Rapid Fire 2010-09-28: Defense Manufacturing Innovation

* Major Offensive: Washington, DC-based defense firms take the offensive in the mergers and acquisitions war. * DARPA’s AVM aims to “revolutionize defense manufacturing.” [PDF] * Are Lockheed Martin’s negotiations with the United Arab Emirates for 12 C-130J-30 tactical transport planes about to be derailed by Brazil’s KC-390? * How NYU’s research into re-writing fear-based memories is coming along? * Taking a Dip: Two US Navy MH-60 Romeo helicopters take a dip into Lake Tahoe after losing power, but both are able to right themselves. Check out the video. * South Korean defense ministry is considering shortening the country’s mandatory military service to 18 months from 24 months by 2014. * Research and Markets: Bulgaria’s defense and security industry is expected to be one of the last to recover in Europe. * Freescale Semiconductor is incorporating its AlitVec floating-processing technology, which provides advanced signal processing for sonar and radar, into its QorIQ microprocessors. * Raytheon unveils its XO 2, a 2nd-generation powered exoskeleton that is lighter than XO 1 and uses 50% less power. It’s unveiled during a demonstration with Paramount Home Entertainment. Whose parent firm distributes films like Iron Man and Transformers. We’re waiting for the movie cameo. * […]