Today's headlines

Aircraft carrier contracts named
Contracts to supply the Royal Navy's next generation of aircraft carriers, worth a third of a billion pounds, have been announced. Five new suppliers are to benefit from the programme to build the Queen Elizabeth Class flagships.
BBC News

Gates meets U.S. arms makers, calls partnership critical
Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the Pentagon's top suppliers Wednesday that the United States could ill-afford to go on spending billions of dollars on arms programs that bust their budgets and lag their deadlines. He said "partnership" was critical.
Reuters

Senior MoD staff resistant to recommended acquisition reforms, says Gray
Senior staff in the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) were resistant to a recent defence procurement review that recommended sweeping reforms, according to its author. Giving evidence at a UK House of Commons Defence Select Committee hearing on 12 January, former civil servant Bernard Gray, said that while middle and junior staff at the MoD showed "a recognition of a need to change", senior MoD staff - as well as "some of the civil service chiefs" - were keen to maintain the status quo.
Jane's

BAE Systems receives $185.3 million contract for 155MM long range land attack projectile
BAE Systems has received a $185.3 million contract from the U.S. Navy for the completion of qualification of the 155mm Long Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP). The 155mm LRLAP is being developed for the U.S. Navy DDG 1000 program and will be fired from the Advanced Gun System (AGS).
BAE Systems Press Release

Obama to ask for $33 bln for Afghan troop buildup
U.S. President Barack Obama plans to ask Congress for $33 billion in emergency war funding for a major U.S. troop buildup in Afghanistan this year, defense officials said on Wednesday.
Reuters

Design flaw caused latest test failure of Bulava missile
Investigators have established that the latest test failure of the troubled Bulava ballistic missile was caused by a design flaw, rather than a faulty component, a Russian defense industry source said Tuesday.
RIA Novosti

Chinese Buildup Of Cyber, Space Tools Worries U.S.
Senior U.S. officials told a House panel on Jan. 13 that China continues modernizing its missile, naval and fighter aircraft arsenals at a rapid rate, but they raised new concerns about the Asian giant's efforts to develop new offensive cyber and space assets.
Defense News