Private armies got a whole lot stronger last week, with the announcement that the Department of Defense has awarded Blackwater, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin Co., Northrop Grumman Corp., Arinc Inc., a $15 billion contract to fight "narcoterrorism".
A press release from the Raython corporation asserts that the contract gives corporations providing support in the areas of "technology development and application; training, operations and logistics support; and professional and executive support" with an annual military budget larger than more than 70 countries, including Switzerland, Venezuela, Iraq, and Kuwait.
The $15 billion does not include current contracts for military services in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 60 private security firms currently have contracts, according to GAO reports
According to press reports, contractors will provide services in support of missions, including:
intelligence, medical, logistics, canine services, surveillance, counter-surveillance, aerial over-watch, security advisory, etc.
According to the associated Press, there are now more than 180,000 private army contractors and subcontractors working in Iraq -- a number that exceeds the total US military presence in the war-torn nation.