MAIN HEADLINES FROM THIS ISSUE:

• Annual Report to Congress on the Impact of Offsets in Defence Trade shows more offset agreements with more countries than ever

  The 17th Annual Report to Congress on the Impact of Offsets in Defence Trade shows an astonishing rebound in the number of offset agreements signed with U.S. defence contractors in 2011. In spite of the restrictions in place with the European Community, the report also records the highest number of countries involved in offsets.

• “Algeria is forming a defence offset policy”

  Unconfirmed reports suggest that Algeria is in the process of forming a defence offset policy. The objective is to increase the country’s indigenous manufacturing capability.

• Canada’s military spending must create economic opportunities

  The Canadian government in its federal budget plans endorses a report that urged the government to use the hundreds of billions of dollars of projected military spending for a job-creation strategy for the Canadian defence industry.

• Have China’s technology transfer demands scared off Russia from deal of the decade?

  China’s new leadership has agreed to buy 24 Su-35 fighter jets and four submarines from Moscow, China’s state media said. But the Russian media has denied the purchase, saying no agreement had been reached…..

• GOCA conference may have to have breakout sessions

  GOCA’s ‘Spring Industrial Partnership Conference’ at Boca Raton, Florida, looks set to break new ground with presentations on at least seventeen countries. So great is the number of presentations that breakout sessions will be used to accommodate them all within the time available.