NATO

AAI Corporation, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. company, announced today that Italy's Ministry of Defense - Directorate of General Aeronautical Armament has selected AAI's Shadow 200 Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems for the Italian Army. Under this 51 million euro-$64 million-award, Italy will purchase four Shadow systems for deployment alongside NATO forces. System requirements include a small system footprint; easy transportation using small vehicles or C-130 Hercules aircraft; ease of use; interoperability with other NATO forces; and the ability to take off and land from small, semi-prepared airfields.

Maj. Gen. Frank K. Kisner, USAF, has been nominated for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assigned as commander, NATO Special Operations Headquarters, Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe, Belgium.

One of only two non-U.S. military leaders of NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Gen. Stephane Abrail, French Air Force, launched the second day of the Joint Warfighting Conference by calling it the most important conference of its kind.

"NATO SATCOM will certainly be handicapped if interoperability with national systems is not key to the design of how we go forward."--Malcolm Green, chief of CAT 9 NII Communication Infrastructure Services, NC3A

More than 300 representatives from 30 nations are examining solutions to future warfighting challenges in Rome this week. Specifically, members of U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) and NATO nations are conducting work that will promote multinational cooperation.

Many of today's defense policies and military forces are still organized for World War II-type threats, and that doesn't suffice in the age of terrorism, where security and information sharing both have prominent roles.

While the push forward for better collaboration and information-sharing capabilities will require technical advances, the experts at today's NATO workshop in Brussels, Belgium, are struggling with an even bigger challenge than connecting the bits and bytes.

"The principal point here is that it is the information we want to manage, not the technology. The technology should be transparent to the user."--Malcolm Green, chief of communication services, NC3A

Gen. James N. Mattis, USMC, will step down as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation during a change-of-command ceremony on September 9. Taking over the reins is Gen. Stephane Abrial of the French air force. The ceremony will take place on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower , Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. Gen. Abrial is the former chief of staff of the French air force. This is the first time in the organization's 60-year history that a non-U.S. officer has been permanently assigned as one of NATO's two Supreme Allied Commanders. Gen. Mattis will remain as the commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command.