* Mac Thornberry [R-TX] was selected [Breaking Defense] by the Republican steering committee to chair the House Armed Services Committee. He had been seen as the contender most likely to succeed retiring chairman Buck McKeon. Randy Forbes [R-VA] was also interested in the position. Thornberry volunteered to head an acquisition reform effort late last year.
* According to Reuters RD Amross – a tiny joint venture between Russian engine maker NPO Energomash and United Technologies – has been making millions of dollars in markups by importing and reselling RD-180 engines to the US Air Force with little apparent added value.
Equal Opportunity Outrage
* Canada’s National Post published a column denouncing conservatives for professing to love the military while under-funding it. They followed with another column arguing that “messing up military procurement [is] Canada’s glorious bipartisan tradition.”
Europe
* Another violation of Sweden’s airspace was recently reported. Obviously another Russian aircraft? Wait, no, the plane was French?! Details are thin but several sources corroborate the story: The Local | AFP [in French].
Middle East & Africa
* The WSJ reports that the Nigerian air force is interested in Textron Airland’s Scorpion multi-mission aircraft.
Asia
* The fallout of South Korea’s decision to terminate its KF-16 deal with BAE is the termination of 191 jobs in Forth Worth, TX: Star-Telegram | Defense News.
* Today’s video, from the Council of Foreign Relations, provides a quick overview of the state and stakes of Japan-China relations: