Rapid Fire 2011-07-01: Oshkosh Shareholding

• Oshkosh becomes the latest target of activist investors, after Carl Icahn declares that he owns 9.5% of the armored truck maker.

• Brown University releases a report on the costs of the United States’ wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. The Costs of Wars Since 2001 [PDF] estimates that 225,000 lives have been lost and future conflict will take spending to $4 trillion.

• Former UK Defence Secretary Lord John Reid urges the government to establish a cyber resilience task force or risk reliance on systems that it cannot influence. Failure to do so may deter investment from technology companies.

• Thales is to merge two of its subsidiaries to create a new specialist company. Thales Communications and Security aims to double the company’s cyber-security sales to $1 billion by 2020.

• As China’s space program gathers in sophistication and momentum, calls for the United States to maintain its military edge in space seem set to increase.

• Following the recent successful test launch of a Bulava submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM), Russia announces plans to launch the missile from its second Borey class nuclear-powered submarine, the Alexander Nevsky, later this year. This was closely followed by the announcement that the Russian Navy is set to receive three nuclear-powered submarines by the end of the year.

• Canada’s National Shipbuiding Procurement Strategy (NSPS) Secretariat announces that it will extend the bid period for the NSPS program. The decision was made after two bidders requested the extension, a move that was poorly received by politicians and shipbuilders.