Rapid Fire: 2010-02-04

* Littoral Combat Ship: program updates. * A British green paper calls for enhanced military cooperation between the UK and France. Industry says: what about R&D? * India orders BEL’s Akash medium range surface-to-air missile systems. * India issues turboprop trainer RFP, after instructors reportedly refused to fly HPT-32s. * Up to 8 UAVs reported operating in Waziristan, Pakistan strike. * Indian P-8i sea control aircraft may add air-air surveillance. * Frost & Sullivan: Traditional defense contractors will lose market share to “disruptive companies” that offer “good enough” products at cheaper prices. * China is threatening to sanction US companies that are involved in the US $6.45 billion weapons sale to Taiwan. Real, or a bluff? * US Defense Secretary Gates warns Congress that if it makes substantial cuts to the administration’s budget request, the US military will have to “sacrifice” force structure and capabilities. * USA’s coming rotorcraft crunch? * US DISA awards Unisys a $187 million contract to provide mainframe computer capacity for USAF logistics. * Who’s right on the US carrier fighter gap? Defense Secretary Gates or the Navy? * Raytheon receives a $170 million foreign military sales order to produce AGM-65D and AGM-65G2 infrared-guided Maverick air-to-surface […]