Rapid Fire 2011-05-09: Mannable UAVs

* US intelligence pores over Al Qaeda materials retrieved from Osama Bin Laden’s compound. * RAF Tornado fighters destroy Libyan FROG-7 mobile rocket launchers and missiles as well as Scud missile containers south of Sirte. NATO release * Qadaffi’s regime in Libya is laying mines near Misrata. The Dutch RNLMS Haarlem is now sweeping them, alongside French vessels. * Russia’s new SU-35S fighter begins full flight testing of the production version. It will supplement existing SU-27/30 Flanker family machines in Russian service, and bridge the gap to the T50/PAK-FA stealth fighter. * Russian Deputy PM Sergei Ivanov raises alarms over the state of the Caspian Sea fleet, despite recent Tartarstan/Gepard Class frigate launches. They may have to get in line behind the Black Sea Fleet, among others. * Royal Navy commissions HMS Diamond, a Type 45 Daring Class air defense destroyer using the Sea Viper anti-air missile system. * Northrop Grumman to unveil new Firebird MALE UAV with a pilot option. * NCI snags $26.5 million task order under GSA Schedule 70 to provide IT support to the US Air National Guard headquarters. * Talon USA in Morrisville, NC restructures its defense contractor subsidiary into 3 separate subsidiaries: USfalcon, a […]