* RIP Dr. Ed Roberts, the USAF officer who became the father of the personal computer.
* Venezuela negotiating to buy $5 billion in military equipment from Russia, including T-72 tanks and S-300 long-range anti-aircraft missile systems. Reuters | Russia’s Itar-TASS news agency | China’s Xinhua news service.
* Rise in steel prices may prove to be sustained in 2010. USA is insulated from recent contracts, but only partially. A harbinger of inflation? Maybe. What’s far more certain, is that it will eventually show up in defense programs.
* South Korean president calls for patience in investigation of Pohang Class corvette Cheonan sinking after defense minister speculates that North Korean torpedo is to blame, asks for US help in probe. Christian Science Monitor | Korean Times | Yonhap News Agency
* Rep. Barney Frank [D-MA] jams the revolving door on a staffer turned lobbyist. Personal spat? Isolated incident? Or the harbinger of “The Frank Pledge“?
* Up to $108 million to SAIC for US Navy Tactical Mobile Program, which provides electronic ground support for maritime patrol aircraft. SPAWAR release [pdf]
* Decisions under great uncertainty, in a cut-throat environment. Commandos? No, here’s how PIMCO does it.
* The Green Hornet F/A-18F fighter to take flight on Earth Day (April 22/10).
* AAR gets $65 million order to supply containerized roll-in-out platforms (CROP) used by the US Army to transport supplies across its multi-model distribution system.
* Orbital Sciences closes $55 million acquisition of General Dynamics satellite manufacturing business. Orbital Sciences release | Associated Press
* ManTech snags $40 million contract to provide engineering and tech support to Naval Surface Warfare Center for electronic warfare systems.
* VSE’s Global division gets $35.8 million order to provide training and logistics support for Egyptian Navy’s ships purchased from the US under the FMS program.