* Crimea is to set up its “own” law enforcement and security services, according to Russia’s state-funded RIA Novosti, which also claims [in Russian], without noting any apparent contradiction, that the Crimean Supreme Council submitted a request to join Russia.
* One important observation that governments around the world will draw from how the Ukraine crisis is resolved is whether it is wise to give up nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees, as implies the joint US/UK/Ukraine statement about the Budapest Memorandum.
* Among European nations the Baltic states and Poland are most eager to see NATO and EU remain credible security guarantors, for obvious historical reasons. See recent statements from the presidents of Poland and Estonia. Speaking of the latter, their diplomatic communications (RT video, who else) have proven no more secure from Russian tapping and orchestrated leaking than Victoria Nuland’s.
* The British government may scrap export licenses for military equipment to be sold to Russia, but there is not that much in the balance. A similar threat from France would have more weight, but the French have made no such public threat yet. London’s leverage is financial, yet the British don’t seem inclined to make much use of it. According to German and French officials, today a meeting of EU heads of state was supposed to become more specific about the possibility and nature of sanctions in the absence of Russia backing down in Crimea. But little likely to shake Putin’s resolve emerged from said meeting.
* Since the opening round of talks with Russia produced little of substance and the UN envoy to Crimea was sent back home by pro-Russian gunmen, the US State Department is taking the rhetorical gloves off:
As Russia spins a false narrative to justify its illegal actions in Ukraine, the world has not seen such startling Russian fiction since Dostoyevsky wrote, “The formula ‘two plus two equals five’ is not without its attractions.
* US-funded Radio Free Europe: Russia wags the dog with Ukraine disinformation campaign.
* A Ukrainian frigate passed through the Turkish straights on the way to the Black Sea yesterday.
* Russia will carry out 2 more intercontinental ballistic missile tests out of Kazakhstan after Tuesday’s successful one. They also intend to derive a supersonic MiG-41 from the MiG-31 design, according to ITAR-TASS [in Russian].
Contractor Oversight
* The US Senate’s Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight has a hearing today on how the federal government manages and uses information about contractor performance and integrity, including with the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS). The Project On Government Oversight (POGO), one of the instigators of that database, find it seriously lacking.
* James Hasik at the Atlantic Council notes that today’s heavily regulated acquisition environment makes it hard for DoD acquisition executives to punish contractors for repeat under-performance, which could generate a stronger incentive to deliver than competition for any specific contract.
* Rolls-Royce disclosed in its annual report [PDF, p.133] that they are not only investigated by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office as previously announced by the SFO, but also by the US Department of Justice.
Future of the US Combat Air Force
* The CSBA think tank reviewed the US military’s aging aircraft and plummeting procurement and came to the conclusion [PDF] the Pentagon needs to reassess its course if it is to maintain its unique airpower capabilities. Range, survavibility and connectivity should be key in future aircraft requirements.
Science/Tech Prospective
* Today’s video from the Economist looks at 3D-printing of human tissue, the future of computer-chip manufacturing beyond silicon, and the rise of remote-controlled ships, all worth following from a defense perspective:
