China Boosts Defense Budget by 12%, Adding a Quarter of Japan’s in a Single Year

by Editorial Staff | Mar 5, 2014 | Asia - Central, Britain/U.K., Budgets, China, Daily Rapid Fire, Issues - International, Middle East - Other, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

* As China’s “parliament” convenes for the 2nd session of the 12th NPC, the country is announcing another year of double-digit defense spending growth, with a budget up 12.2% to 802.2B yuan (about $131B). This growth rate is notable not just for its...

Chinese Pressure Cooker: East China Sea Activity, Double Standards, Internal Security Threats

by Editorial Staff | Mar 4, 2014 | Boeing, China, Daily Rapid Fire, Engineering Vehicles, Europe - Other, European Union (EU), Germany, Issues - International, Japan, Russia, Turkey, USA

* Japan’s ministry of defense posted their account (with maps) of Chinese aircraft operating in the East China Sea over the last two years. Japan has been scrambling jets sometimes several times a day in response, though in fairness, there was just a single...

US Resets to the Fact Putin Won’t Play Nice

by Editorial Staff | Mar 3, 2014 | Alliances, Contracts - Awards, Daily Rapid Fire, Europe - Other, Forces - Naval, India, Leadership & People, Rolls Royce, Russia, Scandals & Investigations, UAVs, USA

* Ukraine’s president said Russian forces issued an ultimatum on Crimea, after blockading Ukrainian forces in the region. * A Rear Admiral just appointed to lead the Ukrainian navy swore allegiance to “the residents of the Autonomous Republic of...

Xi Goes Cyber

by Editorial Staff | Feb 28, 2014 | Africa - Other, Bases & Infrastructure, China, Daily Rapid Fire, Fighters & Attack, France, India, Issues - International, IT - Cyber-Security, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, USA

* China’s state media announced that both President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang are members of a new “Internet security and informatization” executive group whose purpose seems to be a mix of maintaining internal control and countering external...

Long Range Strike-Bomber RFP Coming Next Fall

by Editorial Staff | Feb 27, 2014 | Corporate Financials, Daily Rapid Fire, Europe - Other, Lockheed Martin, USA

* US Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James announced that an RFP for the USA’s next strategic bomber will be released “probably in the fall.” Lockheed Martin and Boeing have publicly announced their team twice, in January 2008 then with an October...