* German weapons manufacturers are miffed that Sigmar Gabriel, the minister of economic affairs, has deliberately built up a backlog of unapproved export requests. Gabriel is sticking to his guns (bad pun intended) and urges “entrepreneurial consolidation in the industry and the promotion of diversification strategies in the civilian sector.” Deutche Welle.
* Russia eyes joint development of weapons within BRICS [Svobodnaya Pressa], not just as a conduit to sell their weapons, but also to build on expertise in Brazil and South Africa. Brazil’s problem is that the Super Tucano implicitly competes with the Yak-130, while the KC-390 competes with the Russo-Indian MTA.
US Programs
* The US Air Force grounded 82 F-16Ds after finding cracks during post-mission inspections.
* The USAF intends to release an RFP [FBO] in December on the Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP), a 4-year program meant to design and develop a 45,000lb thrust-class engine suitable for ultimate installation into combat aircraft. An industry day will take place on August 29 in Dayton, OH.
* The US Army’s Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS) is hosting an Army Training Information System (ATIS) industry day [FBO] on September 2 in Fort Belvoir, VA.
* James Hasik at the Atlantic Council think tank notes that the main bottleneck for DoD to reap rewards from its Should Cost acquisition directives is a more qualified acquisition workforce. People Are Policy, and it takes a long time to retrain existing staff and/or attract more effective employees.
Asia
* While the US lifted its trade embargo on Vietnam 20 years ago, weapon exports are still banned. That may soon change, report Voice of America and Tuoi Tre News.
Middle East & Africa
* According to the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey, MANPADS of Chinese and Russian origin are proliferating in Syria [PDF].
* Here we go again: Gaza cease-fire broken [WaPo] as militants’ rocket attacks spark retaliatory Israeli airstrikes.
* Things got so bad in Libya that a rebel general claims [Reuters] he’s able to conduct air strikes.
* Iraqi forces and Pesh Merga troops have been fighting for credit after taking control of the Mosul dam, more than they have been fighting retreating ISIL insurgents. Al Jazeera video | WSJ.
* The Iraqi military is now attacking ISIL in Tikrit [WaPo], where they are facing IEDs and snipers.
* In today’s video the Council on Foreign Relations recaps how a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Syria and Iraq: