Rapid Fire 2011-08-04: Turboprop Transport Aircraft for Ghana

* US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta responds to the debt ceiling agreement by declaring that the Department of Defense’s spending choices must be based on sound strategy and policy and not result in the weakening of national security. * The deputy chief of Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation says the country is preparing to sign more military cooperation deals with the United States. Cooperation is anticipated to extend beyond helicopter purchases like the recent contract for 21 Mi-17V5s. * The commander of the UK’s Falklands War Task Groups declares that the House of Commons Defence Select Committee’s findings on the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) provides a framework for sensible reform in straitened financial circumstances. Admiral Sir John Woodward also criticizes Government rebuttals of the Committee’s report. * The US Army awards Safariland a contract with a potential maximum value of almost $32 million to provide ammunition, over 30mm up to 75mm. * Israel’s evaluation of the MV-22B Osprey is reportedly positive. The question is whether they’ll find the funding to order a handful. * GKN’s Results Announcement for the first six months ended 30 June 2011 [PDF] reports an 11% increase in sales and a good showing in the aerospace sector. Meanwhile Cobham announces [PDF] a 7% decline in revenue from 2010, a statistic it attributes […]