Rapid Fire 2010-08-05: Israel’s Talpiot

• The Israeli approach linking threats to military budgeting… and their “Talpiot” program that has started plucking top 18 year olds out of standard military service and putting them to work solving key problems in the government, military and industry.

• They’ll See the Big Board!: The Russian air force will join its U.S. and Canadian counterparts in the first-ever joint air defense exercises Aug 8-11. NORAD will manage the event, which will involve simulated hijacking of commercial flights by terrorists.

• Private Sector Salvation: Aerospace CEO says the company is looking to expand in the commercial space business as defense business slows down.

Rapid Fire: 2010-08-04

• Chinese Exercises: China is conducting major air defense exercises in Shandong and Henan provinces involving more than 10,000 troops from the naval and army aviation units and land-based air defense forces, as well as 100 aircraft, including the J-10 fighter.

• How Many Is ‘Some’?: Boeing plans to keep only “some” of the employees when it moves its C-130 AMP and B-1B bomber modernization programs from Long Beach to Oklahoma City over the next 2 years to cut costs.

• Deeper Cuts: QinetiQ, formerly the state-owned UK Defense Research Agency, plans to cut 325 jobs, most of them at the firm’s Boscombe Down military aircraft testing facility, on top of 391 layoffs announced in July.

• Off-Limits: The 3,500-strong French army continent in Afghanistan is off-limits in terms of budget cuts, says French defense minister.

• Mantracker UK: TV show leads to a personal education from a Canadian cowboy for pre-deployment British troops.

• Bloodhound supersonic car unveiled. No, it won’t deploy to any front lines. But its driving force is an RAF Wing Commander. And it’s a freakin’ supersonic car! ‘Nuff said.

• It’s the human factor. British commando hit 3 times, continues to lead engagement and evacuates his wounded over 4+ hours. Just a reminder that the gear we cover isn’t everything – though Lt. Anrude is pretty chuffed about his helmet…

• When You Assume… : Boston University professor and former US Army colonel challenges assumptions of the US defense establishment in new book.

Italy Upgrades its Army with Shadow UAVs

RQ-7, Iraq
(click to view larger)

Textron subsidiary AAI Corporation recently announced that Italy’s Ministry of Defense Directorate of General Aeronautical Armament will buy 4 RQ-7B Shadow 200 systems for the Italian Army, under a EUR 51 million (about $64 million) contract. The systems are being bought “for deployment alongside NATO forces,” which presumably involves Italy’s sector in northwestern Afghanistan [PDF]. The buy was reportedly a multi-vendor competition, and AAI will partner with select Italian defense suppliers, including RIGEL International Engineering & Consultancy Agency. System deliveries are expected to begin in 2011.

Rapid Fire 2010-08-03: Tactical Radios for Congo

• Alternate QDR: “We cannot reverse the decline of shipbuilding, buy enough naval aircraft, recapitalize Army equipment, buy the F-35 requirement, purchase a new aerial tanker, increase deep strike capability, and recapitalize the bomber fleet just by saving $10-15 billion dollars that the Department of Defense hopes to save through acquisition reform.”

• Oh My Gosh: Oshkosh’s defense segment sales nearly triple to $1.7 billion in the firm’s fiscal year 2010 third quarter fueled by M-ATV sales. Oshkosh release

• Meanwhile, Voice of America says that troops love them, but there’s at least one M-ATV design issue Oshkosh might want to look at.

BAE to Modernize Up to 11 Norfolk-based Destroyers

DDG-51 modernization

BAE Systems recently announced that they will modernize 11 DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class guided missile destroyers that are home ported in Norfolk, VA, under a potential $365 million contract with the U.S. Navy. The contract includes an initial one-year award, plus 4 option years. When asked, a BAE Systems Ship Repair spokesman explained that:

Rapid Fire 2010-08-02: UK Spending Review

• Slash and Burn: First review of UK military spending in more than a decade could lead to a 25% across the board cut. Meanwhile, the cost of replacing their nuclear deterrent is causing havoc with planning.

• WikiLeaks suspect transferred from detention in Kuwait to pre-trial confinement in Virginia – which could take a while.

• Germany’s current climate of fiscal austerity appears to have killed any subsidies to build a 6th Dolphin Class submarine for Israel, and may derail efforts to make Israel the launch customer for the MEKO CSL and its flexible payloads.