From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Thu Jun 1 12:10:53 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2006 08:10:53 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] Business Briefs - SAIC signs with Harding Security Message-ID: <20060601081035.H8724-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 1 June 2006 ; The Fairfax County Times Business Briefs - SAIC signs with Harding Security http://www.timescommunity.com/site/tab5.cfm?newsid=16720363&BRD=2553&PAG=461&dept_id=511692&rfi=6 --- [...] SAIC signs with Harding Security Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) announced the signing of a three-year special agreement with Harding Security Associates (HSA), a veteran-owned business specializing in national intelligence and security. The deal, a "mentor-protege agreement," is aimed at helping HSA grow while putting its manpower behind SAIC's business objectives. Established in March 2003 by retired Maj. Gen. Robert A. Harding, HSA provides government intelligence agencies with strategic planning and professional expertise. Its clientPle includes such major defense industry players as Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman. The agreement is the first of its kind for SAIC's Operational and Intelligence Security Division. SAIC is the largest employee-owned research and engineering company in the United States, with more than 43,000 employees. Following its 2005 fiscal year, the company reported annual revenues of $7.2 billion. [...] From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Thu Jun 1 22:20:21 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2006 18:20:21 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] SAIC Signs Cooperative Research and Development Agreement With United States Joint Forces Command Message-ID: <20060601182006.P8724-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 1 June 2006 ; PRNewswire SAIC Signs Cooperative Research and Development Agreement With United States Joint Forces Command http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060601/dcth047.html?.v=53 --- SAN DIEGO and MCLEAN, Va., June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) has signed a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) to work together to research and develop entity-based modeling and simulation tools that will help prepare the warfighter for challenges in urban and complex environments. The CRADA will allow USJFCOM and SAIC to share materials, such as lab space, hardware and software, as well as personnel resources and the experience that the staff of each organization brings to bear on the project. Initial research and development testing will focus on efforts to counter emergent urban threats, but the parties plan to expand the scope of the CRADA to address the full spectrum of challenges that the joint warfighter faces. "We are excited about leveraging USJFCOM concept development and experimentation capabilities with SAIC's background in Army entity-based simulation and future behavior-based capability improvements to solve important and complex warfighter challenges," said Dick Carter, USJFCOM principal investigator and Joint Urban Operations Office science and technology advisor. "We will investigate using simulations with seminar wargaming to evaluate operational concepts in complex terrain," said Josh Jackson, SAIC's principal investigator in the CRADA. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Thu Jun 1 22:49:54 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2006 18:49:54 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] http://defenselink.mil/contracts/2006/ct20060601-13153.html Message-ID: <20060601184943.W8724-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 1 June 2006 ; United States Department of Defense Contracts for June 1, 2006 http://defenselink.mil/contracts/2006/ct20060601-13153.html --- CONTRACTS from the United States Department of Defense No. 497-06 FOR RELEASE AT Jun 01, 2006 Media Contact: (703)697-5131 Public/Industry(703)428-0711 CONTRACTS NAVY [...] Science Applications International Corp., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $28,298,853 modification to an existing indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N66001-02-D-5013) for network, interior and submarine communications engineering systems support. The original contract included support for in-service engineering agent services to support program management, engineering, technical requirements, integrated logistics support, fabrication, and non-integrated installation for command and control, communications, computers and intelligence systems. This modification includes one potential six-month option, which, if awarded, would bring the cumulative value of this modification to $78,389,936. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be April 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification was issued on a sole-source basis in accordance with the Federal Acquisitions Regulations (FAR 6.302-1). The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity. [...] From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Tue Jun 6 13:17:40 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2006 09:17:40 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] Enterprise Search Buyers Face Plethora of Choices, Says CMS Watch Message-ID: <20060606091731.Q89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 6 June 2006 ; Tekrati Research News Enterprise Search Buyers Face Plethora of Choices, Says CMS Watch http://www.tekrati.com/research/News.asp?id=7197 --- CMS Watch - June 5, 2006 The enterprise search marketplace presents buyers with a growing number of vendors offering look-alike features, according to a CMS Watch evaluation of more than 30 enterprise search solutions from 28 vendors. For example, faceted or "guided" navigation capabilities were originally a product differentiator for enterprise search vendor Endeca. These features are now available from several low-cost search vendors. Free 25-page excerpt. Instead of focusing on guided navigation, the key differentiator today is the extent to which a search system can successfully autogenerate a useful set of metadata "facets" with minimal customer intervention. Other findings from the report include: * IBM, Oracle, and Microsoft continue to struggle to rationalize multiple search technologies and strategies. Oracle's "Secure Enterprise Search 10g" product may be the most straightforward offering of the three, but it has not yet seen extensive customer testing. * Smaller search vendors continue to exploit Microsoft's inability to develop effective search solutions atop SharePoint. Mondosoft, Coveo, dtSearch, and others are likely to continue offering value-added capabilities after the release of Microsoft's new search services in SharePoint 2007. * Google's search appliance has disrupted the market, but customer testing still often finds the appliance lacking in "tune-ability" and integration capabilities. "The magic of 'Feeling Lucky' on Google.com works because Google is trying to meet the information need of an average user. Information needs within organizations are not average. These needs are highly specific. They change as business demands and customer needs change. They require different types of services at different times," commented Stephen Arnold, founder of Arnold IT and an enterprise search market analyst for CMS Watch. Like other CMS Watch offerings, the Enterprise Search Report does not rank "best" vendors. It details the strengths and weaknesses of the various players, identifies their suitability for different use cases, and isolates vendor tendencies that may influence longterm product roadmaps. About the market research study CMS Watch's 630-page report, "Enterprise Search Report - Third Edition", provides vendor-neutral evaluations of enterprise search technologies. Based on product tests and interviews with dozens of professionals engaged in enterprise search, the report features analysis and surveys of more than 30 products across 28 search vendors. It is designed to help enterprises make informed search technology strategies and buying decisions by detailing the strengths and weaknesses of each enterprise search offering. Vendors covered: Autonomy, Blossom, Convera, Coveo, dtSearch, Endeca, Entopia, Fast Search & Transfer, Funnelback, Google, Hummingbird, IBM, Innerprise, InQuira, ISYS, Microsoft, Mondosoft, Open Text, Oracle, SAP, Siderean Software, TeraText, Thunderstone, YourAmigo, Vivisimo, WebSideStory. Visit the link below for more information, including a free 25-page excerpt. Registration required. --- List Maintainers Note: We have not evaluated the sample reports or the full reports. The full reports cost between $1400-3000 depending on usage. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Fri Jun 9 22:37:03 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2006 18:37:03 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] Gaming propaganda not limited to Middle East Message-ID: <20060609183456.K89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 9 June 2006 ; Inside Bay Area Gaming propaganda not limited to Middle East http://www.insidebayarea.com/entertainment/ci_3917589 --- WITH the revelation of domestic spying programs, I've come to the realization that government agents are listening to my phone calls, snooping on my mail and reading my e-mail. I just hope they're also reading my column. If they don't, I may just have to send it in an e-mail to myself to ensure they see it. Anyway, I've often wished video games would be taken more seriously, but if an incident last month is any indication, I guess I should be careful what I wish for. In Washington, D.C., games were elevated to a matter of national security when, on May 4, the House Select Intelligence Committee met in open session to discuss "Terrorist use of the Internet for communications." Contractors showed the committee several videos, allegedly propaganda videos designed to roil the blood of young, impressionable Islamic men to join the fight against the West. Among the "evidence" presented was a parody video created by a Dutch gamer who goes by the screen name SonicJihad. The video shows in-game footage of "Battlefield 2," a game published by Redwood City-based Electronic Arts. The popular game, which doesn't attempt to make any political statement, pits armies of players against each other in an imaginary war in modern settings. Teams include U.S. forces, the Chinese and a fictional Middle Eastern Coalition. In the amateur video, which is made up of footage from game sessions, a soldier in a Middle Eastern headdress runs around blowing stuff up while a voiceover from "Team America: World Police" plays. According to transcripts of the hearings, Science Applications International Corp., the contractor that presented the research, said the video depicted a "plug-in" for the game created by terrorists, "which if you register and send them $25, you can play it." A representative of the SAIC went on to say, "You can see where the games are set to psychologically condition you to go kill coalition forces. You can see how they use humor." News organizations soon jumped on the bandwagon, with Reuters running the story under the headline "Experts: Islamic Militants Customizing Violent Video Games." Like SAIC, the expert quoted in the story -- a "Defense Department public diplomacy specialist," whatever that is -- knows nothing of games. And like members of Congress, he apparently hadn't seen "Team America" either. While it's true that games can be modified and there are an obscure few that take an anti-Western stand, propaganda isn't limited to the Middle East. The U.S. government has produced its own game, "America's Army," to persuade youngsters to join the armed forces. Gonzalo Frasca, editor of Water Cooler Games, a Web site that focuses on politics and video games, has been following the story closely. Contacted in Denmark by phone, Frasca expressed concern that U.S. leaders are making decisions based on the faulty information they're being provided. The contractors should have been more rigorous, he said. "If the so-called experts did it on purpose, that's terrible. If they were not aware, they were not doing their job," Frasca said. I contacted Anna Eshoo, a California representative and a member of the committee. She seemed unaware that the video had been discredited, and asked that I send the evidence to her staff, which she promised to forward to the chairman of the committee. When asked her impression of the hearings as a whole, Eshoo said, "It seemed to me that the whole presentation and the subject matter and all that seemed to come out of left field." Indeed. Shortly after showing the video at the congressional hearing, the SAIC rep said the evidence showed a concerted effort by the terrorist recruiters, according to the transcript. "We ask our audience to take a few things away from this briefing. First of all, there is a plan. It's not just a random sampling of multimedia product on the Internet." Ironically, that's exactly what it turned out to be. It doesn't make me sleep better at night knowing lawmakers are making national security decisions based on Internet comedy videos. We saw what happened with faulty information in the lead-up to the Iraq war. What's next, a U.S. invasion of Azeroth because the gnomes won't give up their weapons of mass destruction? I dunno, maybe there should be a law against showing violent video games to members of Congress; it seems to affect their behavior. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Tue Jun 13 02:27:02 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2006 22:27:02 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] SAIC Announces Financial Results for First Quarter Fiscal Year 2007 Message-ID: <20060612222501.M89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 12 June 2006 ; Yahoo (PR Newswire) SAIC Announces Financial Results for First Quarter Fiscal Year 2007 http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060612/dcm015.html?.v=45 --- * Revenue: Up 6 percent to $2.0 billion * Operating Income: Up 28 percent to $143 million * Net Income: $106 million; Income from Continuing Operations: $94 million, up 71 percent * Diluted EPS: $0.61; Diluted EPS from Continuing Operations: $0.54, up 80 percent SAN DIEGO and MCLEAN, Va., June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), a leading provider of research, engineering, and technology services and solutions, today announced financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2007, which ended April 30, 2006. Revenue for the quarter increased 6 percent from $1.8 billion in the first quarter of fiscal year 2006 to $2.0 billion. Operating income for the quarter increased 28 percent from $112 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2006 to $143 million. Operating income margin increased from 6.1 percent in the first quarter of fiscal year 2006 to 7.3 percent. "We are pleased to begin the year with another strong quarter," said Ken Dahlberg, SAIC chairman and chief executive officer. "In a very competitive business environment, we continue to improve our operating efficiency, while still investing in our people and systems for long term growth. We are especially gratified to win several large recompetes in the first quarter. Our customers' faith in us is a testament to the hard work and innovation that our talented team is providing every day." Chief Financial Officer Mark Sopp added, "We are very pleased with the April quarter results. Year-over-year earnings from continuing operations were up sharply, and we generated strong cash flow. We also embarked on several internal initiatives to more efficiently capture, process, and report financial transactions in the years ahead." Net income for the quarter was $106 million, compared to $585 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2006. Diluted earnings per share for the quarter were $0.61, compared to $3.18 in the first quarter of fiscal year 2006. The sale of Telcordia in March 2005 contributed $530 million towards net income and $2.88 towards diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of fiscal year 2006. The effect of the sale of Telcordia was recorded in discontinued operations. Income and diluted earnings per share from continuing operations rose 71 percent and 80 percent, respectively, compared to the first quarter of fiscal year 2006. Growth in income from continuing operations exceeded operating income growth primarily because the provisional tax rate dropped from 47.6 percent to 36.8 percent due to reversals of tax accruals in the current year period and changes in state tax laws in the prior year period. The company adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (SFAS) No. 123(R) during the quarter and recognized $8 million in compensation expense for option awards and the company discount associated with stock purchases under the Employee Stock Purchase Program. As a result of the company not being a public company for purposes of SFAS No. 123(R) until the filing of a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on September 1, 2005, the company will not recognize expense for option awards granted before September 1, 2005 unless they are subsequently modified. For option awards granted after September 1, 2005, the company will recognize compensation expense ratably over the vesting cycle for each award. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Tue Jun 13 12:27:54 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2006 08:27:54 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] Ongoing businesses push up SAIC first-quarter income Message-ID: <20060613082744.P89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 13 June 2006 ; San Diego Union Tribune Ongoing businesses push up SAIC first-quarter income http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20060613-9999-1b13saic.html --- Company looking at a fall date for its IPO By Mike Freeman UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER June 13, 2006 Defense contractor SAIC posted higher net income from ongoing businesses during its first quarter, thanks to improving efficiency, a lower tax rate and a hiatus in expenses from a troubled Olympic security contract. [Graphic: "SAIC Results" http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060613/images/saic430.gif] The San Diego company reported yesterday that revenue rose 6 percent to about $2 billion for the quarter ended April 30, compared with the same period last year. Earnings from continuing operations reached $106 million, or 61 cents a share. That's up from earnings of $55 million, or 30 cents a share, last year for the same business units. The comparison excludes a gain booked in the first quarter of 2005 from the sale of SAIC's Telecordia telecommunications business, which contributed $530 million to earnings for that period. "In general this was a pretty clean quarter in that we had no charges from our Athens contract," said Chief Financial Officer Mark Sopp. "There also were no IPO costs, which was the case in the last two quarters." Science Applications International Corp., a defense engineering and intelligence firm that is owned by its 43,000 employees, has filed with regulators for an initial public stock offering. But in December it postponed the IPO, in part because of problems with the Greek Olympic security contract. Sopp said yesterday the company was looking at a fall date for its IPO, perhaps in September or October. To date, SAIC has lost $121 million on its deal to provide security systems for the 2004 Athens Olympics. It may have to spend an additional $52 million to finish work on the project. SAIC has been negotiating for months with the Greek government to resolve outstanding issues. But with the dispute unresolved, the company last month filed for arbitration proceedings before the International Chamber of Commerce. SAIC is seeking in excess of $76 million in damages, according to regulatory filings. Without charges from the Greek contract, SAIC had a solid quarter. Operating income rose 28 percent over the prior-year period to $143 million. SAIC's operating profit margin increased from 6.1 percent last year to 7.3 percent this year. The company also received a tax benefit of 9 cents a share for the quarter. Sopp expects the company's tax rate to return to traditional levels in coming quarters. The performance was fueled by growth from acquisitions and internal expansion in intelligence, homeland security, defense logistics and overall defense support operations, Sopp said. That was offset somewhat by slower growth areas such as the company's contract research and development work. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Tue Jun 13 22:30:02 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2006 18:30:02 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] SAIC Completes New Credit Facilities Message-ID: <20060613182900.F89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 13 June 2006 ; Yahoo (PR Newswire) SAIC Completes New Credit Facilities http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060613/dctu012.html?.v=62 --- SAN DIEGO and MCLEAN, Va., June 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), a leading provider of research, engineering, and technology services and solutions, has entered into a new five-year credit facility that provides for borrowings in an aggregate principal amount of up to $750 million. This new credit facility was syndicated among multiple financial institutions, with Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC acting as joint bookrunners and lead arrangers. Citicorp USA, Inc. acted as the administrative agent, and Wachovia Bank, National Association acted as the syndication agent. This new credit facility replaces a $500 million revolving credit facility that would have expired in July 2007 and a $250 million revolving credit facility that would have expired in July 2009. There were no balances outstanding under the prior credit facilities, and $113 million of standby letters of credit issued pursuant to the prior facilities were transitioned to the new credit facility. "The new credit facility solidifies the debt portion of our capital structure," said Mark Sopp, SAIC chief financial officer. "We have a more focused lending group that is able to assist us in executing our longer term business vision and in meeting our current operating needs. Moreover, we have extended the availability period while reducing the interest rate and fees on potential borrowing to fund working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes." From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Tue Jun 13 22:31:32 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2006 18:31:32 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] A Swift Alliance That will Benifit Small and Large Alike Message-ID: <20060613183003.Q89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 13 June 2006 ; Military Embedded Systems A Swift Alliance That will Benifit Small and Large Alike http://www.mil-embedded.com/news/db/?3093 --- SEATTLE, WA 5/16/2006 -- Today, Ignite Analytics, Execuspec and RIIS Inc announced the formation of the Swift alliance. The three systems/software solutions companies all share a stake in the U.S Army's Future Combat Systems program. Due to their common background an alliance between the businesses was a natural next step. The Alliance formed on May 16 with the intention of establishing better relationships, support, education, and communication for the three companies as well as larger companies and the aerospace and defense industry as a whole. The Swift alliance is designed to explore the relationship between small businesses and larger companies like Boeing, SAIC, BAE Systems and General Dynamics. Founder and CEO of Ignite Analytics, Ashley Raiteri hopes that "Working with the Alliance will allow all the member companies to find a way to remain competitive through targeted cooperation instead of simply pursuing Hobbesian self- interest." The advances they make through the new relationships will give the members more insight when negotiating their contracts, as well as giving the larger companies a deeper pool of experience and talent to work with. The intended result of the relationship is to allow Swift Alliance members the opportunity to support each other as allies instead of only acting as competitors. The Swift Alliance also hopes to be influential in the structure and process of government procurement. The Alliance is thinking strategically about current industry practices, procurement processes, contracting standards and efficiencies of military spending. Planned outreach activities include cooperative engagement with the National Defense Industry Association (NDIA) and joint publication of white papers for submission to the International Council on System Engineering (INCOSE). The Swift Alliance foresees presenting their advances at the Annual International Symposium which includes a mixture of technical working group discussions, paper presentations, tutorials, panels and academic forums. Lt. Gen Joseph Yakovac, the Army's acquisition chief recently spoke at an industry conference saying "We can no longer afford this man's Army". The Alliance agrees with this bold statement, and understands Eisenhower's warning about the military-industrial complex. Mr. Raiteri commented "We heard what the General said. As a nation, we have to figure out a way to pay for this army, if we're going to continue with today's Op-Tempo. We hope that the Alliance can help work strategically to ensure an improved efficiency with taxpayer money, so that our men and women in green are getting the systems and equipment they need and national domestic priorities are still being met." The structure of the alliance will be simple, small companies coming together and talking. The outcome of their meetings on the other hand, will be anything but simple. The Swift alliance has the potential and ability to change how small companies function in the aerospace and defense industry. For more information go to the Swift Alliance website www.theswiftalliance.com. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Mon Jun 19 12:35:08 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 08:35:08 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] Company Ties Not Always Noted in Security Push Message-ID: <20060619083448.L89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 19 June 2006 ; New York Times Company Ties Not Always Noted in Security Push http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/19/washington/19port.html --- By ERIC LIPTON WASHINGTON, June 18 -- When the storm erupted several months ago over plans by a United Arab Emirates-based company to take over management of a half-dozen American port terminals, one voice resonated in Washington. [Image: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/06/19/us/19port.3951.jpg] Caption: Stephen E. Flynn has advocated a port security system that can check every container bound for the United States for radioactive threats. Credit: Michael Temchine for The New York Times Stephen E. Flynn, a retired Coast Guard commander who is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, repeatedly told lawmakers and reporters that domestic ports were so vulnerable that terrorists could easily sneak a radioactive device into something as innocuous as a shipment of sneakers. And he offered a solution: a cargo inspection system in Hong Kong that scans every container, instead of the fraction now checked in the United States. "The top priority should be working with the overseas terminal operators and putting in place a system that is being piloted in Hong Kong," Mr. Flynn told a House panel in March. "We have to view every container as a Trojan horse." Homeland Security Department officials and lawmakers had been aware of the innovative port security approach in Hong Kong, but they had been reluctant to embrace it, convinced that screening every container at a port would be impractical. Mr. Flynn's forceful advocacy has changed that view. But as Democrats and Republicans rushed to act on his advice, one fact usually remained in the background: From 2003 until 2005, he was a paid consultant to the Science Applications International Corporation, or S.A.I.C., the San Diego company that manufactured the system and could make hundreds of millions of dollars if its port security solution is adopted worldwide. In one Congressional appearance this year, Mr. Flynn had acknowledged some involvement in the Hong Kong project, saying, "I've been a leader of the side putting it together." Four publications this year also mentioned his ties to the company. But in most of his public comments this year -- in at least three television interviews, two other appearances before Congress, opinion pieces in The New York Times and Far Eastern Economic Review and in nearly two dozen newspaper or magazine articles -- Mr. Flynn's connection to S.A.I.C. was not noted. Even Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who was briefed by Mr. Flynn during a tour of the Hong Kong port, said he did not initially know of Mr. Flynn's involvement with the company. In a recent interview, Mr. Flynn said that in news interviews and Congressional testimony he had been an advocate for better screening at ports and never endorsed S.A.I.C.'s products specifically. He declined to disclose how much he was paid by the company, but said it represented less than 5 percent of his annual income. "If S.A.I.C. sold millions or billions of dollars of equipment, I don't make anything," Mr. Flynn added, saying that he sometimes worked for the company as little as one day a month. "I am willing to champion it because I think it will make a qualitative difference in improving container security." >From Public to Private As a growing number of Department of Homeland Security employees exit the agency, the practice of former officials joining prestigious research or academic institutions while working on behalf of for-profit companies is not uncommon in Washington. C. Stewart Verdery Jr., the former assistant secretary for border and transportation policy, frequently testifies before Congress, identifying himself as an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington and a partner at a lobbying firm. Among other clients, he represents Lockheed Martin, the giant military and domestic security contractor, which is now competing for an estimated $2 billion Homeland Security Department border security deal. Richard A. Falkenrath, the former White House deputy homeland security adviser, is a senior fellow at Brookings Institution. He has a second job as a managing director at Civitas Group, which advises corporations and investors on the domestic security market. And Frank J. Cilluffo, a former special assistant to President Bush on domestic security matters, also straddles both worlds. He delivers his views to Congress as the director of the Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University while serving as a partner for a Virginia consulting firm whose clients include the Saflink Corporation, a maker of identity confirmation software to combat terrorism. Mr. Cilluffo, Mr. Falkenrath and Mr. Verdery said they worked to make sure there were no conflicts between their various roles. "I never would let the two collide in any way, shape or form," Mr. Cilluffo said. Mr. Flynn's reputation for integrity in his field is unrivaled, several industry representatives said, adding that he would never advocate for something he did not believe in, regardless of any consulting deal. Lisa Shields, a spokeswoman for the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, said the institution recently examined Mr. Flynn's work for S.A.I.C. and concluded that he "has abided by all council rules and the conflict of interest policy." But Michael Greenberger, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security at the University of Maryland and a professor of law, said that academics who consult for companies in their area of expertise risked compromising their impartiality. At a minimum, they should always disclose the relationship, even if it has ended. "Discovering this involvement after the fact is more troublesome than if you were more upfront in disclosing it," Mr. Greenberger said. Mr. Flynn, 45, joined the efforts to help S.A.I.C. devise new domestic security products in April 2002, less than a month after he retired from the Coast Guard, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, and was appointed to an endowed chair for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. He was paid to participate in a company brainstorming session on port security devices. The Coast Guard commander was a natural choice for S.A.I.C., which has spent $4.5 million on lobbyists since 2001 and whose political action committee and employees donated another $1 million in the last federal election cycle, much of it to lawmakers who oversee domestic security matters. With a doctorate from Tufts University in international politics and vast knowledge of port security matters, Mr. Flynn was well known in the field and routinely was called upon by top Homeland Security Department officials for his advice. In scholarly articles published before and after the 2001 attacks, he repeatedly warned that the nation needed to move quickly to better secure the roughly 25,000 ship containers that arrive in the United States each day. S.A.I.C. had come up with an approach that it was convinced could do just that, piecing together two types of inspection devices -- one that checked containers for radioactive objects and a second, X-ray-like machine that could identify dense objects, which might be a radioactive material the first machine missed because a terrorist tried to shield the weapon with lead. The potential market for such an integrated system was enormous. Scanning all the cargo in Hong Kong would require about 50 of these systems, said Terry G. Gibson, an S.A.I.C. vice president leading the sales effort. At $2.5 million per system, the total cost would be $125 million, Mr. Gibson said. If Congress demanded that all United States-bound cargo undergo such a check, the market worldwide could reach 1,000 to 2,000 systems, or $2.5 billion to $5 billion in sales, he said, a cost that would be paid by port terminal operators, not necessarily governments. "Reducing the risk of a weapon of mass destruction being shipped into the United States, that is what this is about," Mr. Gibson said, acknowledging: "We want to make money. We want to sell our devices." Operating the system could cost even more: ports would have to set aside space for suspicious cargo to be double-checked, and hundreds of inspectors would have to be hired to review the scanner images. S.A.I.C. is not the only manufacturer of such machines, but it was the first to integrate the technologies and it had the only device, one company official said, that could efficiently scan a container as it passes through a major port on a truck at a speed fast enough to avoid bottlenecks. But some security experts have questioned S.A.I.C.'s plan, given the high costs and often cloudy images the X-ray-like machine produces. "Overinvesting in countering one tactic when terrorists could easily employ another is dangerously myopic," said James Jay Carafano, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative research group, who has not served as a consultant to private sector companies in the domestic security field. Many unknowns also remained, as even though hundreds of thousands of images of ship containers passing through Hong Kong were collected, no one was actually examining them to look for weapons since the S.A.I.C.-backed effort was a demonstration project, not a fully operation security system. Mr. Flynn himself had once had his own doubts, writing in a January 2002 article in Foreign Affairs magazine that "even with the assistance of new high-tech sensors, inspectors have nowhere near the amount of time, space or manpower to inspect all the cargo arriving." But Mr. Flynn said he was prepared to be proven wrong. He signed a contract to be a part-time consultant for the company in 2003 and soon set up a series of meetings with senior domestic security officials, including Tom Ridge, then the secretary of homeland security. A New Era of Contractors The decision to sign up with S.A.I.C., Mr. Flynn said Sunday, was compelled by the government's post-9/11 reliance on contractors to conceive of and put in place antiterrorism initiatives, tasks that in an earlier era might have been handled by civil servants. It is part of the reason, he said, so many former department executives are taking jobs with contractors. Mr. Flynn said he urged Mr. Ridge to send a team to Hong Kong to evaluate the company's project and if impressed, to "agree to meet with the C.E.O.'s of the world's largest marine terminal operators to discuss a timetable for their deploying" the system globally, according to a written summary of the October 2004 briefing for Mr. Ridge. The summary identified Mr. Flynn as a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and made no mention of his role as a paid S.A.I.C. consultant, although Mr. Flynn said it was something he acknowledged verbally. He also said he routinely informed officials about his relationship with the company. Staff members for Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, and Senator Norm Coleman, Republican of Minnesota, both said Mr. Flynn disclosed this past work before briefing the senators on the project. But Robert C. Bonner, the former commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, who had the most regular contact with Mr. Flynn, said he could not remember being told of the relationship. Representative Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York, the leading proponent in the House of Mr. Flynn's port security plan, said he had not been told of his ties to the company. An academic paper Mr. Flynn co-wrote in 2005 with a Stanford professor that evaluated the S.A.I.C. approach also made no mention of his ties to the company. After being asked about the matter last week, Lawrence M. Wein, the co-author, said he and Mr. Flynn had decided to add a disclosure of the prior consulting work before publishing it in an industry journal. Project Gets Final Push Mr. Flynn's consulting contract with S.A.I.C. ended in 2005, he said. But in February 2006, when news broke of the plan by DP World of Dubai to manage American port terminals, his phone started to ring with calls from reporters. Mr. Flynn said he saw this as an opportunity -- given that he had already ended the consulting deal -- to give an important final push to the Hong Kong pilot project, which he feared the Homeland Security Department, despite his initial efforts, was about to let end without any federal endorsement. "It was clear that the pilot was going to end prematurely without any substantive consideration by the U.S. government of its potential," he said. "I decided that I would need to become the pilot's leading champion." Soon, Mr. Flynn's endorsement of the Hong Kong screening approach began to be picked up by others. "Port security under the Bush administration is full of holes," Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the House minority leader, said at a news conference. "One hundred percent of the cargo containers going into a terminal in Hong Kong are inspected, while only about 5 percent of the containers entering the United States are screened. Who thinks that's a good idea?" By April, with Democrats and Republicans citing Mr. Flynn, a Senate panel passed a bill that would mandate "as soon as practicable and possible" that any container headed to the United States undergo an inspection with an S.A.I.C.-like system. The House passed a measure ordering tests of the technology. While Congress has not yet reached a consensus on the language, domestic security officials say they are already seriously considering more universal scanning of cargo. In April, Mr. Chertoff, the homeland security secretary, toured the Hong Kong terminals where the S.A.I.C. system was being tested, and discussed the technology with Mr. Flynn immediately afterward. Mr. Chertoff said he had not been aware when he was invited to visit the port that Mr. Flynn had been working with S.A.I.C., though Mr. Flynn said department officials had been told. Though Mr. Chertoff said he would now give Mr. Flynn's endorsement less weight, he added that his agency was moving ahead with the idea. "I think it is something we are going to want to take to the next stage," Mr. Chertoff said. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Tue Jun 20 01:55:49 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 21:55:49 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] Aurora and Honeywell reach next OAV phase Message-ID: <20060619215440.O89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 19 June 2006 ; Flight International Aurora and Honeywell reach next OAV phase http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/06/20/Navigation/177/207320/Aurora+and+Honeywell+reach+next+OAV+phase.html --- Aurora Flight Sciences and Honeywell are to continue work on rival ducted-fan unmanned aircraft under the next phase of the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Organic Air Vehicle (OAV)-II programme. Both companies have received contracts for continued development and demonstration of their vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAVs under Phase 3 of the OAV-II programme, which runs to February 2009. The ducted-fan vehicles are being evaluated for the US Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) programme in parallel with a tandem shrouded-rotor VTOL UAV being developed by Piasecki Aircraft under a contract awarded in August last year by FCS lead system integrator team Boeing/SAIC, which is to select one of the three designs as its vehicle-launched Class II UAV. Virginia-based Aurora says it built a non-flying risk-reduction vehicle under Phase 2 of OAV-II and conducted acoustic testing of its GoldenEye-OAV. Honeywell is working on a larger version of the vehicle selected to be the back-packable Class I VTOL UAV for FCS. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Wed Jun 21 22:44:06 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2006 18:44:06 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] SYS Technologies Announces IDIQ Contract Awards Totaling $5.7 Million Message-ID: <20060621184356.E89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 21 June 2006 ; Business Wire SYS Technologies Announces IDIQ Contract Awards Totaling $5.7 Million http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060621005199&newsLang=en --- SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 21, 2006--SYS Technologies (AMEX:SYS), a leading provider of information connectivity solutions that enable real-time, complex decision-making, announced today that it has been awarded three separate indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) subcontracts totaling $5.7 million. SYS will provide systems engineering, analysis, and support for current and future Command, Control, Communications, Computer, and Intelligence (C4I) systems and networks as part of an IDIQ subcontract award from Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. These systems serve to consolidate C4I functions along with cryptologic, navigation, environmental, and logistic capabilities to provide an integrated C4I capability to the warfighter. SYS was part of Science Applications International Corporation's (SAIC) winning team on a contract to provide systems analysis and engineering support to assist in the identification and implementation of interoperable communications systems. Technical assistance will also be provided to public safety jurisdictions who are involved in preventing or responding to a wide variety of threats to public safety. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity. SYS is a subcontractor to Syzygy Technologies, Inc., who was awarded a contract to provide compliance and security testing on Navy C4I programs, such as the Common Operating Environment Integration and Run Time Specification (COE I&RTS). The COE I&RTS encompasses architecture, standards, specifications, software reuse, shareable data, interoperability, and automated integration in a cohesive framework for systems development. Ken Regan, President of SYS' Defense Solutions Group, said: "The award of these three separate contract vehicles continues to validate the technical expertise and strong customer support provided by SYS. We look forward to our ongoing work with Booz Allen, SAIC, and Syzygy in supporting these key Navy programs." About SYS Technologies SYS Technologies (AMEX:SYS) is a leading provider of information connectivity solutions that capture, analyze, and present real-time information to our customers in the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, other government agencies, and to large industrial companies. Using interoperable communications software, sensors, digital video broadcast and surveillance technologies, wireless networks, decision-support tools, and Net-centric technologies, our technical experts enhance complex decision-making. We also provide solution lifecycle support with program, financial, test, and logistical services and training. Founded in 1966, SYS Technologies is headquartered in San Diego and has principal offices in California, Virginia, and Maryland. For additional information, visit www.systechnologies.com. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Thu Jun 22 13:30:20 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2006 09:30:20 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] Malvern expert develops nanotechnology standards Message-ID: <20060622092740.A89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 22 June 2006 ; Laboratory Talk Malvern expert develops nanotechnology standards http://www.laboratorytalk.com/news/mal/mal242.html --- Alan Rawle, divisional manager for applications support at Malvern Instruments, is currently co-chairman of the characterisation group of an ASTM committee focused on nanotechnology Serving with Alan Rawle in this role is Martin Fritts, senior principal scientist at SAIC-Frederick, based at the National Cancer Institute at Frederick, MD. The ASTM E56 committee on nanotechnology [1] addresses issues related to standards and guidance materials for nanotechnology and nanomaterials, as well as the co-ordination of existing ASTM standardization related to nanotechnology needs. Rawle, who is based at the offices of Malvern Instruments in Southborough MA, brings many years experience and expertise in particle characterisation to his role as chairman of the characterisation group, and is actively involved in defining new standards for nanotechnology applications. The use of particle characterisation in nanotechnology applications is an area of considerable focus and ongoing development for Malvern Instruments. The company's Zetasizer Nano system has been rapidly adopted around the world for the measurement of particle size, zeta potential and molecular weight [2] in nanosized materials and molecules in solution. It has applications across all areas of particle characterisation and is proving especially suitable for routine screening in protein crystallizsation studies. --- [1] http://www.laboratorytalk.com/guides/nanotechnology.html [2] http://www.laboratorytalk.com/guides/molecular-weight.html From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Thu Jun 22 22:40:09 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2006 18:40:09 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] Contracts for June 22, 2006 Message-ID: <20060622184001.G89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 22 June 2006 ; United States Department of Defense Contracts for June 22, 2006 http://defenselink.mil/contracts/2006/ct20060622-13312.html --- CONTRACTS from the United States Department of Defense No. 584-06 FOR RELEASE AT Jun 22, 2006 Media Contact: (703)697-5131 Public/Industry(703)428-0711 CONTRACTS AIR FORCE [...] Science Applications International Corp., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $19,500,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract modification to provide for Modeling Simulation and Analysis Technology (MSAT) program will provide qualitative and quantitative analysis of integrated Air Force Research Laboratory information and sensors technology. The MSAT effort will conduct research to determine current and future information and sensors requirements for Air Force air and space systems, and to assess the capability of advanced information and sensors concepts and systems to enhance mission performance in network-centric warfare. The program will support database development; model development and configuration control; determine mission effectiveness; perform technology assessment and analysis; perform intelligent information system analysis; and accomplish analysis special projects. At this time, $149,882 has been obligated. Solicitations began March 2006 and negotiations were complete June 2006. This work will be complete by June 2012. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-06-D-4406/no modification # at this time). [...] From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Fri Jun 23 12:16:54 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 08:16:54 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] QinetiQ appoints new chief executive for North American operations Message-ID: <20060623081642.W89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 23 June 2006 ; Life Style Extra QinetiQ appoints new chief executive for North American operations http://www.lse.co.uk/FinanceNews.asp?shareprice=&ArticleRef=7047 --- LONDON (AFX) - Defence research company QinetiQ Group PLC said it has appointed a new chief executive for its North American operations. QinetiQ said Duane P Andrews, the former US Department of Defense's (DoD) Assistant Secretary of Defense for Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence, would replace Phil Odeen immediately. Andrews was until recently chief operating officer at Science Applications International Corp (SAIC), the 7.8 bln usd Fortune 500 research and engineering company. QinetiQ, which floated on the London Stock Exchange in February, said Andrews has built 'a distinguished career in defence and security both within the US government and in the private sector'. QinetiQ's chief executive Graham Love said: 'I am delighted to welcome to QinetiQ someone of Duane Andrews' extraordinary calibre. 'His extensive experience of developing business with the US government will be invaluable as he implements QinetiQ's growth strategy, working with our existing US companies and exploring further acquisitions potential.' Love added: 'Phil Odeen has provided great leadership to QinetiQ North America in the last year and I am very pleased he will continue to work with us in an advisory capacity.' Andrews joined SAIC in 1993 from the DoD. He has also served with various US national security advisory groups and was a professional staff member with the House of Representatives' Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Andrews said: 'The technology areas within which QinetiQ's companies operate in the US are growing strongly and I am excited at the prospect of building significantly on the growth which QinetiQ has already achieved here.' From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Sat Jun 24 00:42:12 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 20:42:12 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] SAIC Scientist Frank Curran Receives AIAA Wyld Propulsion Award Message-ID: <20060623204203.R89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 23 June 2006 ; Yahoo (PR Newswire) SAIC Scientist Frank Curran Receives AIAA Wyld Propulsion Award http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060623/dcf005.html?.v=62 --- HUNTSVILLE, Ala., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) today announced that Dr. Frank Curran has received the prestigious American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Wyld Propulsion Award. Curran's citation from AIAA recognizes him for "technical contributions and program leadership resulting in the successful development and first U.S. flight tests of arcjet, NASA Solar-electric Propulsion Technology Application Readiness (NSTAR), and Hall-effect thrusters." During his career, Curran oversaw development of multiple spacecraft thruster systems demonstrated on satellites and the Deep Space 1 mission. AIAA presents the Wyld Propulsion Award to individuals for their outstanding achievements in the development or application of rocket propulsion systems, and will honor Curran on July 12 during the awards luncheon at the AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit in Sacramento, Calif. Curran currently is a vice president and deputy operations manager in SAIC's Technology Decisions Division in Huntsville, providing professional engineering services to a variety of customers. "In many ways, this is a lifetime achievement award that recognizes the outstanding technical accomplishments that Dr. Curran has made throughout his career," said Bill Gurley, SAIC senior vice president and general manager of the Systems and Technology Solutions Business Unit. "His dedication to excellence in space propulsion and his commitment to the mission of NASA, especially in the nation's new exploration program is commendable. We are pleased that Frank is receiving this award and that he is part of our team supporting NASA in development of new propulsion techniques that can enable future colonization of the lunar surface and subsequent missions to Mars." Earlier in his career, Curran worked as a research scientist at NASA's Lewis Research Center (now the Glenn Research Center). His first assignment involved research and development on arcjet thrusters for satellite station- keeping, including working with industry to assure first flight. There now are more than 100 arcjet thrusters on satellites in geosynchronous orbit. Curran spent a year at NASA headquarters and then returned to Lewis and became both chief of the On-Board Propulsion Branch and the NASA Solar- electric Propulsion Technology Application Readiness (NSTAR) program deputy. In these roles, he oversaw development of multiple spacecraft thruster systems demonstrated in space including the NSTAR ion engine that was first demonstrated in 1998 on NASA's Deep Space 1 mission. After leaving NASA, Curran worked for the Schafer Corporation supporting the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization in the Washington area before joining SAIC in 2000. About AIAA Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) serves over 35,000 members in 65 regional sections and 79 countries. AIAA membership is drawn from all levels of industry, academia, private research organizations, and government and focuses on emerging technologies in aviation, space and defense. (http://www.aiaa.org) From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Sat Jun 24 13:49:21 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Sat, 24 Jun 2006 09:49:21 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] Gas spur line viable Message-ID: <20060624094735.Y89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 24 June 2006 ; Petroleum News Gas spur line viable http://www.petroleumnews.com/pntruncate/40444068.shtml --- DOE report on gas demand in Alaska concludes LNG, fertilizer, GTL shaky By Alan Bailey Given the current intense debate over various options for bringing North Slope natural gas to market, objective information is critical to assessing the feasibility of ideas that seem attractive but that may not withstand the rigors of harsh reality. Would, for example, a spur line to bring North Slope gas into Southcentral Alaska be economically viable? Is an Alaska-based petrochemical industry a real option or simply an optimistic mirage? The U.S. Department of Energy tackled those and other questions in a comprehensive report it has just released on potential Alaska natural gas demand in the years ahead. Prepared by a team of consultants from SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation) and extensively reviewed by natural gas stakeholders from government and industry, the report examines the various economic factors that will impact Alaska gas supply and demand in the future. The study looks into the crystal ball of natural gas usage in the period between 2015 and 2035. There is, of course, major uncertainty regarding what the actual economic situation will be during that period. But, as a detailed and comprehensive analysis of most of the factors impacting Alaska natural gas supply and demand, the report provides invaluable insights into future uses for gas in the state. Based on assumptions The findings from the study depend on several critical assumptions about the future and the study assumed that by 2015: * An Alaska natural gas pipeline will be built from the North Slope to the Lower 48, following the route of the Alaska Highway into Canada. * A spur gas line will be built connecting the Alaska Natural gas pipeline to the existing natural gas infrastructure in Southcentral Alaska. That spur line may follow the Parks Highway from Fairbanks or go through Glennallen to follow the Glenn Highway to Wasilla. (The study also examined the economic viability of building a spur line.) * Gas supplies from known gas reserves in Cook Inlet gas field will continue (the study did not take into account the discovery of additional reserves). * Lower 48 gas and crude oil prices will follow forecasts published by the DOE Energy Information Administration in 2005. * North Slope gas (including NGLs) will be sold at Lower 48 prices, less the tariff for shipping on the Alaska natural gas pipeline. * The price of natural gas delivered to Southcentral Alaska will be the North Slope gas price plus the tariffs for the use of the spur gas line and the relevant portion of the North Slope gas line. * Gas for use in Fairbanks will not pass though the spur line and will require a separate offtake point from the North Slope gas line. * Any future new petrochemical industry will be located in Southcentral Alaska rather than Fairbanks, because of lower operational and capital costs, and the proximity to export terminals and trading routes. Gas prices tied to Lower 48 The study assumptions lead to the conclusion that the base price of gas delivered to Southcentral Alaska after the year 2015 will be tied to natural gas prices in the Lower 48. Specifically, the study anticipates that the Southcentral price will equal the Lower 48 price less some component of the Lower 48 tariff for the North Slope gas line plus the tariff for the spur line. Gas shippers would be unwilling to sell gas in Southcentral below that base price, because they would then undercut their Lower 48 pricing. Conversely, if that base price is higher than the maximum price that a gas-based industrial user in Southcentral requires for viable operation, that industrial user will cease operations or seek alternative sources of feedstock. And if the base price for natural gas exceeds the equivalent cost of other forms of energy (coal, for example), an energy user will switch to that alternative source. By using the Energy Information Administration's forecast of future gas prices coupled with estimated gas line tariffs the study team derived a Southcentral Alaska base gas price ranging from $4.14 to $5.145 per million British thermal units (1 million British thermal units are roughly equivalent to 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas). The study also considered a high gas price range case of about $6 to $7 per million British thermal units and a low gas price range case of about $2 to $3 per million British thermal units for gas delivered to Southcentral Alaska. All prices and calculations used 2005 dollars. The Southcentral gas price would track slightly lower than the Lower 48 price because the combined pipeline tariffs for delivery to Southcentral should be less than the tariff for Lower 48 delivery. That price differential with the Lower 48 might have some impact on gas exploration in the Cook Inlet area, because the lower price in the Cook Inlet might deter exploration investment in the Cook Inlet rather than elsewhere. On the other hand, a gas pipeline linkage between the Cook Inlet and the Lower 48 could also open up Lower 48 markets for Cook Inlet gas. Types of demand So, if we assume a supply price in the range of $4 to $5 per million British thermal units during the first few years of spur line operation, what might gas demand in Alaska look like? The study considered five major, potential users of dry natural gas in the region (dry gas consists of almost pure methane, as distinct from wet gas that includes natural gas liquids such as propane and butane): * residential and commercial users of gas for heating and cooking; * electrical power generation; * LNG production, as at the current LNG plant at Nikiski on the Kenai Peninsula; * ammonia and urea production, as at Agrium's Nikiski fertilizer plant; * a gas-to-liquids plant (abbreviated to GTL), for converting methane into something similar to diesel fuel. The study also considers the industrial use of wet gas for: * a petrochemical plant manufacturing materials such as polyethylene and monoethylene glycol for export from Alaska; * a liquid petroleum gas plant producing LPG for use in Alaska and for export. Residential and commercial use In calculating future residential and commercial demand the SAIC consultants used current population levels and projected population growth in both Southcentral Alaska and central Alaska. The consultants used historic Alaska gas demand/price sensitivity data to project future demand from existing gas users, and used Enstar Natural Gas Co.'s projections for demand from new gas customers (the projections take into account gas price levels that would motivate people to convert to gas from alternative fuels). Enstar is the main gas utility in Southcentral Alaska. Gas price levels would impact demand. But, because the price of natural gas delivered through a spur line is likely to remain below the price of heating oil, natural gas demand for residential and commercial use is likely to remain high. In fact the consultants forecast residential and commercial demand to increase from a current level of 96 million cubic feet per day to 118 million cubic feet per day by 2015 and 148 million cubic feet per day by 2035. Power generation The study found that natural gas is likely to continue to be the main source of energy for electricity power generation in Southcentral Alaska. However, if natural gas prices rise towards the top gas price case, coal would likely displace gas for electricity generation. However, the report comments that a linkage in gas pricing between Alaska and the Lower 48 might make competing fuels more attractive. Coal prices in Alaska, for example, might not increase much relative to gas because of the isolated location of the state. On the other hand, building a new coal plant involves major capital cost. The study concluded that increasing demands for electricity are likely to drive a significantly increased demand for natural gas, with a current demand level of 93 million cubic feet per day growing to 148 million cubic feet per day by 2035. Industrial demand for dry gas The SAIC consultants analyzed the potential natural gas demand by an LNG plant, an ammonia/urea plant or a GTL plant by calculating the maximum price that each of these facilities could afford to pay for gas while remaining economically viable in world markets for the plant products. The calculations involved deriving "netback" product prices, by subtracting from future projections of world product prices the production and transportation costs for the products. The consultants obtained the following results: * The current Nikiski LNG plant would require gas at or below $3.20 per million British thermal units, thus rendering it uneconomic under most price scenarios for spur line-delivered natural gas. * The Nikiski ammonia/urea plant would require gas at or below $2.79 per million British thermal units, likely making that plant uneconomic. * A GTL plant would require a gas price at or below about $3.20 per million British thermal units, a price level that again looks uneconomic. But what about industrial plants that use wet gas? A world-class petrochemical plant in Southcentral Alaska would become viable at gas prices at or below $4.60 per British thermal unit, while an LPG plant would require a price at or below $4.20, the study found. So, both of these types of plant look marginally economic. The consultants did include within their analysis smaller scale industrial uses, such as the use of gas for electricity generation for the proposed Pebble mine near Iliamna. However, they found that this type of industrial application did not increase the gas demand significantly. Spur pipeline options The results of the analysis of future gas demand led to four possible gas spur line scenarios. But the consultants found only one scenario that clearly appeared viable under the base assumptions for future natural gas pricing and other factors. That scenario consisted of a 350 million-cubic feet per day pipeline delivering dry gas. That type of pipeline would support just the Southcentral commercial and residential gas demand and the demand for electricity generation, it being assumed that the gas delivered from the North Slope would be too expensive for large-scale gas-based industries. The spur gas line capacity for this scenario assumed the availability of 80 million cubic feet per day from Southcentral gas storage facilities to meet peak winter demand. A second scenario would consist of a 590 million-cubic feet per day spur line that has the capability of carrying wet gas. In addition to the dry gas supplies of the first scenario, this larger spur line would deliver 75,000 barrels per day of ethane to a petrochemical plant, 63,000 barrels per day of butane and propane to an LPG plant and 15,000 barrels per day of pentane for gasoline blending. The scenario appears viable using base prices but suffers from complications such as the construction and operation of the wet gas pipeline (including a plant to separate NGLs from the products flowing down the Alaska natural gas pipeline); competition from the Alberta petrochemical industry; and uncertainty regarding long-term product pricing. Another spur line scenario would be a 1 billion cubic feet per day line delivering just dry gas. This would support the same gas users as the first scenario but would also supply 212 million cubic feet of gas per day for the Nikiski LNG plant and 480 million cubic feet of gas per day for a GTL complex. Uncertainties regarding the continuing operation of the LNG plant, uncertainties regarding the capital cost of a GTL plant and uncertainties about the future value of GTL combine to make the viability of this scenario less probable than that of the second scenario. The fourth scenario would be a 1.3 billion cubic feet per day spur line that can carry wet gas. This pipeline could supply natural gas and NGLs for all of the demand components included in the first three scenarios. But the combination of unfavorable economic factors that affect the second and third scenarios makes this fourth option the least likely scenario to be viable. The report also says that the large drawdown in natural gas or NGL from the Alaska natural gas pipeline, were the 1 billion or 1.3 billion cubic feet per day options to be implemented, would adversely impact the economics of the Alaska natural gas pipeline -- that impact would be another factor to be taken into account in assessing spur line viability. The report also points out that the study's assessment of industrial processes such as LNG and GTL production assumed the use of current technologies and associated cost profiles. Advances in technology might improve the economics. The report is available at the Kenai Peninsula Borough's Cook Inlet oil and gas web site at http://www.cookinletoilandgas.org/. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Tue Jun 27 01:51:50 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 21:51:50 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] Scientists accurately simulate appearance of sun's corona during eclipse Message-ID: <20060626214833.U89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 26 June 2006 ; EerekAlert (National Science Foundation) Scientists accurately simulate appearance of sun's corona during eclipse http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-06/nsf-sas062606.php --- Result heralds new era in space weather prediction The most true-to-life computer simulation ever made of our sun's multimillion-degree outer atmosphere, the corona, successfully predicted its actual appearance during the March 29, 2006, solar eclipse, scientists have announced. The research, funded by NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF), marks the beginning of a new era in space weather prediction. The results are presented today at the American Astronomical Society (AAS)'s Solar Physics Division meeting in Durham, N.H. "This confirms that computer models can describe the physics of the solar corona," said Zoran Mikic of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), San Diego, Calif. The turbulent corona is threaded with magnetic fields generated beneath the visible solar surface. The evolution of these magnetic fields causes violent eruptions and solar storms originating in the corona. Like a rubber band that's been twisted too tightly, solar magnetic fields suddenly snap to a new shape while blasting billions of tons of plasma into space, at millions of miles per hour, in what scientists call a coronal mass ejection (CME). Or the magnetic field explodes as a solar flare with the force of up to a billion 1-megaton nuclear bombs. When directed at Earth, solar flares and CMEs can disrupt satellites, communications and power systems. "Finding out that a hurricane is bearing down on you isn't much good if the warning only gives you an hour to prepare," said Paul Bellaire, program director in NSF's Division of Atmospheric Sciences, which funded the research. "That's the situation we're in now with space weather. Being able to determine the structure of the solar wind at its source -- the sun -- will give us the lead time we need to make space weather predictions truly useful." By accurately simulating the behavior of the corona, scientists hope to predict when it will produce flares and CMEs, the same way the National Weather Service uses computer simulations of Earth's atmosphere to predict when it will produce thunderstorms or hurricanes. The computer model was based on spacecraft observations of magnetic activity on the sun's surface, which affects and shapes the corona above it. The SAIC team released simulated "photographs" of the March 29 eclipse 13 days and again 5 days before the eclipse. During a total solar eclipse, the moon blocks direct light coming from the sun, so the much fainter corona is visible, resembling a white, lacy veil surrounding the black disk of the moon. That is the only time the corona is visible from Earth without special instruments. Because the corona is always changing, each eclipse looks different. The simulated photographs closely resembled actual photos of the eclipse, "providing reassurance that the model may be able to predict space weather events," said Mikic. Previous simulations were based on simplified models, so the calculations could be completed in a reasonable time by computers available then. The new simulation is the first to base its calculations on the physics of how energy is transferred in the corona. Even with today's powerful computers, the calculations required four days to complete on about 700 computer processors. --- The scientific team includes Mikic, Jon Linker, Pete Riley, Roberto Lionello, and Viacheslav Titov, all of SAIC. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Tue Jun 27 22:30:20 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2006 18:30:20 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] Model Predicts Appearance Of Sun's Corona Message-ID: <20060627183003.N89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 27 June 2006 ; Space.com Model Predicts Appearance Of Sun's Corona http://www.space.com/imageoftheday/image_of_day_060627.html --- Image of the Day http://www.space.com/images/060627_sun_corona_04.jpg Scientists successfully predicted the appearance of the sun's scorching outer atmosphere, called the corona, during a recent eclipse using a computer model that simulates solar physics. The corona appears as a luminous halo around the sun that can be seen during eclipses like the one that occurred on March 29, 2006 when the main body of the sun is blotted out. The corona is threaded with magnetic fields generated beneath the sun's surface.The movement of these magnetic fields around the sun causes violent eruptions, called coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, and solar storms that can disrupt satellites, communications and power systems on Earth. By accurately simulating the behavior of the corona, scientists hope to predict when it will produce flares and CMEs, the same way the National Weather Service uses computer simulations of Earth's atmosphere to predict when it will produce thunderstorms or hurricanes. The research was conducted by scientists at the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in California and the findings were announced yesterday at the 2006 American Astronomical Society (AAS)'s Solar Physics Division meeting. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Wed Jun 28 13:40:36 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2006 09:40:36 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] Agents Seize Cocaine Worth $4.3 Million Hidden in Tractor-trailer Cab Message-ID: <20060628094026.T89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 28 June 2006 ; New York Jewish Times Agents Seize Cocaine Worth $4.3 Million Hidden in Tractor-trailer Cab http://nyjtimes.com/cover/06-27-06/AgentsSeizeCocaineWorth$4MilTractorTrailer.htm --- MCALLEN, Texas (ICE) -- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents seized 153.6 kilograms of cocaine stashed inside the sleeper compartment of a semi truck cab. Hidalgo County Sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop on a tractor-trailer rig on highway 281. Shortly after the stop, the driver granted consent for a search. The rig was taken to the Hidalgo Port of Entry, where Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers checked it using the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System (VACIS). CBP uses VACIS to identify concealed narcotics and illegal immigrants. Results from the check indicated an abnormal area in the floor of the sleeper section of the cab, and a subsequent search revealed a compartment containing 140 bundles of cocaine with an estimated street value of $4.3 million. The cocaine and tractor-trailer were turned over McAllen ICE agents for further investigation. ICE agents also seized more than 4,350 pounds of marijuana and more than 1,000 pounds of cocaine at a Falcon Dam residence. The drugs are valued at over $36 million. "These are significant seizures," said Alonzo Pena, special agent-in-charge for the ICE office in San Antonio. "They demonstrate ICE's commitment to identify and close vulnerabilities in our nation's borders. We will not stand by as criminal organizations attempt to poison the United States with illicit drugs." ICE encourages the reporting of suspicious criminal activity related to drugs or the smuggling of illegal aliens to call its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. Investigators staff this hotline around the clock. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Wed Jun 28 13:42:11 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2006 09:42:11 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] Lucent wins multi-billion-dollar US Army contract Message-ID: <20060628094156.X89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 28 June 2006 ; Telecom Asia Daily Lucent wins multi-billion-dollar US Army contract http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=340426 --- (Associated Press via NewsEdge) The US Army named Lucent Technologies as prime contractor on a multibillion-dollar communications modernization project that might need to be handled by an independent subsidiary once Lucent merges with Alcatel of France. There are ten prime contractors on the project, which is worth up to $4 billion in total. The other prime contractors are AT&T, Avaya, Bechtel, Engineering and Professional Services, Federal Network Systems, General Dynamics, NextiraOne, Science Applications International, and Siemens. Lucent will engineer, furnish and install a multi-vendor communications system at US Army installations around the world. The contract carries a five-year base with a five-year option. Alcatel and Lucent announced plans to merge in April with a stock swap then worth $13.4 billion, but now valued at less than $11 billion due to a drop in Alcatel's share price. The companies have sought to placate US and French government security concerns by spinning off their sensitive military technologies to independently supervised subsidiaries. However, it was unclear whether the new Army contract would need to be handled by that subsidiary. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Wed Jun 28 13:43:57 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2006 09:43:57 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] CombiMatrix to Present at the Asian-European Conference on Avian Influenza 2006 Message-ID: <20060628094228.J89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 28 June 2006 ; Genetic Engineering News CombiMatrix to Present at the Asian-European Conference on Avian Influenza 2006 http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=2970308 --- (BIOWIRE) Acacia Research Corporation (Nasdaq:CBMX)(Nasdaq:ACTG) announced today that its CombiMatrix group will present an overview of its Influenza Array and Electrochemical Influenza Surveillance Technology at the Asian-European Conference on Avian Influenza 2006 to be held on June 29-30, 2006 at the Pasteur Institute, Paris, France. CombiMatrix will discuss how this system can be utilized to monitor the geographic movement of the virus, as well as the genetic drift of the virus as it continues to mutate. Also included in the discussion will be the capability of the system to help stratify human patients should the need arise. If a pandemic occurs, it is anticipated that potential therapies will be in short supply, and many may have unwanted side effects. Under such a situation, physicians will want to only prescribe such therapies to patients infected with the lethal virus, as opposed to the seasonal influenzas. CombiMatrix's system is designed to specifically serotype the infectious agent, and thus can identify individuals infected with the highly pathogenic Eurasian H5N1 strain. CombiMatrix's Influenza A Typing Microarray is a component of the company's Electrochemical Influenza Surveillance System. This system is being utilized under the U.S. National Early Detection System for Avian Influenza, directed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior, and the Department of Health and Human Services in collaboration with State regulatory agencies. It is also being utilized in a collaborative effort with EAI Corporation, a subsidiary of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), for in-field analysis. Funding for this program comes from Center for Innovative Technology/Institute for Defense and Homeland Security. The Asian-European Conference on Avian Influenza 2006 goal is to bring together world specialists in order to discuss the latest advances on Avian Influenza, especially on new therapeutic targets for treatment and prevention in humans, and the strategies to avoid a human pandemic. A special session will be reserved to discuss the management of a catastrophic scenario in the case of a pandemic outbreak. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Fri Jun 30 01:07:12 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2006 21:07:12 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] SAIC Captures Top Honors at the 2006 Telly Awards Message-ID: <20060629210703.X89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 29 June 2006 ; PRNewswire SAIC Captures Top Honors at the 2006 Telly Awards http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-29-2006/0004389703 --- SAN DIEGO and MCLEAN, Va., June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) today announced that the company has won three 2006 Telly Awards, including a Silver Telly, the highest honor awarded. The Telly Awards are the premier awards for television, film and video honoring outstanding production companies, advertising agencies, television stations and corporate video departments. The competition receives over 10,000 entries each year. Past winners include PBS, Sony BMG, J. Walter Thompson and The Walt Disney Studios. SAIC received the Silver Telly for a 12-minute video on the company's extraordinary response in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The video detailed the company's mobilization of a rapid response team to ensure that SAIC employees and customers in the Gulf Coast received the support they required immediately following one of the nation's worst natural disasters in history. "I'm extremely proud of the accomplishments of our corporate video team," said Arnold Punaro, SAIC executive vice president for Government Affairs, Communications and Support Operations. "SAIC's Corporate Creative Services team did a stellar job in telling the SAIC story. I am especially pleased with their work in highlighting the company's support for SAIC families and customers affected by Hurricane Katrina." SAIC also won two Bronze Telly awards for outstanding achievement -- one for a 4-minute version of the Katrina video and one for "SAIC: From Science to Solutions," which provides an overview of the company's key business areas by showcasing SAIC scientists, engineers and managers at work. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Fri Jun 30 22:40:00 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 18:40:00 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] New NOAA Tsunameter Buoys System Will Use Iridium Satellite Links to Transmit Data Message-ID: <20060630183950.S89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 30 June 2006 ; Yahoo (PR Newswire) New NOAA Tsunameter Buoys System Will Use Iridium Satellite Links to Transmit Data http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060630/dcf035.html?.v=48 --- BETHESDA, Md., June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Iridium is providing satellite data links for a new system of 31 ocean buoys that the U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Data Center is deploying. The NOAA ocean buoy system detects and monitors tsunami waves in the open ocean. This new, second-generation Deep Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART II) system consists of pressure-sensitive tsunameters on the seafloor, and buoys on the ocean surface. The buoys are equipped with an acoustic modem that receives data from the tsunameter sensors and a small data modem to transmit the pressure measurements. The Iridium constellation of 66 low-earth orbiting (LEO) satellites transmits the pressure measurements to NOAA warning centers. Using this data, scientists can issue appropriate warnings to areas that may be affected. Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) is conducting testing and field service in the Pacific Ocean on the $37.5 million DART II system. NAL Research, an Iridium value-added manufacturer, is supplying the ruggedized Iridium data modems for the buoys. "The DART II technology will make it easier and faster for warning centers to alert coastal areas in time to evacuate residents quickly," said Jack Rowley, SAIC DART manager. "The implications for saving lives are tremendous." "The original DART I system, deployed in the late 1990s, used a high-power geostationary satellite for the data links, but the satellite's footprint limited its coverage to about a third of the Earth's surface," said Dr. Ngoc Hoang, president of NAL Research. "The DART II buoys, using Iridium technology, will provide complete global coverage." The Iridium data link supports two-way data communications, permitting technicians at the warning centers to request tsunameter data from any specific buoy. For instance, the warning center may ask one or more buoys to transmit updates at a faster rate to improve real-time monitoring of a special area of interest. "The DART II tsunami warning system is a perfect example of how Iridium's global satellite coverage and robust data links can provide vital public safety communications anywhere in the world -- even in the middle of the ocean," said Greg Ewert, executive vice president, Iridium Satellite. "Enhancing our system with global monitoring capabilities supports our effort to facilitate widespread deployment of similar systems around the world," said Kathleen O'Neil, chief of operations branch, NOAA. "Other governments and agencies may be interested in building this tsunami detection capability in their own regions." About NAL Research NAL Research (http://www.nalresearch.com) is an independent, privately held company headquartered in the Northern Virginia metropolitan area. The company provides advanced Iridium satellite modems and tracking terminals for the defense, research and commercial sectors. NAL Research products are used globally in a wide range of applications, including asset tracking, search and rescue, remote sensing and command/control of both ground and airborne platforms. NAL offers every phase of engineering services, from conceptual design to final production. About NOAA The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, (http://www.noaa.gov) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce and is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal and marine resources. About SAIC Science Applications International Corporation, or SAIC, (http://www.saic.com) is the largest employee-owned research and engineering company in the United States, providing information technology, systems integration and eSolutions to commercial and government customers. From science to solutions, SAIC engineers and scientists work to solve complex technical problems in national and homeland security, energy, the environment, space, telecommunications, health care and logistics. With annual revenues of $7.2 billion, SAIC and its subsidiaries have more than 42,000 employees at offices in more than 150 cities worldwide. About Iridium Satellite Iridium Satellite LLC (http://www.iridium.com) is the only provider of truly global satellite voice and data solutions with complete coverage of the earth (including oceans, airways and Polar Regions). Iridium delivers essential communications services to and from remote areas where no other form of communication is available. The Iridium constellation consists of 66 LEO, cross-linked satellites and has multiple in-orbit spares. The constellation operates as a fully meshed network and is the largest commercial satellite constellation in the world. The Iridium service is ideally suited for industries such as maritime, aviation, government/military, emergency/humanitarian services, mining, forestry, oil and gas, heavy equipment, transportation and utilities. Iridium provides service to the U.S. Department of Defense. The company also designs, builds and sells its services, products and solutions through a worldwide network of more than 100 partners. From saic at vision.moundalexis.com Fri Jun 30 22:42:00 2006 From: saic at vision.moundalexis.com (Daily SAIC News) Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 18:42:00 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [saic] Solar Corona Models May Aid Space Weather Prediction Message-ID: <20060630184056.G89699-100000@vision.moundalexis.com> 30 June 2006 ; Photonics.com Solar Corona Models May Aid Space Weather Prediction http://www.photonics.com/content/news/2006/June/30/83231.aspx --- WASHINGTON, D.C., June 30, 2006 -- A true-to-life computer simulation of the sun's multimillion-degree outer atmosphere, the corona, was successfully created during the March 29, 2006, solar eclipse. The research will help improve predictions of weather events in space, such as solar winds and flares, the scientists involved said. The results of the research, funded by NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF), were presented this week at the American Astronomical Society's Solar Physics Div. meeting in Durham, N.H. "This confirms that computer models can describe the physics of the solar corona," said Zoran Mikic of San Diego-based Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC). The turbulent corona is threaded with magnetic fields generated beneath the visible solar surface. The evolution of these magnetic fields causes violent eruptions and solar storms originating in the corona. Like a rubber band that's been twisted too tightly, solar magnetic fields suddenly snap to a new shape while blasting billions of tons of plasma into space, at millions of miles per hour, in what scientists call a coronal mass ejection (CME). Sometimes the magnetic field explodes as a solar flare with the force of up to a billion 1-megaton nuclear bombs. When directed at Earth, solar flares and CMEs can disrupt satellites, communications and power systems. "Finding out that a hurricane is bearing down on you isn't much good if the warning only gives you an hour to prepare," said Paul Bellaire, program director in NSF's atmospheric sciences division, which funded the research. "That's the situation we're in now with space weather. Being able to determine the structure of the solar wind at its source -- the sun -- will give us the lead time we need to make space weather predictions truly useful." By accurately simulating the behavior of the corona, scientists hope to predict when it will produce flares and CMEs, the same way the National Weather Service uses computer simulations of Earth's atmosphere to predict when it will produce thunderstorms or hurricanes. The computer model was based on spacecraft observations of magnetic activity on the sun's surface, which affects and shapes the corona above it. The SAIC team released simulated "photographs" of the March 29 eclipse 13 days -- and again five days -- before the eclipse. During a total solar eclipse, the moon blocks direct light coming from the sun, so the much fainter corona is visible, resembling a white, lacy veil surrounding the black disk of the moon. That is the only time the corona is visible from Earth without special instruments. Because the corona is always changing, each eclipse looks different. The simulated photographs closely resembled actual photos of the eclipse, "providing reassurance that the model may be able to predict space weather events," said Mikic. Previous simulations were based on simplified models, so the calculations could be completed in a reasonable time by computers available then. The new simulation is the first to base its calculations on the physics of how energy is transferred in the corona. Even with today's powerful computers, the calculations required four days to complete on about 700 computer processors. The scientific team includes Mikic, Jon Linker, Pete Riley, Roberto Lionello, and Viacheslav Titov, all of SAIC. For more information, visit: www.nsf.gov/news/