Americas
* The Air Force’s contrite admission that the B-3 bomber program would cost roughly double what it originally said it would isn’t going down well in Congress. Beyond the obvious financial pain involved with a program that hopes to produce planes for half a billion dollars per copy, at least one representative wants to press to discover why the increased estimate was released when it was – after the brunt of the debate occurred about initial funding and after lengthy discussions about whether or not the Air Force should have to shoulder the cost of the program through its own budget.
* Northrop Grumman won the Army’s Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM) contract, a $35 million affair extending through low rate production.
* The Navy brig in Charleston is getting the Pentagon eyeball for a potential site for unreleasable Guantanamo prisoners. Other sites have been examined as well, all earning quite negative local reactions. Congressional action will be required before any actual move can take place.
* The Army will conduct a large-scale release of chlorine gas to help determine its spread rate in urban areas, in hopes of developing protocols to prevent unnecessary injury in the event of an attack. The Dugway Proving Ground will host the test, a desert location a couple hours from Salt Lake City, Utah.
* Following an increasing trickle of orders from US special forces, Canada’s equivalent is also considering looking at the Polaris M-RZR-4.
Europe
* Russia is making noise about a developing capacity to field drones capable of detecting stealth fighters like the F-35.
* UK’s MoD ordered more Giraffe Agile Multi Beam radar systems (and a few upgrades for existing ones) from Saab.
* Turkey’s T-LORAMIDS odyssey may well be extended due to the military bureaucracy’s uncertainty about what will happen with parliamentary elections in early November. The system, as envisioned, is too expensive for Turkey to be able to provide comprehensive air defense across the vast country. The NATO-member has also come under great pressure to reconsider its initial leanings toward a Chinese bidder, leaving very little about the program certain.
Asia
* The Japanese defense budget will again break the record, but increase only 2.2 percent to ¥5.09 trillion. Programs funded include the V-22 Osprey, with this year’s expenditures covering the purchase of a dozen.
* China’s much-anticipated military parade on September 3 is eagerly awaited by defense nerds who hope to catch glimpses of new hardware previously unseen. For its part, China has reportedly been sending warning letters to members of the local press that, among other things, their reports “must maintain positivity.”
Today’s Video
* The Chinese option for T-LORAMIDS…
