Rapid Fire August 6, 2012: Indian Offsets | AWOL ANA

  • India’s Ministry of Defence announced last week that it was easing offset rules, confirming earlier reports that Transfer of technology (ToT) would be made eligible for offsets. The policy is effective since August 1 and a new office – the Defense Offset Management Wing (DOMW) – has been created to administer them. Perception of these changes by the industry seems cautiously positive so far.
  • The high level of desertions in the Afghan National Army (ANA) continues to worry analysts about Afghanistan’s ability to remain somewhat stable after NATO troops leave. On Saturday their parliament voted out the defense and interior ministers. President Karzai is keeping them around in acting positions until he finds replacements, which based on his track record may take quite a while.
  • The Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE) with the British MoD is about to close its call for proposals for unmanned maritime system technology.

  • The GAO acknowledges that DoD has injected a dose of results-oriented management in its logistics via its Distribution Process Owner Strategic Opportunities (DSO). The goals include a mix of cost avoidance and improved delivery timeliness.

  • Elbit closed another sale to a customer in Latin America for a mix of Hermes 450 and 900 UAVs, but again, the actual country is not disclosed. [Update: it's reportedly Colombia.]

  • Iran told Russia they will withdraw their $4B lawsuit if Russia were to deliver the S-300 surface-air-missile systems Iran ordered in 2007.

  • Is China developing its own [PDF] Monroe doctrine, telling the US not to mess with their backyard?

  • “[I]f the message is simply about power [...] China is likely to be more successful in mobilizing a broad-based coalition of states seeking to counter-balance it than to obtain its objectives as a singular actor.”

    Categories: Asia - Central, China, Daily Rapid Fire, Logistics Innovations, Middle East - Other, Russia, UAVs, USA, UUVs & USVs

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