Rapid Fire June 5, 2012: Old Dogs Learn New Tricks

Papa’s Got a Brand New Block USAF B-1B Lancers are getting a bunch of upgrades within Sustainment-Block 16 including MIDS LVT-1. This follows earlier hardware and software upgrades done in 2006/07. As NATO plans its withdrawal from Afghanistan – Pakistani GLOCs open or not – how much China will want to get involved in the future of its neighbor? Post-Gaddafi Libya is quite a mess: fighting at Tripoli’s airport, delayed elections. The US Senate Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight crunched numbers [PDF] on hires from defense contractors and their employment of veterans. They reckon these numbers don’t always add up and couldn’t collect thorough data. Congressional turnover is not going to make coming American defense budget negotiations any easier. Recent staff changes at the US Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR): Capt. Shane Gahagan now leads Air Warfare Mission Area/From the Air (PMA-298) while Capt. John “Chet” Lemmon replaced him as program manager for Hawkeye, Advanced Hawkeye and Greyhound (PMA-231). A Joint Concept Note released last month by the British MoD makes the case for a “Black Swan” sloop-of-war class of ship meant to be affordable and delivered in quantity, while reviving a class name used during WWII. 65 million pounds […]