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The article offers information on a patchwork of agreements to share data and tasking rights for imaging intelligence between France, Italy and Germany, which is set to go into effect with the commissioning of new X-band radar satellite networks. Under the agreement, Medium- and low-resolution imagery will be available to all users, but access to high-definition imagery will be controlled by the Italian Ministry of Defense.

The article reports that Germany and Italy will bolster reconnaissance capabilities for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) forces in Afghanistan, with the deployment of manned and unmanned aircraft. Before the end of April 2007, the German air force hopes to have six reconnaissance Tornados operational. They deployed last week to the Mazar-e-Sharif air base in northern Afghanistan. NATO first requested the reconnaissance improvement in December 2006.

This article reports that plans of Germany and France for a heavy-lift transport that could be built in cooperation with the U.S. manufacturers are nearing the initial definition phase. The two countries first floated the heavy-lift concept in mid-2004, under the name Heavy Transport Helicopter (HTH), as a replacement for aging Sikorsky CH-53s and Boeing CH-47s toward the end of the next decade. Although Germany currently is without a defense budget, which prevents the initiation of new projects, the issue is expected to be resolved by the time definition gels into a development project. Executives at the company Eurocopter say that the HTH is ready to begin the initial definition phase, and a joint request for information for a heavy-lift system is expected in the coming weeks by Berlin and Paris. The heavy-lift initiative would add to an already extensive engineering workload for Eurocopter.

Lofty equipment aspirations and base financial reality will confront some of Europe's main defense players with critical choices over the coming months. Following in the wake of Germany's budgetary woes, Great Britain and Italy are now struggling with defense-expenditure dilemmas. Rome is being forced to curtail and delay acquisition programs, while in London, England, the ministry is grappling with both short-and long-term financial difficulties. In Great Britain, the government is trying to paper over a short-term defense funding problem, while the Defense Ministry faces considerable difficulty resolving a mismatch between available resources and requirements in its medium-to-long-term equipment program.

The article discusses the Medium Extended Air Defense System (Meads), an anti-ballistic missile defense which is being developed by the aerospace company Lockheed Martin. In the U.S. there is debate about funding the program, but in Italy and Germany the defense ministries have pledged to continue development of the system and begin production in 2014. Italy is developing a European variant of the system and testing of the Meads battery has begin.

The article discusses international business competition involving procurement of helicopters in Germany and marketing of services among U.S. and European helicopter manufacturers. Germany's incumbent helicopter contractor Eurocopter is reported to have had program problems that may open up the competition to helicopter makers Sikorsky and AgustaWestland.

The article discusses the lower-tier air and missile defense program among the U.S., Germany, and Italy called the trinational Medium Extended Air Defense System (Meads). The article notes political, programmatic, and cost factors that will influence the future of Meads. Three influential studies of Meads to be completed in the short term are noted and described.

The article reports on speculations that the next orders of the four Eurofighter nations for the Typhoon combat aircraft will be halved. Germany, Italy, Spain and the Great Britain are in the final stages of Tranche 3 negotiations, which was originally meant to total 236 aircraft for the four nations. In addition, the partner nations have tasked Eurojet to consider engine enhancements to reduce the overall lifetime cost on the aircraft.

The article reports that enhancing the multirole capability of the Eurofighter Typhoon is now a priority of the four partner nations, including Germany, Italy, Spain and Great Britain. Senior military sources suggest that an agreement could be reached early in the second quarter of 2009 between the countries. The Tranche 3 standard would provide the basis to further expand the aircraft's capabilities.

Eurofighter partner nations are struggling to trade off weapon and system integration, cost and schedules as they try to agree on the most important phase of the program so far. With Elements of Tranche 2 negotiations, covering 236 aircraft, certain to drag on into the second half of 2004, Great Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain are not now expected to ink a contract until the end of the year. The initially determined EOC 1, planned for introduction in 2008, includes integration of the Raytheon Enhanced Paveway II GPS/laser-guided bomb, along with a designation pod.

Reports on the possible end of military collaborations between Germany and Italy related to the Maritime Patrol Aircraft-Replacement (MPA-R) project. Reasons for the elimination of military relations between the two countries; Provisions of MPA-R project.

Investigates the bankruptcy of the business units of Fairchild Dornier in Germany. Failure of the recapitalization effort; Application for Chapter 11 insolvency protection from creditors; Retrenchment of employees.

The article reports on the emergence of new torpedoes for advanced conventional and nuclear-powered submarines which spurred new ship defenses. The U.S. Navy is pursuing a countermeasures antitorpedo torpedo under the Surface Ship Torpedo Defense (SSTD) program. Atlas Elektronik is developing the mini-torpedo called SeaSpider for Germany. The Russian navy uses multiple rocket launchers and mortars to counter a torpedo.