Main headlines from this issue

Mexico committed to introducing formal offset guidelines – aspects revealed

Mexico is well on the way towards developing formal offset guidelines. Congressional approval is expected by April 2012. The policy aims to bring technology transfers and employment mostly for Mexico’s aerospace sector, with the slack taken up by commercial projects.

South Africa: “DTI granted Ferrostaal multiplier of 100”

South Africa’s Sunday Independent has ignited a new firestorm over the German Submarine Consortium’s offset program……

Leading personalities call for Australia to replace Industry Capability Program with an offset policy

Two leading Australian academics and the head of a defence trade association have called for the government to consider re-introducing an offset policy to encourage the development of SMEs and the capture of manufacturing skills.

Wikipedia gets offset all wrong —“if you’re not writing it, who is?”

Much of the fourteen pages of explanation on the site is old, inaccurate and over-stated…… Boles and Hyman took the middle road, a stab at humour followed by an attempt to bring the explanations back into focus.

Risk assessment worries Russia as it extends Venezuela $4bn credit line

Russia has agreed to extend a $4bn credit line to Venezuela through 2013 for defence spending in return for gaining access to heavy crude oil and offshore gas fields, according to President Hugo Chavez.