Rapid Fire: 2010-06-07

• Pakistan to increase its defense spending by 17% in FY 2010-2011 to fund war against Taliban/ al-Qaeda in its “lawless frontier.”

• Britain contracting with BAE for a better 5.56mm bullet, under their MASS umbrella contract. Major improvements like 6.5mm Grendel, or 6.8mm SPC, are not under consideration.

• Britain commissions HMS Dauntless destroyer into service. Now all it needs are working weapons.

• Canada takes delivery of its first C-130J aerial transport, per early delivery contract.

• DCNS begins cutting steel for Brazil’s new attack submarines.

• “Government in a Box” concept running into difficulties in Marjah, Afghanistan.

• Boeing aims to boost international defense sales to 20-25% of total defense revenues, including selling more F-15 and F-18 fighter jets, CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters, AH-64 Apache attack helicopters to Asian countries.

• US cyber chief backs talks with Russia to curb cyber warfare. That still leaves China…

• New report by the National Academy of Public Administration says US pay-for-performance system for civilian defense intelligence analysts is “seriously flawed.” How flawed is the alternative?

• Does Burma want to join the nuclear club? Opposition group thinks so.

• Fear the Turtle: University of Maryland, Lockheed Martin to team on national security R&D.