Today's headlines

Top designer quits over misfiring missile project
Russia's long-range nuclear rocket programme has been plunged into uncertainty by the departure of its top missile designer, who resigned following a string of failed test launches of a key new submarine missile.
Financial Times

MoD drives on with tender for armoured vehicle fleet
Ministers are quietly pressing ahead with a £16bn programme to acquire thousands of multi-purpose armoured vehicles - des-cribed as a "fiasco" by a Commons committee this year - in spite of the defence budget crisis.
Financial Times

Alternate F-35 engine dropped from Senate bill

The U.S. Senate on Thursday handed President Barack Obama another victory on defense spending when it stripped funding for an alternate fighter-jet engine the Pentagon has said it does not want.

Reuters

Pratt & Whitney Awarded $684 Million in New Contracts for F135 Engine Production

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Pratt & Whitney a $571 million production contract for F135 engines to power the F-35 Lightning II.

Defense-Aerospace

Raytheon posts profit, boosts year view

Raytheon Co posted a better-than-expected second-quarter profit on Thursday on strong margins, and the defense contractor ratcheted up its full-year forecast.

Reuters

Germany sees four-year delay in delivery of A400M

German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung expects a four-year delay in delivery of the pan-European A400M military transport aircraft.

Reuters

Ex-SAS commander accuses the Government of lying over Afghanistan

A former SAS commander accused the Government yesterday of lying to the public over Afghanistan, saying that British forces lack the support they need.

The Times

Defence minister 'busting a gut'

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth says he is "busting a gut" to get more helicopters out to Afghanistan. But Mr Ainsworth said it was not possible for "every single commander" to have "every single vehicle".

BBC News