Now new date has been set. The agency was created early last year, when then-President Kgalema Motlanthe signed the National Space Agency Act into law. Its mandate is to promote the peaceful use of space, foster research in space science and communications navigation, and promote international co-operation in space-related activities.

The appointments came about seven months after the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in consultation with the National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology finalised a shortlist of candidates. The board that will oversee the agency, monitor research priorities and programmes, and carry out the agency’s strategy, is made up of representatives from government services, civil society and the military.

Chairman Maurice Magugumela is from the National Nuclear Regulator. Other government representatives are Dr Robert Scholes from the CSIR; Rosey Sekese, Deputy Director General (DDG) for ICT infrastructure at the Department of Communications, and Brenda Titi, a DDG at the Department of Agriculture, Captain Mpho Mamashela of the Air Traffic Navigation Service (an agency of the Department of Transport) and Rhodes University physicist Dr Lee-Anne McKinnell.

Not given the Cabinet nod are short-listees Nomfuneko Majaja, Head of 2010 Operations at SA Airways; Francois Anderson of the CSIR and Bennett Kwanele Siziba, the latter a counter-intelligence, weapons of mass destruction counter-proliferation expert with the National Intelligence Agency and Magalies Water CEO Jacqueline Simangele Sekgobela.

Civil society representatives include EDI Holdings executive manager Leeandran Annamalai, Vincent Gore, Business Connexion’s Joy-Marie Lawrence (an expert on space and satellite law), Tsheko Ratseheko and Sage Wise MD Louisa Mogudi. Not on the board is EVI Capital Partners CEO Zola Fihlani, Potlaki Maine, consultant Themba Buthelezi, financial consultant Carla Sharp and retired engineering professor Gideon de Wet.

Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) defence industries are becoming more self reliant as they shift from direct equipment purchases to local production. Where technology transfer has for more than two decades been an established part of headline-catching, multi billion dollar offset programmes, the focus now, for even the smaller countries, is to require technology transfer as a first step to developing their own armaments producing capability.

Nevertheless, the MENA region is still a hugely lucrative market for Western arms producers. Its spending on military equipment continues to be the highest of any region outside North America and Europe. Saudi Arabia’s defence expenditure alone totalled more than $38 billion in 2008, ranking ninth in the world.

After maintaining a low profile for many decades, the UAE has emerged as one of the world’s largest purchasers of advanced military equipment. Scarcely had the delivery of 60 of the latest Lockheed F-16 fighter aircraft been completed – to add to the 50 Mirage 2000 fighters acquired in 2008 – than the UAE authorities availed themselves of the Abu Dhabi defence exhibition, which was staged in early 2009, to order four giant Lockheed Martin C-17 and the smaller C-30 military transport aircraft, and jet fighter trainer aircraft from Italy’s Alenia.

The federation is also negotiating a $9 billion package for Lockheed’s terminal high-altitude air-defence system and Patriot air-defence missile systems. Three more Airbus A330 tanker aircraft are also slated to add to three already purchased and due for delivery in 2011.

Another relatively new armaments market is Algeria, which is pursuing a major modernisation programme. In the past two years, the growth in annual defence spending has more than trebled to 33 per cent. Potential suppliers have been courting Algeria’s top brass since an arms embargo was lifted in 2005. These include the UK, whose defence minister visited Algiers in October for talks with President Bouteflika.

However, it was a sign of the times that the Anglo-Italian group AgustaWestland discovered, when negotiating the sale of an extra 100 helicopters to supplement a completed $600 million order, that the deal could well depend on agreeing to a large proportion of them being assembled locally.

Libya is another country that has emerged from pariah status to be wooed assiduously by arms suppliers. Since the lifting of the international arms embargo, several countries – notably the UK, France and Russia – have beaten a path to Tripoli to offer equipment and military training.

France is reportedly negotiating a $6.4 billion arms package, including the supply of Rafale fighter jets, which could hinge on offering some local production and assembly. However, the Libyans may be more inclined to stick with their traditional Russian suppliers. A number of contracts involving the supply of Sukhoi-30 and MiG 29 fighter aircraft, as well as helicopters and the modernisation of Russian-supplied tanks, were confirmed in October.

Russia’s state armaments marketing organisation, Rosoboronexport Russia, is active in other Arab markets. It has offered to supply Lebanon with MiG 29 fighters to beef up its depleted air force, as well as air-defence missile systems and T90 main battle tanks. It is also working on $2 billion worth of contracts with Saudi Arabia for the sale of 150 helicopters, T90 main battle tanks and BMP infantry-fighting vehicles.

Retraining Iraq’s Russian-equipped army has been a long and complicated process. However, with more than $8 billion of orders for US helicopters, tanks and armoured combat vehicles in hand, Iraq is well on the way to rebuilding its equipment inventory with American arms. Most of this materiel was financed with aid, but as oil revenues improve, Iraq could become a leading defence market in its own right.

Another important defence provision that relates particularly to Iraq is security services. G4S, formerly Group Four Securicor, has 40,000 employees working in the Middle East, a large proportion of them in Iraq where it has nine branches. The British security firm, Aegis, which processes and monitors all private security operations in Iraq, also has a large presence with 15 branches.

Although the US Fifth Fleet is headquartered in Bahrain, and many other navies regularly visit Gulf waters, the Gulf Cooperation Council is assuming much more responsibility for its own security; naval and air defences are being reinforced. The Sultanate of Oman has taken delivery of the first of three state-of-the-art 2,700-tonne Corvettes from the UK’s Vosper Thorneycroft group, as part of a $715 million deal. Meanwhile, Bahrain’s navy is reportedly seeking to buy three new frigates.

However, MENA countries are now looking to develop their own capabilities. Arms production was pioneered by Egypt, which built its industry on the back of the Arab Organisation for Industrialisation, an abortive attempt in the 1980s to create a pan-Arab military industrial complex. Egypt has relied heavily on US military assistance and now builds US-designed tanks and other military platforms.

Offset, where typically the supplier invests 35 per cent of the value of a defence project in a local industrial undertaking, was pioneered by Saudi Arabia with the launch, in 1984, of Boeing’s Peace Shield programme, followed by British Aerospace’s Yamamah programme. Now it is widely used as a stepping-stone to local production.

For example, the UAE’s $817 million Baymunah naval programme involves the design, construction and outfitting of six Corvettes. The first ship was built by Constructions Mecaniques de Normandie in France; the remainder will be built by Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding (ADSB), which is 40 per cent owned by the Abu Dhabi government’s investment agency Mubadala. ADSB is also providing the UAE navy with 12 missile-armed fast-attack craft and four maritime patrol aircraft. The shipyard also has an order for a troop-carrying ship from Oman.

Mubadala has also established a helicopter pilot training school in Al Ain and has strengthened the Federation’s maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities by acquiring the Gulf Aircraft Maintenance Company, whose core business is servicing a variety of military aircraft, including the UAE’s F-16s and Mirage 2000-9s, as well as military and civilian makes of helicopter. It is sinking $500 million into revamping and broadening the scope of the company, which has now become Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies.

It has invested in Al Yah Satellite Communications Company, which provides the federation’s armed forces with a secure satellite communications system. The company’s first-launch satellite is currently being built by Europe’s EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space. Mubadala has also joined with the US company EDS Defence and Security, to create the Injazat Data Systems IT, an outsourcing company, to provide data security systems for the armed services.

Independent of Mubadala, Tawazum Holdings, an offshoot of Abu Dhabi’s Offset Programme Bureau, owns Caracal International, a company that specialises in manufacturing and distributing small arms. Tawazum has also joined forces with Al Jaber Group and Germany’s Rheinmetall Munitions Systems to build a munitions factory.

While a frontrunner in the development of a viable indigenous defence industry, the UAE faces strong regional competition. Jordan, similar to Egypt, is well on the way to building a national defence industry. A recent contract involved calls for 100 Turkish-designed armoured vehicles to be assembled locally. The King Abdullah 11 Design and Development Bureau is also carrying out additional upgrading work, in Amman, on US-made main battle tanks.

However, Saudi Arabia has embarked on the region’s technically most ambitious programme: a plan to develop a fully-fledged aeronautics industry on the back of local assembly of the Eurofighter Typhoon. The first 24 of a 72-plane, $32.9 billion order are being provided direct from the UK; the first two aircraft arrived in Taif last July. The remaining 48 are to be assembled by Alsalam Aircraft Company, in new factories being constructed in Riyadh. Another Saudi company, Advanced Electronics, is in talks with BAE Systems, the Eurofighter Typhoon’s prime manufacturer, to produce components for the fighters.

Global Arab Network

Robert Bailey is Global Arab Network consulting editor and writer specialising in the Middle East. This article is published in partnership with the Middle East Association.

Under the terms of the Agreement, IBC, through its wholly owned subsidiary IBC US Holdings, Inc. (“IBC US”), will acquire all of the shares of Beralcast from two individuals. The purchase consideration is US$2,250,000 in cash and a number of common shares of IBC (“IB Shares”) equal to C$2,254,000 divided by the unit price of the financing undertaken to fund the purchase. Pursuant to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the “TSXV”), the IB Shares issuable will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date on which they are issued. Completion of the acquisition is subject to several conditions including IBC completing a financing and TSXV approval. On completion of the acquisition, scheduled for March 17, 2010, IBC US will hold all of the issued and outstanding shares of Beralcast. No finder’s fee is payable in connection with the acquisition. There can be no assurance that the proposed acquisition will be completed as described, or at all.

“IBC Advanced Alloys is very pleased to have signed this important acquisition agreement with Beralcast,” informed Anthony Dutton, President and CEO of IBC. “The Beralcast acquisition represents an important milestone for IBC and they will be a critical building block as we implement IBC’s vertically integrated strategy of becoming a global supplier of rare metals and advanced alloys. Beralcast has an outstanding client base with a US military approved product for advanced aerospace applications,” continued Dutton, “and we look forward to working closely with the Beralcast team, their new and existing customers to grow this tremendously exciting opportunity.”

The Beralcast(R) family of alloys can be used in virtually any commercial and military application requiring complex, lightweight, and/or high-stiffness parts. In general, they serve as a higher performance and/or lower cost replacement materials for cast aluminum, magnesium, titanium, metal matrix composites, non-metallic composites, and pure beryllium or powder metallurgy beryllium-aluminum. Some of the varied applications include disk drive armatures, automotive braking and engine components, advanced cycling rims and aerospace and satellite system components.

Beralcast(R) alloys are more than three times stiffer than aluminum with 22% less weight and can be precision-cast to simple and complex configurations. This material is very lightweight with a high modulus of elasticity and can be precision cast for three-dimensional stability. Beralcast(R) is ideally suited for certain demanding semiconductor manufacturing equipment, computer components and other commercial and aerospace applications and allows for a near-net shape to be cast for maximum manufacturing efficiencies.

Binary beryllium aluminum alloys were developed by a private American corporation, which was originally a metallurgical laboratory affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in cooperation with Lockheed Martin. Beralcast owns the intellectual property relating to the more advanced development of this technology, which is a proprietary and patented castable metal matrix composite beryllium aluminum alloy now manufactured as Beralcast(R) which no one, to the best of the manufacturer’s knowledge and inquiry, has been able to duplicate commercially.

About IBC Advanced Alloys Corp.

IBC is an integrated manufacturer and distributor of rare metals (beryllium) based alloys and related products serving a variety of industries including nuclear energy, automotive, telecommunications and a range of industrial applications. IBC has 60 employees and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada with production facilities in Pennsylvania, Indiana and Missouri. Additionally, IBC owns prospective beryllium properties in the Western US and Brazil covering approximately 9,500 hectares. IBC is creating a dynamic global beryllium and advanced alloys company. IBC’s common shares are traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “IB”.

This news release was prepared by management of IBC, which takes full responsibility for its contents.

Legal Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking statements”, as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among others, the expectations and/or claims, as applicable, that: (i) IBC is creating a dynamic global beryllium and advanced alloys company (ii) IBC is undertaking global growth initiatives, (iii) IBC will acquire all of the shares of Beralcast; (iv) IBC will be working with the Beralcast team.

Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others: (i) the risk that IBC does not execute its business plan; (ii) the inability of IBC to keep pace with market requirements; (iii) IBC’s inability to maintain key relationships with suppliers and customers; (iv) IBC not being able to retain key employees; (v) competitors providing better or cheaper products; (vi) markets for IBC’s products not developing as expected; (vii) IBC’s inability to finance its operations or growth; (viii) inability to obtain all necessary government and regulatory approvals; and (ix) the inability to effectively market IBC’s products, including the establishment of viable relationships with third parties; (x) fluctuating beryllium prices may negatively impact IBC’s business plans and strategies; (xi) the conditions under the Agreement not being satisfied or waived; inability of IBC to fund the purchase price and satisfy the other conditions precendent. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and IBC assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although IBC believes that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance those beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions will prove to be accurate.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Headquartered in Londonderry, New Hampshire, Insight employs approximately 1,100 people. Insight’s products are used by the U.S. military, federal law enforcement agencies and other nations.

L-3 Communications expects to complete the acquisition in the second quarter of 2010. The acquisition will expand and broaden L-3 Communications’ warrior systems capabilities. L-3 Communications’ strong balance sheet provides financial flexibility in matters of earnings accretive acquisitions, incremental dividend, and ongoing share repurchases.

As of Jan 28, 2010, the company had a low debt-to-capitalization of 38.2% (Zacks industry average was 99.2%), total long-term debt was $4.1 billion along with cash holdings of $1 billion and unutilized credit facility close to $900 million.

Headquartered in New York, L-3 Communications is a leading provider of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems and products; secure communications systems; aircraft modernization, training and government services; and is a merchant supplier of a broad array of high technology products.

L-3 functions through four primary business segments: Electronic Systems; Government Services; Aircraft Modernization and Maintenance; and Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C3ISR).

L-3 Communications remains a key player within the defense segment and mainly competes with FLIR Systems Inc. (FLIR – Analyst Report), Herley Industries Inc. (HRLY – Snapshot Report), and Raytheon Company (RTN – Analyst Report). We believe it is one of the best-positioned pure defense plays by virtue of its non-platform focus, and broad diversification of programs.

Our bullish outlook for L-3 Communications is supported by its strong performance mainly from the command, control, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C3ISR) equipment, precision-guided weapons, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other electro-mechanical robotic capabilities, networked information technologies, special operations forces, and missile defense. However, these are partially offset by risks related to key projects execution, divestitures, higher pension funding, and declining Linguist and commercial businesses revenues.

Two of Germany’s top military manufacturers—Rheinmetall and man Group—have announced their intention to merge their military vehicle production. The resulting combine will manufacture a new national champion and leading supplier for wheeled military vehicles in Europe.

According to Marsh, the amalgamation, which has been in the works for a year, has been pushed by the political class. The German government is a big supporter of bulking up German military industry, and “has been providing behind-the-scenes assistance to make sure industry goes in the right direction,” informed Marsh. The new combine “meets the long-held German desire to build industrial companies with world scale in the defense field.”

Anyone who knows the history of Rheinmetall and man should be alarmed.

Rheinmetall has been at the forefront of German military production for over 100 years, so it isn’t too surprising that it again became a weapons builder after the World War ii loss. In fact, despite the Allies’ initial ban on arms production, Rheinmetall was back mass producing machine guns by 1956. By 1972, Rheinmetall had developed and begun selling the Leopard 2 battle tank.

Not much later, and after a series of corporate acquisitions, Rheinmetall became Europe’s leading military supplier of systems and equipment for ground forces, providing everything from artillery and munitions to communications, surveillance technology and guided missile systems. Rheinmetall subsidiaries, which also include significant automotive component manufacturers, are located throughout Europe, the Americas and China.

man Group’s 252-year history is even more impressive. man is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of commercial vehicles, engines and mechanical engineering equipment. man builds trucks, buses, diesel engines and turbo -machinery; it also provides industrial services. During World War ii, and in conjunction with Rheinmetall, man produced the hugely successful Panther tank. Following the war, man took over notorious World War ii light vehicle manufacturer Büssing. According to man’s website, the corporation holds “leading market positions in all its business areas,” employing 50,000 people worldwide.

But here is the real reason the Rheinmetall-man Group alliance should be thoroughly scrutinized.

In 1996, the U.S. government declassified a top-secret World War ii document that exposed agreements made between several of Germany’s largest industrial giants and top German officials at a meeting just nine months before the war’s end.

According to the document, on Aug. 10, 1944, principle German corporate leaders representing Krupp, Volkswagenwerk, Messerschmitt, Rheinmetall, Rochling, Büssing and other companies met with top German military and political personnel from the SS, Navy, and the Ministries of Armaments to prepare for a “postwar commercial campaign” after the eventual German loss.

German industrialists must, the document informed, “through their exports increase the strength of Germany.” They were instructed to place existing financial reserves at the disposal of the Nazi Party “so that a strong German empire can be created after the defeat.”

This document highlighted the exact worry that the Allies tried to address by seeking to destroy Germany’s future war-making capability. Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill said, “It is our inflexible purpose to … ensure that Germany will never again be able to disturb the peace of the world. We are determined to … break up for all time the German General Staff that has repeatedly contrived the resurgence of German militarism; … eliminate or control all German industry that could be used for military production ….”

It is now blatantly evident that they failed! Both Rheinmetall and man Group (Büssing), which were named in the declassified report, have become dominant players on the world stage again. And Germany has become the world’s largest exporting nation and fourth-largest economy.

But a look at the astounding post-World War ii success of the other above-mentioned four companies identified in the document not only suggests a postwar German commercial campaign, but a highly effective one.

Take steel and weapons manufacturer Krupp (now ThyssenKrupp). When Germany lost World War ii, the company was forbidden by the Allies to manufacture arms (as it was after World War i) and Alfried Krupp, the company’s owner, was convicted of war crimes, including the use of mass slave labor. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and ordered to forfeit all his property. Later, however, the U.S. high commissioner for Germany granted him amnesty and restored much of his holdings. Alfried Krupp was released in the early part of 1951, and even though many of the Krupp factories, shipyards and steel and coal mines had been damaged, destroyed or dismantled, Krupp was still able to reestablish itself as a leading German company by the 1960s to continue its 100-year tradition of supplying Germany with the arms needed for war.

The speed at which ThyssenKrupp reestablished itself as a corporate giant was astonishing.

Today, ThyssenKrupp is one of the largest steel and technology groups in the world, employing about 184,000 workers in more than 70 countries. It is also a leading naval military supplier, building some of the most technologically advanced submarines, frigates and corvettes available. Its fiscal 2004/2005 sales of approximately $53.3 billion were generated in bulk from its roughly 600 foreign subsidiary companies, located in the UK, France, Italy and 13 other European countries. ThyssenKrupp also has operations in the United States and Asia. Not bad for a company that was all but destroyed in two world wars.

Volkswagen, another German corporation documented for its collusion with the World War ii Nazis, has become a very powerful and dominant automotive player on the world scene. Although its core market is the European Union, Volkswagen sales make it the world’s third-largest automotive company by revenue. Volkswagen owns the Bentley brand, international vehicle manufacturer Audi, Seat and Skoda, which manufacture and sell cars in Spain and in Southern and Eastern Europe, and Lamborghini, which makes sports cars in Italy.

Messerschmitt, Germany’s famous World War ii manufacturer that built much of the fighting aircraft behind Germany’s Luftwaffe, is also active and prospering today, although under a different name. Like Krupp, much of Messerschmitt’s infrastructure was destroyed in the war. Further, Messerschmitt was even forbidden to produce aircraft. Yet it too has risen from World War ii to become part of a world-leading corporation. Messerschmitt was eventually allowed to build aircraft again, and in 1989, after several postwar mergers, Messerschmitt became part of Daimler-Benz Aerospace (another German industrial giant). Daimler-Benz Aerospace then later helped found the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (eads), becoming a 30-percent owner.

eads today is a global aerospace and defense technology leader. The group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, and the world’s largest helicopter supplier, Eurocopter. It is also a major shareholder in mbda, the international leader in missile systems. eads produces the Eurofighter and other military aircraft. Galileo, the European satellite navigation system being constructed to rival the U.S.’s gps, is also being built in large part by eads. The company employs 113,000 people at more than 70 production sites, primarily in France, Germany, Great Britain and Spain.
Rochling, founded 184 years ago as a coal trading house, has now become a leader in high-performance plastics technologies. In 2004, the Rochling Group’s worldwide operations generated revenue of approximately $1.78 billion and employed 8,000 workers.

Yes, Germany’s war machine is back in fighting order. Just as predicted.

While Germany was but a pile of rubble after World War ii, one man—Herbert W. Armstrong—warned that Germany would eventually rise again to dominate Europe and threaten the world.

As early as 1945, broadcasting immediately after a United Nations meeting, Mr. Armstrong warned that German industry was working toward the revival of a German empire. “We don’t understand German thoroughness,” he said. “From the very start of World War ii, they have considered the possibility of losing this second round, as they did the first—and they have carefully, methodically planned, in such eventuality, the third round—World War iii!”

“What most do not know,” informed Mr. Armstrong, “is that the Germans have their plans for winning the battle of the peace. Yes, I said battle of the peace.”

Peaceably, through corporate mergers and acquisitions, German corporations are reaching out beyond the borders of Germany to gain control of strategic industry. Even Germany’s most notorious World War ii companies, which were severely disassembled and banned from future arms production by the Allies, have emerged as European and global powerhouses.

Be forewarned. Trouble out of Europe is coming, and Germany will be the driving force behind it. Germany’s recent corporate revival is just the precursor to a much larger and non-peaceable event. For additional information, read Germany and the Holy Roman Empire.

The deal could ultimately be worth up $17.5 billion.

L-3′s MRPI unit will oversee the company’s team which includes Link Simulation and Training, Global Solutions and Engineering Services, Enterprise IT Solutions, C2S2, D.P. Associates, Coleman Aerospace and TCS units.

The Army can order services from L-3′s team for up to 10 years.

In other news, L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. boosted the compensation package of its Chairman, President and Chief Executive Michael T. Strianese by 36 percent to about $12.4 million in 2008, according to a Monday regulatory filing.

The total included $3.3 million in stock options, the value of which have since tumbled along with the company’s share price.

Strianese, who became the military contractor’s chairman in October 2008, received compensation valued at about $9.2 million in 2007.

For 2008, Strianese received an annual salary of $1.1 million, up from $1 million in 2007. The 53-year-old’s bonus rose by 10 percent to 2.8 million, while he also received stock and option awards that were valued by the company at about $8.4 million on the day they were granted, up from $5.6 million in 2007.

The option awards had a base price of $96.34 per share, but in the months since they were awarded in July, L-3′s share prices has tumbled more than 30 percent.

Strianese received a total of $96,021 in other compensation — which included $38,995 in company car related costs and $35,298 in restricted stock dividend payments — down slightly from a total of $97,579 the year before.

The AP’s total pay calculations include executives’ salary, bonus, incentives, perks, above-market returns on deferred compensation and the estimated value of stock options and awards granted during the year. The calculations don’t include changes in the present value of pension benefits, and they sometimes differ from the totals companies list in the summary compensation table of proxy statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For 2008, L-3 Communications’ profit rose nearly 26 percent to $949 million, or $7.72 per share. On a continuing operations basis the company earned $929 million, or $7.56 per share.

Revenue for the year rose nearly 7 percent to $14.9 billion.

Shares of L-3 dropped 30 percent during 2008, falling from $105.94 at the beginning of the year to end it at $73.58.

Shares of L-3 rose 62 cents to $61.91 in trading on Tuesday.

TS 2 specializes in providing global satellite access services. They core business is broadband access to the Internet in areas with poor telecommunications infrastructure and mobile satellite phones communication. The main medium of used transmission is a two-way satellite transfer system, which provides good access to the satellite network in even the least accessible areas. It not only provides a broadband connection but also a wide range of additional data and voice services.

TS2’s satellite networks are available in Al Taqaddum Air Base, Bagram AF, Balad Base, Baquba Airfield, Brassfield-Mora, Cob Adder, Cob Speicher, Camp Al Asad Airbase, Camp Bucca Basra City, Camp Buehring, Camp Charlie Basra, Camp Eggers, Camp Fallujah, Camp Grizzly, Camp Korean Village, Camp Liberty, Camp Mejid, Camp Ramadi, Camp Slayer, Camp Stryker, Camp Taji, Camp Victory, Fob Bagram, Fob Brassfield Mora, Fob Delta Al Kut, Fob Diamondback, Fob Falcon, Fob Garryowen, Fob Gardez, Fob Ghazni, Fob Kalagush, Fob Kandahar, Fob Lagman, Fob Mchenry, Fob Marez, Fob Normandy, Fob Rustamiyah, Fob Summerall, Fob Sykes, Fob Salerno, Fob Torkham, Fob Warhorse, Fob Warrior, Herat RTC, Jallaabad Air Base, Kabul Airport, Kabul Camp Eggers, Kandahar Air Base, Lsa Anaconda Balad, Sather Air Base, Q-West Base Complex and Tallil Ab Lsa Adder. [2]

TS2 delivers telecommunication services also for Police Transition Teams in following locations: West Ramadi, Warrar, Tal-Aswad, Saqlawiyah / Saqlawiah, Rutbah, Rumanah, Ramadi District HQ, Qatanna, Mulaab, Kubaisa, Khaladiah, Karmah, Jazeera, Hit, Haqlaniyah, Hamdiyah, Habbaniyah, Forsan, Ferris, East Ramadi, Barwannah, Anah, Ameriayah and Al Qaim. [3]

Military customers in Iraq and Afghanistan

Before end of 2007 year, the TS 2 solutions have been implemented for e.g. US Marine Corps (USMC), US Army Corps of Engineers, Australian Defence Force (ADF), Command of Polish Navy, Special Military Formation GROM, 1st Special Commando Regiment, Polish National Police, Polish National Headquarters of the State Fire Services, Border Guard (Poland), World Bank Group, Lockheed Martin Information Technology, Halliburton Energy Services, KBR, General Dynamics Information Technology, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace, US Naval Research Laboratory, ITT Corporation Aerospace / Communications Division, Technest Holdings / EOIR Technologies, North Eastern Aeronautical Company (Neany), EchoStorm Worldwide, Jorge Scientific Corporation, Erinys International, Aegis Iraq, American Heart of Poland and more others.

TS2′s military services are used by soldiers from 1 BCT 101 ABN DIV, 1-151 CAV HHT, 1-161st FA A-BTRY, 1-206 Field Artillery Battalion, 1-25 SBCT, 1-5 INF B Co, 1-61 CAV SQDN, 1-76 FA, 1/402nd AFSB STRYKER LNO, 1038th HCC, 10TH MTN DIV, 1710 Transpotation company, 184th Ordnance Battalion, 189 CSSB, 18th EN BDE, 1AD 2BCT / TF 1-35 AR, 1AD STB/Datapath, 1BCT, 1STB 1BCT 4ID, 1st BCT 101st Airborne Div., 1st Intel Bn P&A Co AFP, 1st PLT C Co 3-21 IN, 1st Space BDE / MNC-I, 2 BCT 1ID JSS H2, 2/25 DET 1 WPNS CO MAP 3, 2/25 Det 1 H&S Comm Plt, 201st Engineer Bn., 215th ASMC Phipps Clinic, 259 CSSB 155 ICTC, 25th Signal BN, 269 TH MP CO, 269th MP CO, 27th BCT, 3/10 MPCO, 3/4 WPNS CAAT-2, 324 NSC, 330th Military Police Detachment, 345th MI BN, 351st MP CO, 368th Finance DET 4, 370th En Co 54th En Bn, 3ACR, 3D RADIO BN, 401st AFSB MRAP, 41st Fires BDE, 455 EOG/ Spawar/ ATM, 4ID, 4SB 1BCT 4ID, 4th BAT. 101st AB, 4th BCT, 504th MP BN, 527th MP CO, 527th Military Police Company, 542nd SMC, 55th EN CO, 561 MT company, 589th BSB, 58th mp co 1st plt, 5th ANGLICO HQ Det/1st BDE, 5th EN BN, 5th Eng Bn, 6-17 CAV 1-1 ARB, 715th MP CO, 752nd OD CO, 772 Military Police Company, 776 Maintenance Co., 812th MP CO, 836th Engineer Company Sapper, 84th EN BN 643 EN CO, 84th Eng Bn 643rd En Bn, 87th Eng Co, 926th EN BDE, 937th Engineer Company, 97th Trans Det 3, A 2-20 FA, A CO 1-5 IN REGT, A TRP 1-152 CAV, A co. 4SB, A-4/320th, A-BRTY 2-44 ADA, A-CO 1-21 INF, A/2-211 AVIATION, A/CO 1/21, ACO TF 1/35 AR, ALPHA TROOP 1-152, Aco 1-153 INF, Alpha Company, B 4-320th FA, B Btry 3-4 AMD Battalion, B CO Task Force Odin, B CO. Bldg 3455/CH, B Co 1-6 IN, B Co 2-112th, B Co 2-4 GSAB, B Co. Bldg 3455 / CH, B Co. Bldg 3510 / CH, B Company 1-18 Infantry, B co 1-35AR, B co 2-6 IN, B co 563D ASB, B co. 404 ASB CAB 4ID, Bco 1-184 IN L, Bco 1-21, Bco. 2-4 GSAB CAB 4ID, Bco.404 ASB, Bravo Co. 1-184th, Bravo co. 3-159 ARB, C 1/158 fa bn, C BTRY 2-5 FA, C Btry 2-8 FA 1/25 SBCT, C Co 1-12 CAV 1CD, C Co 1-24 IN, C Co. 1/168th GSAB, C Co. 4-4 ARB, C co. 4-4 ARB CAB 4ID, C trp 1-303d Cav 81st hbct, C-Btry 1/158 FA, C/Trp 6-17 CAV, CAB 4ID, CAB 4th ID, CAFFT TAJI, CAV. 2nd PLATOON, CJTF-101 CJ3 Biometrics, CSTC-A CJ6 CSC, Co. B 146 ESB, D Co 2-27 IN/ 3rd PLT, D Co. 2-327 Inf., D. Co. 1/114th INF, D/123 AVN 6-17 CAV, Delta Company 1-151, Delta Company 1-151 Warlords, Delta Troop 7-17 CAV, E CO 3-1 AVN REGT, E Co. 1-161IN, E. CO 1-66 AR, E/FSC 1-22IN 1BCT 4ID, EOD Company 1/3, F Co. 2-10 AVN, GLS/L-3/Titan, HHB 1/6 FA, HHB 2-20 FA BN, HHC 1-24 IN, HHC 1-87 INF, HHC 2-7 CAV 4 BCT 1 CD, HHC 2/327 INF Olsen Medics, HHC 25th STB 25ID G2, HHC 3-103 AR, HHC 3/2 SCR LST, HHC 51st Signal Battalion, HHC 56 SBCT, HHC 5th Engineer Battalion, HHC 710 BSB 3BCT, HHC 783rd MP BN, HHC 84th Engineers Battalion, HHC 949 BSB, HHC BTB, HQs/ 561st MP Company, HSC 834TH ASB, JCCS-1, JTF Paladin / COIC, KAF NSE Force Protection 1 Platoon, KAIA ISAF Kabul Afghanistan, KBR B4 Services, KBR/LSI C7A McHenry, L-3 Communications Iraq, L3 Vertex Aerospace Iraq, L3/GSI, NSWLOGDET TQ US NAVY, PM BIOMETRICS FWD/BAT, TF 5-09 Canadian Forces, TF Centaur, TF Fighting, TF Phoenix, Task Force 1-6 S6, Task Force ODIN, Task Force Wings and USAF FET in FOB Salerno. [5]

TS2 will provide satellite services for the Marines new bases in Afghanistan in first months of 2009 year. The government contract concerns establishing and maintaining full communication in new locations for two years for all soldiers stationed there. The USA are going to transfer 4.5 thousand Marines from Iraq to Afghanistan as early as at the beginning of 2009.