* More UK defense cuts this year, says Defence Equipment Minister Peter Luff.
* North Korea attacks South Korean government computers.
* The Pentagon’s quasi-decoy blimps idea is a good one.
* The Sultanate of Brunei, in the Indonesian archipelago, has finally inducted its new 80m Darusalaam-class OPV/FAC boats, after backing away from a corvette buy that might have ruffled feathers in neighboring Malaysia. As a regional diplomacy follow-on, in April 2012 they’re donating 2 of their old Waspada-class patrol craft to Indonesia as training vessels.
* Russia considering purchases of western naval guns and engines for its warships.
* Royal Navy Albion-class landing platform dock ship HMS Bulwark returns to operational fleet after a GBP 30 million refit by Babcock and BAE Systems.
* Japan’s stealth fighter prototype could be ready to fly in 2014. The Feb 22/11 Rapid Fire included more in-depth background links re: Japan’s next-stage fighter programs and plans.
* Israel may seek $20 billion more in US military aid to manage threats from Arab turmoil. That would be spent over multiple years, of course, with the standard provisions mandating American-made equipment.
* BAE Systems Australia receives an initial $20.9 million, 6-year performance-based depth maintenance contract for Australia’s CH-47D Chinook heavy lift helicopters, with options for up to 20 years.
* The Italian Air Force intends to keep training in Israel, in preparation for Afghan deployments.
* Lockheed Martin delivers final C4ISR pallet for the USCG’s HC-144 Ocean Sentry (CN-235 MPA) medium-range surveillance aircraft under a $41 million contract.