Rapid Fire 2010-04-06: Venuezuela to Spend Billions in Russian Equipment

* 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 […]