CV32

USAF Finally Begins F-35 Pilot Training (Aviation Week)

F-35 Deal Targets Lower Price, More Shared Risk (Aviation Week)

Pentagon's Global Strike Weapon Stuck In Limbo; Congress Fears Accidental WWIII (AOL Defense)

China's Arctic Aspirations (SIPRI)

A Special Report on Taiwan Defense (American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei)

Correct, a widow maker rather than the Widowmaker. K-27 was a one-off of the Novembers.

North Korean missile wreckage (DefenseNews' Intercepts blog)

Upgrades to include Type 997 radar and four 30mm guns (presumably DS30M, vice 20mm). If she doesn't come apart in little pieces during the salvage operation. 30+ years is an awfully long time to be sitting on the bottom.

Russia to Develop Precision Conventional ICBM Option (RIA Novosti)

Russia to test 11 ICBMs in 2013 (RIA Novosti) We need more 'strategic level' scenarios, even if they do tend to end in a firestorm.

Related story. Moscow to Get Updated Missile Defenses - Deputy Minister (RIA Novosti)

Thanks, Don. Your help with this is very much appreciated.

The historical 'hot beds' of internal unrest or border strife will always draw the highest probability of future conflict. The Middle East is a prime example. Smaller scale skirmishes between uneasy neighbours are possibly next on the scale of likelihood, whether they are long time foes or are competing for resources. I think large scale or global conflicts (interventions by large Western powers in the Mideast or backwater regions aside) are the least likely.

China working up first carrier group (Defense Aerospace)

For use with Google Earth: UCS Nuclear Weapons Complex map

Australia Considers More F/A-18s If Joint Fighter Delayed (Reuters/Aviation Week)

North Korean satellite 'tumbling out of control' as fears grow it could crash land back to Earth (Daily Mail)

The “Long Pole in the Tent”: China’s Military Jet Engines (The Diplomat)

Sri Lanka: War is Over but Tensions Run High (The Diplomat)

One Small Step for Kim: North Korea Inches Closer to an ICBM (Wired, Danger Room blog)

Syria Fires Scud Missiles, Burning Bombs and Even Sea Mines at Rebels (Wired, Danger Room blog)

Pentagon Says Will Sign F-35 Deal, Price Emerges (Reuters/Aviation Week) Looks like US$107m (excl engines) per unit for LRIP Lot V.

Just released KPMG audit of F-35A buy for Canada Next Generation Fighter Capability: Life Cycle Cost Framework (pdf) Next Generation Fighter Capability: Independent Review of Life Cycle Cost (pdf) Also released/relevant: Evaluation of Options to Sustain a Canadian Forces Fighter Capability: Terms of Reference (pdf) Seven-Point Plan: Status Report, National Fighter Procurement Secretariat (pdf) Next Generation Fighter Capability Annual Update Canadian Industrial Participation in The F-35 JSF Program DND Next Generation Fighter Capability (bunch of links here)

Turkey Plans To Build up to 8 Frigates (DefenseNews)

This directory of international air forces (with useful order of battle (OOB) information) is available for free at Flight Global. World Air Forces 2013