Sep 10, 2008 11:32 UTC
Dutch F-16B
In April 2006, our Benelux subscriber David Vandenberghe lets us know that the Gazet van Antwerpen is reporting that Jordan is acquiring surplus F-16 A/B fighters which underwent the MLU (mid-life upgrade). DID noted in November 2005 that Jordan had already acquired 3 two-seater F-16Bs from the Netherlands for training purposes. To date, Jordan has received a total of 35 F-16s from the US and Dutch governments (16+17+3).
The Netherlands MvD and Belgian Ministries of Defence later confirmed the sale, signing a declaration of intent (in Amman) to sell surplus F-16 MLU aircraft: official Dutch reports listed 5 single seat F-16AM and 3 dual seat F-16BM’s from the Dutch inventory (108 aircraft remaining operational), while official Belgian reports would later claim 6 Dutch aircraft and 14 Belgian Air Force F-16 MLUs (12 F-16AM, 2 F-16BM).
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Sep 10, 2008 09:40 UTC
Sept 11, 2001
General Dynamics Network Systems in Needham, MA received a $6 million firm/fixed price contract for continuing efforts to survey, plan, design, install, and implement the Information Technology Systems and Infrastructure (ITS&I) for wedge 2-5 tenants as part of an ongoing modernization of the Pentagon IT infrastructure. Work will be performed in Arlington, VA with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/10. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. by the Pentagon Renovation & Construction Program Office in Arlington VA (MDA947-98-C-2002).
Each side of the Pentagon has multiple layers of buildings in it, and so each set of layers on a side are referred to as a wedge. Seven years ago, on Sept 11/01, American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon by al-Qaeda, doing extensive damage to wedges 1 and 2. A $2.1 billion renovation of the 60-year-old Pentagon had been underway since 1993, and Wedge 1 was just 5 days away from completion. Those renovations had to start all over again; fortunately the ‘new’ Wedge 1 had a number of safety improvements made that saved lives. One improvement was a new sprinkler system, which put out the Wedge 1 fires in a matter of hours. Wedge 2, with no sprinklers, burned for more than 2 days.
See the Pentagon’s 9/11 memorial web site; a new physical memorial on the grounds will be opened to the public for the first time between 7:00-9:00 am on Sept 11/08. See also Popular Mechanics excellent engineering analysis: Debunking 9/11 Myths: Why Conspiracy Theories Can’t Stand up to the Facts | Book site, incl. reviews and ongoing coverage.