* Spain’s armament exports decreased by 19.6% in 2012 after a record 2011, to EUR 1.95B (about $2.5B). That is still more than twice the yearly average up to 2010. Australia replaced Venezuela as their largest purchaser. El Pais [in Spanish].
* Japan may sell US-2 search-and-rescue amphibious aircraft to India.
* Saab is following through after its Memorandum of Understanding signed last year with Pipavav, India’s largest shipyard. After investing about $36M, the Swedish firm is about to own a little more than 3% of its Indian partner.
* The US Army War College’s SSI published a strategic assessment [PDF] of the Asia-Pacific:
“[At] this time of U.S. strategic reorientation and military rebalancing toward Asia-Pacific, the most dangerous consideration is that Asia-Pacific nations having disputes with China can misread U.S. strategic intentions and overplay the ‘U.S. card’ to pursue their territorial interests and challenge China.”
Dressing aircrews
* The US Air Force’s Cold Weather Aviation System (CWAS) team will be holding an Industry Day on June 18, 2013 at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. They want to provide multi-layered clothing for aircrews working in Arctic conditions.
* The UK’s pilots and aircrew from the 3 services are getting new boots, eyewear and body armor.
Let’s blow up some stuff together
* German and French combat engineers explain a joint exercise involving controlled bridge and railway demolition in the video below [in German but Youtube is beta-testing automated translated subtitles – isn’t that a wunderbar feature?]: