* The US Navy is working on an RFP for up to 18 Remote Minehunting System (RMS) Remote Multi-Mission Vehicles (RMMV), part of the LCS’ MCM mission module. An industry day took place a month ago, and briefing material has been trickling in (including this Q&A) since then on the FBO website.
Reacting to Russia
* The White House introduced another round of sanctions against Russian individuals and companies, which are not strong enough to the taste of some Republican lawmakers. A month ago the US Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls placed on hold “the issuance of licenses that would authorize the export of defense articles and defense services to Russia”, now they’re also “taking actions to revoke any existing export licenses.”
* The Brookings think tank hosted a discussion yesterday with House Armed Services Committee representatives Mac Thornberry [R-TX] and Rick Larsen [D-WA]. Predictably the former sounded more hawkish than the latter.
* Foreign Policy ponders: Has Russia broken its pledge not to test medium-range nukes?
Reacting to the USA
* Reporting of the security agreement inked between the Philippines and the US in China’s state-owned media seems relatively subdued so far: Xinhua | CCTV America.
* The Chinese have been more sanguine on the topic of the US-Japan alliance.
Don’t Instagram This!
* Can recording your commanding officer help preserve your job in the face of personnel cutbacks? The Israeli Defense Forces may be the first to wrestle with this issue, but they won’t be the last.
Keeping Tabs on Self-Driving Cars
* The video below from Google shows the progress they’ve made handling a variety of delicate situations with their self-driving cars: