Rapid Fire 2011-02-11: In-Theater Maintenance

* Ignoring pleas from the DoD and defense companies, the House plans to fund the government through the rest of the fiscal year with a continuing resolution, which will include $74 billion in spending cuts. * Joint Chiefs of Staff releases first update to its National Military Strategy [PDF] in 7 years, with an emphasis on a “whole-of-nation” approach. Not everyone is impressed. * See all of India Defence’s Aero India 2011 coverage. * A team led by Kratos Defense & Security has secured a contract, with a potential value of more than $1 billion, to provide C4ISR equipment and systems to an undisclosed national security customer. * 1st radar light-up at altitude for Raytheon’s JLENS aerostat. One small step toward much better cruise missile defense, and aerial surveillance. * EADS Cassidian completes flight tests of Spain’s 1st upgraded “EA-8B” Harrier jet. * While the initial test flight went well for India’s MiG-29 upgrades, the program will still be late. * Re-engining of the E-8C JSTARS ground surveillance & control aircraft inches forward, with a successful Preliminary Design Review for the bleed air sub-system. * Four companies – ThalesRaytheon Systems, General Dynamics, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman – have won contracts […]