Rapid Fire 2010-08-10: Support for Georgia?
- Russia is moving to reduce reliance on the Ukraine for defense industrial work.
- ITT to sell off its CAS defense systems engineering and technical assistance unit in Huntsville, AL to Wyle for $235 million in an effort to expand in non-defense segments.
- Christmas in September? On the agenda for the US Congress when it returns from summer recess is the FY 2011 defense spending bill. Passage of the legislation is expected to pit the House, which has stripped many of the earmarks (i.e., pork) usually adorning the bill, against the Senate, which is expected to fill up the bill with the usual gifts for well-placed defense lobbyists.
- Georgia on His Mind: Sen. McCain supports providing Georgia with antitank capabilities, air defenses, and early warning radar to beef up its defenses, while the Russian president pledges continued support for breakaway Georgian territories.
- Flexing Muscle: The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington [CVN-73] conducts exercises off the coast of Vietnam to demonstrate the US opposition to China’s unilateral territorial claims in the South China Sea.
- At the same time, China is looking to expand its military ties with Australia.
- Chosun Ilbo: Korea’s Neighbours Catch Up with US Stealth Technology. Mixed bag, from Chinese Type 022s to Russia’s PAK-FA and Japan’s ATD-X stealth plane.
- L-3 Communications acquires Airborne Technologies, an Ashburn, VA-based maker of small expandable UAVs such as the Cutlass, which is expected to generate $20 million in annual sales.
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