* Russia wants to keep the monopoly on the use of force in Eastern Ukraine, but Kiev’s interim government has reportedly started to launch a counter-attack to the pro-Russian “Occupy Donetsk” movement.
* Congressman Mac Thornberry [R-TX, contender for HASC chair]: How Do You Solve a Problem Like Russia?
* AP: Russian jet passes near US warship. Negative, tovarisch, the pattern is full!
* Completely unrelated: Russia tests multi-warhead SS-27 Mod 2 ICBM.
USAF Acquisition
* Lt. Gen. Ellen M. Pawlikowski, so far the Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, has been nominated to replace Lt. Gen. Charles Davis as the US Air Force’s Assistant Secretary for Acquisition.
Euro Industry Changes
* ThyssenKrupp signed a memorandum of understanding to possibly sell to Saab its Marine Systems AB shipyard in Sweden. This is a nonbinding document to provide a framework for negotiations.
* Finmeccanica appointed Mauro Moretti as its new CEO, who was working at the state railway company Ferrovie dello Stato since 1977. RAI News [in Italian].
DSA 2014
* This year’s DSA tradeshow is currently taking place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. China Shipbuilding Trading Co. (CSTC) is showing the final design of the 3 (heavy) corvettes sold 2 years ago to Algeria.
* BAE Systems is opening a cyber security center in Kuala Lumpur.
* Some journalists covering DSA are half-jokingly playing “spot the despot“. As a sordid backdrop, see the Scorpene scandal.
Can Your Multi-million Dollar Robot Do This?
* Japan’s Hinamitetu Youtube channel has been posting videos of DIY gymnast robots for almost 5 years now, and continues to conquer new figures. It’s always worth paying attention to what inventive individuals are able to accomplish from their bedroom or garage. The latest in the video below is a double backflip and single twist:
