US Expands Sanctions Against Russia / MH17 Update

by Editorial Staff | Jul 17, 2014 | Asia - Central, Canada, China, Daily Rapid Fire, Helicopters & Rotary, Iraq, Israel, Training & Exercises, USA

* SPECIAL UPDATE: Malaysian Airlines needs to lift the hoodoo on its Boeing 777s. Flight MH17 disappeared from radar while flying at 10,000 meters over the contested Donestsk region of the Ukraine, during a flight to Amsterdam. All 295 people are dead. The Ukrainian...

M1 Abrams Tanks for Iraq

by Joe Katzman | Jul 16, 2014 | BAE, Contracts - Intent, Force Structure, General Dynamics, Iraq, Middle East - Other, Other Corporation, Signals Radio & Wireless, Tanks & Mechanized, Trucks & Transport, USA

Iraqi M1A1(click to view full) Tanks often decide battles, unless aircraft are around. Iraq had a lot of unfriendly visits by the USAF from 1991-2003, which left the largest armored force in the region looking to rebuild their armored corps from zero. Early donations...

US Congress Reviews Overseas Operations Budget While Withdrawal Consequences Seem Clear

by Editorial Staff | Jul 16, 2014 | Asia - Central, Asia - Other, Boeing, China, Daily Rapid Fire, DARPA, Iraq, Issues - International, Launch Vehicles, Lockheed Martin, Northrop-Grumman, USA

* The US House Armed Services Committee is holding a hearing (with live video) today on the belated FY15 war funding request, $53B of which are allocated to Afghanistan. * Islamic State insurgents reportedly repelled official Iraqi forces who tried to take back...

Patrol for Pennies: Vietnam’s DHC-6 Twin-Otter 400s

by Joe Katzman | Jul 15, 2014 | Asia - Other, Canada, Coastal & Littoral, Contracts - Awards, IAI, New Systems Tech, Other Corporation, Radars, Sensors & Guidance, Specialty Aircraft, Transport & Utility, USA

VPN DHC-6(click to view full) Canadian firm Viking Air of Sidney, BC achieved a double-breakthrough with its recent sale to Vietnam. Its modern DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400 variant of the legendary global bush plane will become the Vietnamese military’s first...

Lines Blur Between Terrorist Organizations and Militias

by Editorial Staff | Jul 15, 2014 | Africa - Other, Boeing, Britain/U.K., Conferences & Events, Daily Rapid Fire, France, Israel, Pre-RFP, Russia, UAVs, USA

* The Iron Dome defense system is again proving quite effective, leading Hamas to try other tactics, including launching strikes deeper into Israel, trying commando infiltration by sea, and launching bomb-loaded drones. Hamas reportedly fired more than 1,000 rockets...