* As expected, Egypt picks Lockheed Martin’s Sniper targeting pods to equip its new F-16s. Even as the words “targeting” and “Egypt” seems to refer more often to its Copt Christians.
* US Army Top 2010 Inventions: infrared illuminating cartridges (i.e. the target can’t trace incoming fire back to its source unless they’re equipped with night vision too), 5.56mm bullets with higher steel penetration, “green light” visual deterrent, the Husky Mark III/2G landmine detection vehicle, faster mortar fire control systems and more. [Note: the list was released last month but the ceremony to honor the award winners took place yesterday.]
* The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) is pondering the future of American ground force capabilities [PDF], starting from the realization that while it’s attractive to think the future will require less “boots on the ground” vs. naval, air and special operations projection, it’s not like we haven’t heard that song before. The think tank concludes ground forces will remain more relevant and in demand than many expect.
* It’s hard to break the ice. The Seattle-Times reports on the state of US icebreakers.
* The closer? France’s Foreign Affairs Minister and former Defense Minister Alain Juppé will lead Rafale negotiations with UAE says Les Echos [in French] without naming sources.
* Pretty good, thank you for asking. Canada’s Associate Minister of National Defence Julian Fantino pointed to the procurement of CC-177 Globemaster IIIs and CC-130J Hercules as examples of programs that stayed within their budget and schedule constraints.
* Russian Air Force gets 6 new Mi-28N Night Hunter attack helicopters. The multi-year procurement was first announced in 2006. They were grounded back in February after a crash. More recently Algeria was named as a potential export client.
* US budget cuts, but where? Lieutenant General Robert Lennox, Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Army programs (G-8) and acting Army acquisition Secretary Heidi Shyu, when asked by Reuters, didn’t name specific programs they’d cut. Speaking at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, their boss SecDef Leon Panetta was similarly elusive, but did warn Congress that program cuts were coming and they would have to be done responsibly [speech transcript, video]. Panetta served 10 terms in the House and was for a long time in its Budget Committee, including as its Chairman. He also said that personnel costs were on an “unsustainable course.”
* Not in my backyard, that’s where. Congressman J. Randy Forbes (R-VA) reacted to Panetta’s speech with this op-ed. Meanwhile, US Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO), addressing his state’s House of Representatives after they voted a resolution [PDF] in support of Lockheed Martin’s F-35: don’t forget Boeing’s Super Hornets.
* Todd Harrison at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) says it’s easy to cut fraud, waste and abuse in the defense budget: just show him that line item in the budget. Video embedded below: