Rapid Fire 2010-07-26: Ballistic Iran

* Going Nuclear?: US, South Korea hold naval exercises, involving 20 ships and submarines and 200 aircraft, despite North Korea’s threat to use its “nuclear deterrent.”. * Is that a Missile in Your Pocket?: A senior Iranian military commander claims that the country has the capability to mass produce ballistic missiles. To see what ballistic missiles Iran might have, check out this Council on Foreign Relations backgrounder. * Getting Kinky: According to an industry survey by AlixPartners, kinks in the global supply chain, such as the inability of OEMs to integrate Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, will continue to hurt the global aerospace and defense markets. * Word on the Street: A review by Dow Jones Newswires of Wall Street analyst finds a disappointing outlook for big US defense companies’ second quarter earnings due out this week. * Overdue Fines: Five Republican US senators send a letter to Pentagon chief Gates chastising him for failing to deliver to Congress a report on China’s military capabilities due March 1 each year. * Let the Sun Shine: Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, AZ joins other US military installations in building solar energy farm. See DID’s coverage of other solar projects.