UK Defence Secretary Liam Fox is due to unveil the findings of the Defence Reform Unit’s Report. It is likely the report will lead to an overhaul in the number of Armed Forces senior officers and a radical shake-up of the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) senior decision making body, the defence board.
The Pentagon is to send almost $45 million in aid to Burundi and Uganda to help tackle the growing terrorist threat in Somalia. Items being shipped out include four Raven shoulder-launched unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), body armor and surveillance systems.
Russia is to resume test launches of its Bulava submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM) on June 28. At least four test launches are scheduled for this year.
Australian think tank the Lowy Institute releases a report examining maritime security issues in the Asia Pacific region. Crisis and confidence: major power and maritime security in Indo-Pacific Asia argues that the changing maritime strategies of the region’s major powers are increasing the prospect of Asia becoming a danger zone for conflict at sea.
Another Australian think tank says that a combination of scandals and equipment-related problems have left the nation’s defense in a ‘beyond tolerable’ condition. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute advocates improving civilian influence within the Ministry of Defence and making the services more accountable when problems occur.
Debate regarding China’s fighter aircraft program continues unabated. A recently-published report [PDF] predicts that China is 5-10 years away from from being able to consistently mass produce turbofan engines for a fifth-generation fighter.
UK government steps forward with the 1st explicit covenant, stating the moral obligation which exists between the British nation, the Government and the Armed Forces. See full document, and a companion document discusses the steps they’re taking to turn its principles into action. Not in the covenant: the duty to protect armed service members and their families, by maintaining security & confidentiality when appropriate.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions agrees to pay $266 million in cash and stock [PDF] to acquire Integral Systems, a Columbia, MD-based provider of controls for military ground systems and satellites.
Vector’s Ground Vehicles forecast sees a real crunch coming between US recap/RESET programs, and planned new ground vehicle purchases. They say that FY 2013 will be a key inflection point.
Turkey is considering Russian and Chinese weapons systems in its long-range missile and air defense system procurement, something that concerns other NATO members.
GAO says NTIA, which manages the US government radio spectrum – including military – requirements, has failed to develop a federal spectrum plan, and has no way to determine if agency self-reported spectrum requirements are accurate. Recall the FCC’s $1 billion spectrum screw-up, involving the B-2 fleet…
RAF disbands Number XIII Tornado Squadron, less than 2 months after their Tornado GR4s opened the war in Libya with Storm Shadow cruise missile strikes. The squadron will re-form in 2012, flying the RAF’s new MQ-9 Reapers.
US military’s working dogs, trained to provide explosive detection, combat tracking, and patrolling dues, are now able to enjoy life in retirement. Shamefully, we used to kill them.
President Obama names Leon Panetta as the new US defense secretary and Gen. David Petraeus as the new CIA director, replacing Panetta. Tom Ricks sees Panetta’s appointment as the precursor to large budget cuts.
The general’s shift to the CIA is especially interesting, given the growing intelligence role carved out by the US military and special forces since 2001. One early flashpoint: Petraeus’ optimism about Afghanistan reportedly isn’t shared at the CIA.
Middle East military air market is predicted to triple between 2011 and 2020, says Frost & Sullivan.
US Customs & Border Protection gets its 2nd re-winged P-3C, of 14 planned. Unlike Navy P-3s, some USCBP aircraft (P-3 AEW vs.P-3 Tracker) have a distinctive AWACS radome on their backs.
EU countries’ defense spending totals $280 billion, according to ASD Reports.
South Korean F-15K Slam Eagles begin flying with their new Lockheed Martin Sniper surveillance and targeting pods. When did that contract happen?
If you want to field a 2 foot long, 13 pound bomb for small UAVs, the first thing you need is a really good small warhead. Raytheon turned to Nammo Talley for its new STM Small Tactical Munition.
The Indonesian Navy successfully tests Russian-made Yakhont anti-ship missiles for the first time. The P-800 (Russian)/ SS-N-26 (NATO) missile was used as the basis for the Indo-Russian Brahmos, and “Yakhont” is the name used for P-800 export versions.
BAE Systems gets GBP 22.5 million contract to provide training support to the Royal Navy’s submarine and mine warfare command team.
Philippine commission finds a “staggering amount” of fraud in military procurement (and pretends to be surprised). Department of National Defense finalizes measures to prevent further fraud. Color us skeptical.
The UAE is increasing pensions for military personnel by 70%, and giving bonuses to ministry of defense and armed forces staff, in a move seen as an effort to shore up loyalty.
The UK MOD is proposing to cut 2,000 corporate services jobs and save GBP 73 million per year by consolidating the provision of corporate services under a new Defence Business Services Organisation.
At the same time, the MOD is increasing the pay for the lowest paid UK armed forces personnel by around GBP 24 million.
After scrapping its Nimrod fleet, the Royal Navy is beginning to accept that it will still need maritime patrol aircraft. Just something with less technical and program risk, and lower maintenance burdens. There’s a wide range of smaller aircraft and UAV options that can field a decent-size force for their envisioned GBP 1 billion.
Northrop Grumman shipbuilding subsidiary Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII), intends to offer up to $1.175 billion in senior unsecured notes, while discussing up to $1.25 billion in credit, as it prepares for a possible spinoff.
Up, up and away: The UAV market is expected to total $94 billion over the next 10 years, says Teal Group.
Finnish defense expenditures predicted to reach $4.4 billion by 2015, up from $3.8 billion in 2011, according to iCD Research report.
The RAF announces 1st phase of reductions of 5,000 personnel required by the Strategic Defence and Security Review; the Army and Navy – 7,000 and 5,000 personnel reductions, respectively – expect to begin cuts in April.
Army Cyber Command, the service’s component of US Cyber Command, is expected to double in size from its original size of 500 personnel.
GAO says DoD is lax in its oversight [PDF] of tuition assistance programs for military personnel, particularly distance learning courses.
WIRED Danger Room: ” ‘Illegal Psyop’ Neither Illegal Nor Psyop, General’s Lawyer Ruled.” That was our reaction to the Rolling Stone piece, which is why we haven’t mentioned it before. That said, the security community’s avoidance of actual psyop tactics in the domestic realm is indeed a vital principle, and any breach would be extremely serious.
BAE Systems returns to profitability in 2010, but expects decline in 2011 sales due to reduced volume at its Land and Armaments unit and UK defense cutbacks.
Arrest made in 2010 theft of 3,000 US special ops laptops – worth $7.2 million – from an iGov Technologies facility in Tampa, FL.
Pentagon chief Robert Gates and JCS Chairman Michael Mullen face Senate grilling over FY 2012 budget request, after similar treatment by the House.
Obama administration’s fiscal year 2012 budget [PDF] boosts defense spending by $22 billion over FY 2010 appropriations, to $671 billion, while projecting $78 billion in “savings” through 2016. [Update: 2013 request.]
Russia’s armed forces rely on aging equipment, lack transport capability, and suffer from manpower shortages, according to a NATO report cited in a leaked US diplomatic cable.
Ceradyne’s new Enhanced Combat Helmet may be twice the price, but it looks like a 70% plus increase in head protection over the current American ACH design, with a new ability to stop close rifle shots. The USA plans to buy 200,000 ECH helmets, beginning in the fall of 2011.
You can find it in those deployed ranks, though. Kudos to Canadian Master Corporal Shawn Grove, who taught himself Pashto and became a big asset to the Afghan campaign, without any help from his military.
Northrop Grumman CEO Wes Bush backs easing of high-tech export controls.
Israel’s IAI looks to work with Bombardier as well as Gulfstream, unveiling a maritime surveillance Dash-8 mockup at Aero India 2011, and considering Airborne Early Warning planes based on Bombardier’s Global Express jets.
2 Thai F-16s crash during Cobra Gold 2011. The pilots are safe, and the country’s F-16 upgrade program should be unaffected.
Recent WikiLeaks revelations re: Saudi Arabia have reignited the peak oil debate. Joe Lazarro says we may or may not have hit peak oil, but we can say goodbye to cheap oil.
USMC Captain Eric Schmidt sentenced to 6 years by federal judge for skimming nearly $2 million using fraudulent military equipment orders.
Would you like some Bubba Gump Shrimp?: The US Defense Commissary Agency is buying up Gulf seafood to serve at 72 base commissaries along the East Coast to boost the Gulf’s fishing industry.
L-3 Communications to redeem $650 million in notes due 2015.
US administration has been slow to implement cybersecurity protection for critical infrastructure, CSIS says [PDF].
