* The US, UK, Australia and Canada are establishing [PDF] combined space operations among their armed forces. One concern on the agenda is maintaining operations as satellites are threatened with collisions. It sounds like Five-Eyes (FVEY) is coming back for an...
Electronics & IT Articles
Cobham to Acquire Aeroflex to Lessen Dependence on Defense
* Cobham announced its intent to acquire Aeroflex for $1.46B, in order to grow commercial sales, especially in connectivity products. The resulting entity will see commercial revenue reach more than 40% of total sales, up from Cobham's current 35%. Testing Operational...
VA Mismanagement Making Headlines as US Congress Works Through FY15 Defense Bill
* The House of Representatives will start debating the FY15 NDAA this week, while the Senate Armed Services Committee will mark up its own version the the bill. * LA Times: Growing evidence points to systemic troubles in VA healthcare system * Gannett's Army Times:...
India Decisively Elects Modi, BJP Who Promise to Continue Defense Indigenisation Policy
* Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have won India's general election by a landslide, on a platform of infrastructure development, economic efficiency, and better governance. They got a high vote share backed by a high turnout. * On the defense side...
The USA’s RAID Program: Small Systems, Big Surveillance Time
TCOM 17M RAID Aerostat(click to view full) The RAID program is a combination of cameras and surveillance equipment positioned on high towers and aerostats, in order to monitor a wide area around important locations and bases. The RAID concept began with a smaller TCOM...
Textron Systems Pursues Aggressive Export Growth Goal
* Textron Systems CEO Ellen Lord wants to grow exports from 35% to 50% of total sales by next year, noting strong foreign interest in its Ship to Shore Connector (SSC) hovercraft. The primary target markets are of course the Middle East followed by Asia. * Russia has...
India Buys GPS-Guided “Cans of Whup-Ass”
CBU-97 & BLU-108s(click to view full) Going after a vehicle such as a surface to air missile launcher, or a cluster of vehicles like a formation of enemy tanks, can be a tricky business for a fast jet pilot. Vehicles hide, they shut off their radars, or there are just...
More Tit for Tate Between Russia, Ukraine, West
* Reuters: Russia targets space station project in retaliation for U.S. sanctions. * The Kremlin has made hay of Ukraine's reliance on Russia's defense industry, but that dependence is reciprocal. * The US State Department and NATO are saying that, like last months,...
Airbus Defense Sees Decreased Orders Like Its American Competitors
* Airbus reported its 1st quarter [PDF] since it dropped the EADS name, with sales up 2% to 8.9 billion euros ($12.2B). The Defense & Space division grew sales by 3% to €2.7B, though order intake retreated by 4.3% to €2.07B. This helps make the case that regardless of...

