Current Events in the Americas

Heron, Reaper and Hermes 900 Compete for Canadas Arctic mission (Defense Update)

Why America Still Needs Aircraft Carriers (Foreign Policy) I agree!

Okay, more accident than the dramatic title indicates. Trawler strikes navy ship sending 6 to B.C. hospital (CBC News) Winnipeg is in the middle of the FELEX upgrade.

French pitch new warships for next Canadian navy vessels (CBC News)

Part 1: Preparing for a First Deployment (Defense Media Network)

LCS-4 Trials Halted After Engine Fires (Aviation Week) Newest LCS Suffers Fire at Sea, Damage ‘Minor’ (DefenseNews)

To be deployed in October 2013 in USS Ponce, operational from 2014. Other candidate to employ it: LCS, now it's clear why ... Laser range: 1 or 2 nm , perhaps up to 10 nm in years to come .... After the range data, I think we don't need more comments ... http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/R41526.pdf

Initially Upbeat USAF Budget Request Turns Dour Long Term (Aviation Week) U.S. Navy Budget Takes $10.7 Billion Sequestration Hit (Aviation Week) DoD 2014 Request is $52B Over Spending Caps (DefenseNews) The Army Has It Worst 2.0: Readiness Shortchanged $13.7 Billion (AOL Defense)

Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress (pdf, Congressional Research Service)

US Navy may add conformal fuel tanks to F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet (Flight Global)

US to demolish obsolete ICBM launch facilities (Jane's)

US Navy weighs halving LCS order (DefenseNews)

US to boost BMD (DefenseNews) U.S. To Bolster Missile Defenses To Counter N.Korea Threat: Source (Aviation Week)

Time to change America's atomic arsenal (The Diplomat)

A pretty good article on a subject that probably not a lot of people are aware of. The Bermuda Triangle of Space: The High-Energy South Atlantic Anomaly Threatens Satellites (DefenseNews)

This thread idea is initially to compare the both controversial LCS designs with other alternative designs, in service, future or projected. Basically the parameters of comparation are those of cost, size, weapons (also in relation to size), crew size (and consequent fatigue levels), speeds and ranges, but extensive to all the other parameters, as sensors. The thread is also extensive to other conceptual alternatives, as replacement for another type of conventional warships, as FFG or FFL, or ever the replacement by another tactical or strategical concept, as UAV, manned air power, swarms of low technollogy boats or hired pirates.

Excerpt from abstract here: Link to full report (pdf)

A short but concise article in Mer et Marine (in French) about the US Navy, by Bernard Prézelin, editor of Combat Fleets of the World: http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/focus-lus-navy-toute-puissante-pour-de-nombreuses-annees-encore

Brazil To Get Its First Nuclear Subs (DefenseNews)

Lockheed awarded $6.9 billion F-22 upgrade contract (Flight Global)