Rapid Fire 2011-05-17: Ground Vehicle Market Crunch
May 16, 2011 21:48 UTC- UK government steps forward with the 1st explicit covenant, stating the moral obligation which exists between the British nation, the Government and the Armed Forces. See full document, and a companion document discusses the steps they’re taking to turn its principles into action. Not in the covenant: the duty to protect armed service members and their families, by maintaining security & confidentiality when appropriate.
- On which topic… US “SEAL Team 6” (TINSTS) members who killed Osama are worried that their identities will leak. It would be nice for the US media to rediscover OpSec, but that doesn’t seem to happen unless a journalist is the one threatened.
- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions agrees to pay $266 million in cash and stock [PDF] to acquire Integral Systems, a Columbia, MD-based provider of controls for military ground systems and satellites.
- Vector’s Ground Vehicles forecast sees a real crunch coming between US recap/RESET programs, and planned new ground vehicle purchases. They say that FY 2013 will be a key inflection point.
- Turkey is considering Russian and Chinese weapons systems in its long-range missile and air defense system procurement, something that concerns other NATO members.
- UAE has hired a number of contractors to train its military: Spectre, which provides academy training capabilities; Horizon, a pilot training firm; and R2, a company run by the founder of Blackwater Worldwide, which provides operational, planning, and training to the military.
- GAO says NTIA, which manages the US government radio spectrum – including military – requirements, has failed to develop a federal spectrum plan, and has no way to determine if agency self-reported spectrum requirements are accurate. Recall the FCC’s $1 billion spectrum screw-up, involving the B-2 fleet…
- RAF disbands Number XIII Tornado Squadron, less than 2 months after their Tornado GR4s opened the war in Libya with Storm Shadow cruise missile strikes. The squadron will re-form in 2012, flying the RAF’s new MQ-9 Reapers.
- Meanwhile, a US Navy P-3 is providing overwatch for British ships off of Libya. Without its Nimrod fleet, or an affordable replacement…
- US military’s working dogs, trained to provide explosive detection, combat tracking, and patrolling dues, are now able to enjoy life in retirement. Shamefully, we used to kill them.
