* The Department of Defense (DoD) announces that Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn will leave the post later this year. A replacement is expected to be found by the autumn.
* Two House Foreign Affairs sub-committees held a joint session to consider the extent of Somalia’s piracy and crime networks, the influence of the Islamist al Shabaab group and the growing humanitarian crisis affecting almost 3 million Somalis.
* More and more shipping companies are ignoring the UN’s IMO, and hiring armed guards to fight pirate attacks. The IMO is expected to cave soon, and introduce vetting procedures for guards.
* Following Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s demands for a report on the country’s defense order for 2011, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov confirms that contracts for the 2012 state defense order will be signed by the end of the year. Serdyukov followed up by accusing the missile designer Yuri Solomonov of having a grudge against the Defense Ministry.
* The Director-General of the UK’s Military Aviation Authority (MAA) says the organization has made ‘great strides’ in its mission to provide independent and autonomous regulation of the Defence Air operating and technical domains. The MAA was formed in the aftermath of an RAF Nimrod MRA2 crashing near Kandahar, Afghanistan.
* Italy follows its decision to scale back its overseas operations by announcing the withdrawal of its aircraft carrier the Garibaldi from NATO’s Libyan operation.
* Airbus Military signs a strategic agreement with Indonesia’s PT Dirgantara (PTDI) with the aim of revitalizing the Indonesian aerospace sector. The agreement is expected to result in Airbus placing more manufacturing work with PTDI. The Indonesian company is a supplier for the C212 transport and CN-235 surveillance aircraft.
* Michael J Pelosi and Dr Carlo Kopp assess the Chinese J-20 stealth, using a Physical Optics Radar Cross Section simulation program, and a RAM literature review. Overall verdict: it could become a full stealth fighter like the F-22A Raptor with changes, but currently shares some stealth strengths and weaknesses with the F-35.