Delivery of the 24 MH-60R Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky naval combat helicopters ordered for the RAN has been accelerated and training on the first seven aircraft will take place in the US, Defence has confirmed to ADM.

The Australian Industry & Defence Network officially launched its SME participation plan for the defence and security industry at the AIDN Qld annual dinner on 21 June.

The nine-week long machinists' strike affecting F-35 Joint Strike Fighter manufacture at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth plant has a silver lining, according to Jonathan Rambeau, Lockheed Martin's Vice President of F-35 international programs.

The winner of the 2011 DSTO Eureka prize for research in support of defence and national security has significantly advanced a technology for imaging objects through opaque materials. The research team is led by Professor Salim Bouzerdoum from the University of Wollongong.

Since 2000, most aircraft operated by the ADF have been delivered for service with a range of missile countermeasure systems installed, including flares, aluminium 'chaff', missile warning systems and electronic jammers.

DSTO has delivered an improved form of Radar Absorbing Material that makes Collins class submarine periscopes less detectable, in a collaborative effort with Mackay Consolidated Industries.

Romania is interested in buying 15 surplus F-16's from the Dutch Air Force.

The US Congress has been notified of a possible sale of EA-18G Growler conversion kits to Australia for $1.7 billion.

Kaman has confirmed that the US State Department has approved a sale to New Zealand of 11 SH-2G(I) Super Seasprite maritime combat helicopters that were rejected by Australia in 2008. The Super Seasprites would replace the existing fleet of SH-2Gs.

The US Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile program is conducting a series of key tests and preparing for an interim program review

UK-based Kelvin Hughes has appointed Austal to lead its defence, border protection and paramilitary sales and support activities in Australia and New Zealand.

The Defence Signals Directorate has released a discussion paper on cloud computing security considerations. The paper is available as a PDF.

Lockheed Martin official said last week that he believes the company will reduce the price of the three variants of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The French defence procurement agency have notified Thales of the award of the development contract for the CONTACT program.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency research lab aims to launch about two dozen satellites for missions lasting 60 to 90 days in low-Earth orbit. The satellites will provide battlefield images at platoon level.

Daniel Goure of the Lexington Institute opines that over the past 20 years the US Army has achieved a record of successfully implementing major acquisition programs virtually unblemished by success.