Plum City – (AbelDanger.net). United States Marine Field McConnell has linked the Clinton administration's outsourcing of Defense Red Switch Network and FAA Contract Towers operations to Serco in 1994, to the 370 Catastrophe Bond (a.k.a. 370 Cat Bond), allegedly triggered after Serco air traffic control agents had switched the Boeing Uninterruptible Pilot on MH Flight 370 over to GLONASS timing signals in support of a March 8 CAT IIIc landing at a suitably-equipped AFB (Air Force Base).
McConnell notes that such a Red Switch Contract Towers operation to trigger the 370 Cat Bond would require the synchronization of patented devices from different companies (e.g. Boeing, Honeywell and Inmarsat) to guide, control and track the hijacked aircraft and he is therefore totally un-surprised that Serco agents also operate the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Boeing HQ C4I facility in Chicago and the UK's NPL cesium clock!
Prequel 1:
#1991: Marine in a Voice370 Video: ATC Serco’s Cat Bond Trackers, AFB Boeing CAT IIIc
“Serco to pay back £69m over fraudulent tagging contracts
OLIVER WRIGHT
WHITEHALL EDITOR
Thursday 19 December 2013
More than two-thirds of Government contracts held by the controversial outsourcing giants Serco and G4S are open to fraud and error, ministers have admitted.
An official investigation into £5.9bn of outsourcing contracts held by the firms found evidence on Thursday of "inconsistent management" in 22 out of the 28 deals across eight Government departments and agencies. In the majority of the contracts, the review found that there were "key deficiencies" in invoice and payment processes that could lead to overcharging.
The review was ordered in the wake of the scandal involving Serco and G4S's tagging contracts.
Serco on Thursday agreed to repay the Government £68.5m. The scandal concerned the Ministry of Justice being charged for tagging people who were found to be dead, back in prison or overseas. Both Serco and G4S are currently being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office.
It was those disclosures earlier this year that sparked the review of all contracts held by both companies. It found that in 17 of the contracts, the civil servants in charge of them did not have the "knowledge and capacity required to ensure the contract is being delivered effectively".
It also ordered further investigation into several "Work Programme" contracts where "the possibility of errors or irregularities and their impact was potentially more significant".
Bill Crothers, chief procurement officer for the Government, who led the review, said it was clear the Civil Service needed more skills to ensure value for money in such contacts. "We need the very best commercial skills to be able to make the most of these opportunities, and we know that these skills are not yet strong enough across Government," he said.
In a separate report, the Justice Secretary, Chris Grayling, said that problems with two further contracts held by G4S, for facilities management in the courts, has been uncovered. These related to invoicing, delivery and performance reporting and have been referred to the SFO.
Serco also agreed to repay £2m to the MoJ following the discovery that members of Serco staff had been recording prisoners as having been delivered to court when they had not.
As a result, Mr Grayling said, both G4S and Serco have decided to withdraw from the MoJ competition for rehabilitation services.
Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said this was a welcome development: "Given the abject failure of the ministry to look after taxpayers' money when managing contracts, this must surely be the death-knell for the Government's dangerous gamble with justice privatization."
“New military hotline [operated by Serco] directly links top brass to U.S.
Canada is installing a hotline that will allow military brass and politicians to talk with their American counterparts during a time of war or in any other crisis.
BY THE OTTAWA CITIZEN JANUARY 14, 2006
Canada is installing a hotline that will allow military brass and politicians to talk with their American counterparts during a time of war or in any other crisis.
About $20 million is being spent on what is called the Defence Red Switch Network. The communications system is already running in some locations, including the defence minister's office and other undisclosed sites for the military's senior leadership. The system will provide a link for the Canadian government to various U.S. military headquarters as well as the North American Aerospace Defence Command, the joint U.S.-Canada alliance that monitors air and space approaches to the continent.
After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, there was criticism that senior Canadian officials, including then-prime minister Jean Chretien, were out of the communications loop during the initial stages of the terrorist strike.
The Citizen obtained documents on the red switch network under the access to information law, but Defence Department officials censored almost all details. They claimed releasing the material would be "injurious" to the defense of Canada, its international relations, as well as the detection of subversive or hostile activities.
The newspaper, however, found the details of the supposedly secret network, including its cost to taxpayers, on the department's own public webpage. Details of a similar system that would allow U.S. President George W. Bush to communicate with his top level commanders was also on a Pentagon webpage.
Canadian military officials were not available to explain why information about the network is considered secret when such details have already been put out in the public domain by both the U.S. and Canada.
The red switch network is considered secure, meaning that it has technology to prevent its transmissions from being monitored or intercepted [Except for the Heartbleed bug]. Presumably the Canadian system can link up with the president's network.
Martin Shadwick, a strategic studies professor with York University, said such a system makes sense in that Canada and the U.S. share a common goal in protecting North America. He noted that similar communications systems existed during the Cold War.
But analyst Steve Staples said the hotline is another example of the growing integration of the U.S. and Canadian militaries and the increased involvement of the Canadian Forces in American-led operations. "This system just allows the Canadian military and government leaders to get their orders from Washington more quickly," said Mr. Staples, an analyst with the Ottawa-based Polaris Institute.
The Citizen requested information on the red switch network almost four weeks ago, but military officials have not been available to comment.
But according to the Defence webpage, the network "allows access to the U.S. system (Forces wide) and will enhance north/south and internal connectivity -- particularly during times of crisis."
According to a Pentagon site, the network provides the president, secretary of defence, joint chiefs of staff, combatant commanders and selected agencies with secure voice communications up to the top secret level. The system is for use during war and other emergencies. Other U.S. defence and federal government agencies can access the network if they have approval from the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, according to the site. The website also includes a [Serco!] phone number that U.S. government officials can call to request entry to the network.
Mr. Staples said the level of secrecy in Canada surrounding the network is disturbing. "I think the Defence Department is worried that Canadians are going to realize the extent our military is being integrated into the U.S. system," he added.
Critics have warned about a new wave of secrecy at the Defence Department. Officials there are censoring information in official documents released to the public even though the same material is already available on government Internet sites. Some critics say this blanket of secrecy raises questions about government accountability and openness. Last week, the Citizen reported the Defence Department is withholding information about the Pentagon's missile shield that is already on the U.S. government's websites, while at the same time claiming the security of Canada could be harmed if the names of senior American officers treated to a taxpayer-financed reception more than a year ago are released.
In addition, the newspaper obtained two missile shield briefing notes sent to Defence Minister Bill Graham. The department had originally told both the newspaper and an investigator with the Office of the Information Commissioner that those records, one of which discusses U.S. efforts to develop space weapons, never existed.
© © CanWest MediaWorks Publications Inc.”
“Wattisham: Serco wins new Joint Helicopter Command contract at air station
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
3:29 PM
Serco has secured a new three-year contract with the Ministry of Defence to provide a range of manpower services to the Joint Helicopter Command at Wattisham Air Station.
The contract, valued at £400,000 per year, will see Serco continue to operate at the base, near Needham Market, where it has supported Army aviation since 1995.
Serco provides a range of services at the station, from quality assurance and health and safety management to motor transport vehicle servicing and administration.
The company’s nine-strong team is fully integrated into 7 Air Assault Battalion REME and works in partnership with the Army to maintain the UK’s Apache helicopter force.
Serco director Stephen Lagadu said: “We are delighted that we have been awarded a new contract at Wattisham Air Station.
“We had a strong bid, a first class bid team and a fantastic team of committed and dedicated people who understand the job and have worked hard to deliver a high quality, efficient and innovative service.
“We look forward to continuing to work with 7 Air Assault Battalion REME at Wattisham Flying Station and being an integral part of Army aviation.”
“Catastrophe bonds (also known as cat bonds) are risk-linked securities that transfer a specified set of risks from a sponsor to investors. They were created and first used in the mid-1990s in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew and the Northridge earthquake.”
Yours sincerely,
Field McConnell, United States Naval Academy, 1971; Forensic Economist; 30 year airline and 22 year military pilot; 23,000 hours of safety; Tel: 715 307 8222
David Hawkins Tel: 604 542-0891 Forensic Economist; former leader of oil-well blowA-out teams; now sponsors Grand Juries in CSI Crime and Safety Investigation
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