* An article first published by Bloomberg last Friday claiming that the NSA was aware of the Heartbleed [PDF] vulnerability for years was promptly denied by the White House. * However the National Security Council's rebuttal implies that the Administration may not...
DID site Articles
Desert Leopards: Germany Selling Heavy Armor to the Saudis?
Leopard 2A7+(click to view full) In mid-2011 reports surfaced that Saudi Arabia was preparing to buy around 200 German Leopard 2A7+ main battle tanks. Those reports stirred serious controversy in Germany, and indirectly confirmed the existence of a sales request....
Facing Drop in Demand, Oshkosh Defense to Cut Workforce by 29%
* Oshkosh announced the termination of 760 jobs at its defense division between June and July, most of them being hourly positions. * The US Air Force will hold an industry day on May 1-2 at Peterson Air Force Base, CO, to discuss Ground-based Electro-Optical...
Samson’s Wings: Israel’s New C-130 Hercules Fleets
General Dynamics Vindicated in GMV Lawsuit
* Defense News reports that the US Federal Claims Court rejected AM General's lawsuit against USSOCOM over its GMV award to General Dynamics. * Israel launched Ofek-10, a surveillance satellite with a reported 0.5m resolution. * Thomas de Maizière, Germany's Interior...
SAIC’s 2013 Sales Testament to Services Doldrums
* Post-spinoff SAIC announced FY2013 revenue down 14% to $4B, confirming the generally depressed state of defense services. * Pursuing a more thorough overturn of sequestration beyond FY15 is again on the Senate Armed Services Committee's agenda. * The Government...
Alternate Narratives Continue to Compete Over Ukraine As Russia Maintains Pressure
* Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov wrote with a straight face: "It's not Russia that is destabilising Ukraine." The Russians even go as far as saying that removing their stooges from Ukrainian government buildings could lead to a civil war. * Kiev Post: Kharkiv...
Russia Follows Crimean Playbook in Eastern Ukraine
* Pro-Russian operators have seized Ukrainian government buildings in 3 eastern cities, including Kharkiv where Spectechnoexport has a military vehicle plant. Separatists in Donetsk declared independence and announced a referendum on May 11, right when pro-Russian...
Good Bad News: 100 APCs for Ukraine
BTR-4E(click to view full) Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, and ongoing mobilization near Ukraine's borders, left Ukraine in a difficult position. The new government was still trying to come together after the sudden popular overthrow of its predecessor, and faced...