* The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) published a study [PDF] of defense spending in Asia since 2000. Spending growth has accelerated over the second part of the period, led by China and Japan, with China doubling its share to 40% of regional...
Corporation Articles
Sub Contracting: GDEB Wins Up to $1.788B to Support USN Force
688I-Class SSN: Drydocking(click to view full) The USA has 2 big submarine manufacturers, and a fleet of submarines that needs maintenance. Which means that both Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Inc. and General Dynamics Electric Boat receive contracts to support the US...
Rapid Fire Oct. 15, 2012: Indian Turf
* The US Army and Air Force had their fight over Army attack helicopters a long time ago. India's services are just having theirs - and the Army won. * The US Navy is investigating how submarine USS Montpelier (SSN 765) and Aegis cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56) ended...
Rapid Fire Oct. 12, 2012: Icahn Really Wants Oshkosh
* Investor Carl Icahn made an offer on the Oshkosh shares he does not already own for $2.7B, valuing the overall firm at $3B. With his current stake of about 9.5%, Icahn is the largest shareholder, but his proxy battle back in January failed. This follows a consistent...
Rapid Fire Oct. 11, 2012: Little Taste Left for Big Mergers
After you, big guy * Analysts see prime contractors hunkering down rather than consolidate, after the failed BAE-EADS merger. Acquisitions or mergers involving tier 2 players are more likely. * The US Air Force's Air Mobility Command recently conducted flight tests...
Ukraine, Iraq in $2.5 Bn Weapons Deal
BTR-4, IFV config.(click to view full) In late 2009, reports surfaced that a $2.5 billion defense agreement between the Ukraine and the Iraqi Ministry of Defense could involve 420 of Khariv Morozov's BTR-4 8x8 wheeled armored personnel carriers, 6 of Antonov ASTC/...
Rapid Fire Oct, 10, 2012: Sequestration Will Spread Malaria
* Democrats from the House Appropriations Committee published their estimates of the consequences of sequestration not just on defense, but as DID recently half-jokingly predicted, with an increasingly broad scope and dire consequences. If the loss of 1 million 2...
BAE, EADS Terminate Merger Talks
Rejected by governments October. 10, 2012: EADS announces [PDF] that they and BAE have decided to terminate their merger discussions. They confirm what had been widely discussed in the past month, with mounting pressure in recent days: "it has become clear that the...
Rapid Fire Oct. 9, 2012: Small Airborne Networking Radio
* German news agency DPA reported earlier today [in German] that talks between EADS and BAE had collapsed because of a lack of agreement between the French and British governments, which "sources close to EADS" later told Reuters is wrong without elaborating further....

