* The Pentagon released its latest full progress report [PDF] on Afghanistan, acknowledging significant risks:
“The insurgency’s safe havens in Pakistan, the limited institutional capacity of the Afghan government, and endemic corruption remain the greatest risks to long-term stability and sustainable security in Afghanistan. The Taliban-led insurgency and its al-Qaida affiliates still operate from sanctuaries in Pakistan, however, the insurgency and al-Qaida continue to face U.S. counterterrorism pressure within the safe havens. U.S. relations with Pakistan have begun to improve following the re-opening of Pakistani Ground Lines of Communication (GLOCs), and there has been nascent improvement with respect to cross-border cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
* The Institute for the Study of War updated their Order of Battle [PDF] for coalition forces in Afghanistan.
* ThyssenKrupp, a German steelmaker involved in military shipbuilding, is facing huge losses and writedowns in Brazil and the US. A management shakedown has been ordered by the company’s supervisory board. Press release | Der Spiegel | NYT.
* India ran another successful test of its mid-range Agni-I ballistic missile.
* Boeing appointed Pratyush Kumar to lead its Indian subsidiary. He comes from GE Transportation.
* Randolph L. Mahr, Deputy Director of the JSF program since October, is nominated for appointment to the rank of rear admiral.
* Nick Ottens at Offiziere.ch offers a good analysis of the ongoing tensions and calculations between Germany, France, and the UK that prevent any serious deepening of their defense ties.