Rapid Fire 2011-09-08: Senate Appropriations FY12 Budget

* How Israel speeds up its counterstrikes using UAVs – and spycraft, and back-end IT. Also serves as an overview of their entire aerospace ISR set. * Elbit Systems’ UT-30 unmanned 30mm turret has completed acceptance testing on Brazil’s new VBTP Guarani wheeled armored vehicle. * Patria will make protective armor plates for Finnish NH90-TTH utility helicopters. * Raytheon’s MALD-J jammer missiles have finished a simulated electronic attack test, clearing the way for a USAF decision on production. * The Senate Appropriations Committee recommends keeping the FY12 DoD base budget at the same $513B level enacted for FY11, coming $26B below the President’s $539B request and $17B below the $530B in the H.R. 2219 appropriations bill passed in the House last July. These numbers exclude $115+B in overseas contingency operations. Most other budgets in the Senate Appropriations Committee’s proposal remain about flat save the Department of State which would see a base cut of about 7% to $44.6B. Given 12 working days are left in Congress before the end of FY11, most observers agree Congress will have to resort to a Continuing Resolution for several weeks. House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Chairman Buck McKeon (R-CA) concurs. * Speaking of which, […]