free world people surely would like to make friends with the North Korean people and want to get to know them, to appreciate them.”

She said, “Anything for peace is worthy to pay, and then it’d be done… Every peaceful plan will be done.”

During the conference, Supreme Master discussed various spiritual topics and shared a message for the world: “Should concentrate on doing good things. Pray and meditate whatever way you can to the highest possible spiritual power. Eliminate evil tendencies in all corners of your life. Remember God at all times. Be grateful for whatever you have and all the blessings all over around you and in your life. Pray for the world’s wellness. Be vegan, make peace. And be grateful for your beautiful life and enjoy your short but beautiful existence.”

Videos:

http://www.SupremeMasterTV.com/peacefulplan