* Exelis is spinning off another of its parts by letting loose its services business. The Corporate Name Generator spat out “Vectrus” for the spinoff out of the words vector and trust, which the new company will probably change in two years when they’ve grown tired of that name. Sadly “Tructor” is already taken by the bastard child of a truck and a tractor.
* WSJ on defense services: Where’s the Spending? Defense Companies Get the Jitters.
DARPA Wants to Mix Tactical with Disruptive
* DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office (TTO) will hold a Proposers’ Day to discuss the objectives of its Innovative Systems for Military Missions announcement (DARPA-BAA-14-25) on May 7/8, covering a wide range of topics from ground systems to hypersonic platforms.
On China Watching Ukraine
* Daniel Russel, the US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told a Senate panel that:
“The prospect of the kind of incremental retaliatory steps that are gradually being imposed on Russia in terms of its banks, in terms of cronies and other areas should have a chilling effect on anyone in China who might contemplate the Crimea annexation as a model.”
* Surely the Chinese are watching, though they might be drawing distinct conclusions from the West’s tepid reaction to Russia’s insta-invasion of Crimea…
Dealing with UAVs
* South Korea is worried that its air defenses cannot deal with North Korean UAVs that could be used for dive bombing missions.
* Israel’s Air Force had to adapt its aerial intercept tactics to deal with drones (more cruise missiles than actual UAVs) used by Hezbollah.
* In both cases, note how these unmanned system threats are coming from sources you’d expect to be less technology advanced, managing to challenge countries known for their high tech.
Space Lego
* Today’s video offers a quick glimpse into DARPA’s “Phoenix” concept where satellites are assembled in space from smaller components, which would probably make a lot of sense in conjunction with their XS-1 [PDF] reusable launch vehicle:
