* Last week the US GAO dismissed Hawker Beechcraft’s [HBDC] protest of the Air Force’s decision to exclude the company’s proposal as “technically unacceptable”, in the context of the Light Air Support (LAS) RFP (FA8637-10-R-6000). The agency “fundamentally [disagrees] with HBDC’s premise that the Air Force directed the notice of exclusion to an ‘incorrect’ address.” Now the company is suing the USAF. At stake is a $1B award for the Afghan Air Force that Embraer otherwise looks set to win with its A-29/EMB-314 Super Tucano.
* German Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere, speaking of the Afghan forces: “At some point, you have to take off the training wheels.”
* China says its BeiDou / Compass navigation satellite system started operating yesterday after the launch of its 10th satellite.
* Russia will commission Bulava ballistic missiles after this year’s successful tests.
* Australia is investigating the possibility of hiring foreign sailors and pilots.
* Air Commodore Ted Bushell AM (Retd) wrote in Air Power Australia that the country’s naval capabilities are “decaying.”
* Spend Matters offers a summary of yesterday’s Radio 4 “Buying Defence” covering the UK’s ongoing acquisition reforms.
* South Korea will buy 2 modified Falcon 2000s from Dassault to replace its Raytheon RC-800 tactical reconnaissance aircraft. Yonhap | La Tribune [in French].