* USMC Gen. James Mattis: “Power Point makes us stupid” – including on the front lines. If you must use it, but don’t want Microsoft to be worth a division or 2 to the enemy, “Preparing More Powerful Presentations” has some tips.
* 40% of the 9,000 additional NATO troops pledged in December 2009 have arrived in a stabilizing Afghanistan, according to a US DoD report to Congress [PDF].
* Testimony lists surveillance shortfalls as biggest handicap in dealing with Latin america’s narco-terrorists. A growing armada of semi-submersible smuggling vessels don’t make that job any easier.
* Strategy Analytics: US defense industry demand will represent 50% of $376 million GaN microelectronics market by 2014.
* 6 issues in military robotics.
* First KC-130J “Harvest Hawk” gunship kit completes Phase 1 testing; laser/GPS-guided “Viper Strike” now part of initial combat fielding for summer 2010.
* French legal team arrives in Kuala Lumpur to probe corruption charges over the 2002 sale of Scorpene-class diesel submarines to the Malaysian government.
* Former Malaysian general, 4 other retired senior officers file $1.6 million lawsuit for wrongful dismissal over the theft of 2 F-5E fighter jet engines.
* The Defense Information Systems Agency is holding the Customer Partnership Conference May 3-7 in Nashville to get US military service and industry input.