Earlier this year BAE Systems Australia completed a two-year project to barcode the ADF's 1 million-plus inventory items three months ahead of schedule and under budget.

Australia-Indonesia search and rescue coordination have been strengthened following a high level meeting between Ministers from both countries in Jakarta this week.

Another milestone in the upgrade of the Ohakea air base of the NZ Defence Force was reached today with the Defence Minister Dr Coleman opening the new NZ$43 million aircraft maintenance workshop.

A significant milestone has been passed in the NZ Defence Force's P-3K2 Orion Introduction Into Service process. On 17 August the first Transition Course sortie was flown.

JDW reports that the UK has set out plans to recapitalise its naval fire support capability through the acquisition of a new Maritime Indirect Fire System to equip the Royal Navy's (future) Type 26 Global Combat Ship.

Thales has released the Australian Encryption Trends Study. This is the only annual report that focuses on the use of encryption in Australia.

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Duncan, the sixth and final Type-45 destroyer built by BAE Systems, has set sail from the company's Scotstoun shipyard to embark on her first stage of sea trials off the west coast of Scotland.

Thales Raytheon Systems has been awarded a US$44.9 million contract by the US Army to upgrade the Receiver Exciter in the Improved AN/TPQ-37 Firefinder radar.

Navistar Defense, one of the losing contenders for a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle contract, has filed a bid protest with the Government Accountability Office, Inside the Army has learned.

The Ministry of Defence and Thales UK have signed a new research contract for technology that will improve the resilience of future UK aircraft to anti-air threats.

The USN is completing a reduction-of-total-ownership cost study to scale back the operational support cost for Virginia-class submarines.

The US Missile Defense Agency awarded Raytheon a US$230 million contract for 14 Standard Missile-3 Block IA missiles and five SM-3 Block IB missiles.

The full version of Defence Week Premium no.220 of 30 August 2012 can be downloaded here as a PDF. A separate PDF of the latest Defence tenders can also be downloaded here.

Lockheed Martin and the Ground Telecommunications Equipment System Program Office have signed an agreement to novate the TPS-77 TADRS sustainment contract from the US to its Lockheed Martin Australia business.

The US Defense Department plans to sign a $1.2 billion deal with Australia to jointly develop new capabilities for P-8A Poseidon aircraft in response to evolving threats.