* Russia’s finance and defense ministries are considering postponing part of the country’s ambitious military revitalization plans. They must have a big spreadsheet that models what the oil and gas boom in the United States could do to energy prices and the balance of their budget in the coming decade. Kommersant via RIA Novosti | WSJ.
* Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh confirmed the position held in recent months by his defense minister AK Antony, which consists of pretending that pushing for indigenisation is compatible with expectations of improved procurement probity.
* The Netherlands will revamp its 4 Walrus-class attack submarines, starting with the Zeeleeuw which will see EUR 94 million (about $121M) worth of upgrades to be completed by 2015. Improvements span the optronic mast, sonar, satellite communication, and operational software.
* Sound advice for companies working with the US federal government which can’t seem to decide the if/when/how/who of furloughs:
“While contractors can’t control what the government might do, they can control what they do in their own companies. For starters, contractors shouldn’t spend any time trying to make sense of a larger situation that just doesn’t. Instead, keep focused on day-to-day business tasks.”
* The UK is putting in place a resettlement scheme for Afghan interpreters who fear Taliban retaliation once NATO troops are gone. Canada had a similar program [in French] between 2009 and 2011. Other coalition members are not always handling the issue heads on, but lives are at stake.
* Safran reshuffled its senior management.
* In the past week French forces in Mali have driven 3 convoys from Bamako to Abidjan in the Ivory Coast where they boarded about 100 vehicles and 200 containers on the Pelican ro-ro cargo ship, now headed to La Rochelle back in France. MinDef [in French].
* The European Union will provide EUR 37 million (about $48M) to fight piracy in Eastern and Southern Africa.
* To be a proper British Royal Marine, you should be able to sing Sexual Healing in freezing water to your Sergeant’s satisfaction. The training video below, shot in Norway, will make you cold just by watching it:
