by Editorial Staff | Feb 5, 2014 | Alliances, Australia & S. Pacific, Britain/U.K., China, Daily Rapid Fire, Europe - Other, Germany, Leadership & People, Legal, Policy - Doctrine, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scandals & Investigations, USA
* Der Spiegel reports that the German federal government is backing with “Hermes” export credit guarantees a $1.9B deal with Saudi Arabia for 100 patrol boats. It’s not clear to what extent the left-wing SPD is on board with sales that it criticized...
by Editorial Staff | Feb 4, 2014 | Ammunition, Britain/U.K., Budgets, Daily Rapid Fire, France, Industry & Trends, Middle East - Other, R&D - Private, Saudi Arabia, Scandals & Investigations, United Arab Emirates (UAE), USA
* IHS Jane’s projects global defense spending to reach $1.55T in 2014, the first (slight) increase in years. They expect China’s military budget to overtake the combination of France, Germany and the UK next year. This is consistent with earlier data from...
by Editorial Staff | Feb 3, 2014 | Britain/U.K., Budgets, Canada, China, Daily Rapid Fire, Fighters & Attack, Finmeccanica, Helicopters & Rotary, India, Logistics, Policy - Doctrine, Scandals & Investigations, Submarines, Surface Ships - Other, Think Tanks, USA
* According to Politico the Department of Defense is trying to find ways to reduce its personnel and infrastructure spending that could fly under the congressional radar. Uphill Battle in Bahrain * BAE is still optimistic about supplying Bahrain with Eurofighters as...
by Editorial Staff | Jan 31, 2014 | Africa - Other, Britain/U.K., Corporate Financials, Daily Rapid Fire, France, Germany, Issues - International, Logistics Innovations, Middle East - Other, Northrop-Grumman, Raytheon, Scandals & Investigations, Trucks & Transport, Turkey
* Northrop Grumman’s 2013 sales were down 2.2% to $24.7B. Total backlog shrunk 9.3% to $37B, with a book-to-bill ratio of only 89% in 2013. Thus the company predictably provides guidance below $24B in revenue for 2014. Aerospace and Electronic systems have...
by Editorial Staff | Jan 30, 2014 | Boeing, Britain/U.K., Budgets, China, Corporate Financials, Daily Rapid Fire, Finmeccanica, Helicopters & Rotary, India, Issues - International, Issues - Political, IT - Cyber-Security, Japan, Logistics, Middle East - Other, Official Reports, Russia, Think Tanks, USA
* Boeing reported 2013 revenue up 6% to a record $86.6B. Total backlog grew by $51B to $441B. As big as that number is, Airbus towers above it with more than $800B in their order book, or 8 years of production. Is this too much of a good thing? Boeing’s Defense,...
