DARPA Robots: Ready, Set, Go!

• DARPA’s 2013 Robotic Challenge trials started today. Here’s a live video feed explaining the obstacles the robots have to overcome, from climbing a ladder to cutting a shaping into a wall and more:

12 Years of DoD Contract Spending

• The CSIS think tank’s latest report charts DoD contract obligations since 2000. Among trends of note, the US Air Force is steadily competing less and less of its business, from about 40% of contract obligations awarded in 2000 without competition, to more than 60% last year. They will probably argue that their contract mix is more technological and proprietary in nature than the commodities bought by DLA, which competes more than 80% of its contract obligations.