Next NATO Secretary General Opposed the Organization as a Youth Activist

Rapid Acquisitions

• The RAND research organization examined how the US Army can better expedite command and control acquisition outside of ponderous formal processes.

Neighbors May Shun Qatar But Thales Doesn’t

• Thales announced it signed a memorandum of understanding to help the Qatar Armed Forces develop an optionally-piloted aircraft to be used for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance.

Astrium Employees Oppose Job Cuts While Parent Company Is Profitable

• 1,200 Airbus Defence & Space employees demonstrated [in French] last week in Toulouse, France, to ask the French government to pressure Airbus into opposing planned job cuts.

Tracking International Sanctions

• The Financial Times provides an overview of sanctions imposed against states since WWII. Such measures seem at best somewhat effective.

Asia

• The Philippines seek UN Arbitration over China’s South China Sea claims. See also this video.

• Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe continues to push for a reinterpretation of his country’s very constraining constitution in defense matters.

• CSIS on the East Asian fallout [PDF] of Russia’s annexation of Crima:

“Asian countries’ appetite for dealing with Moscow as a long-term energy supplier could wane in the aftermath of Crimea’s annexation, as it is doing in Europe. Increased political risk associated with Russia could weigh on Northeast Asia’s commercial interest in Arctic shipping routes. Moscow will have to work harder to persuade Asian partners that it is business as usual, even as the region becomes more important to Russia economically.”

• Today’s video shows Australian, South Korean and US troops demonstrating amphibious landing capabilities during Exercise Ssang Yong 14: