Study Group: Defense Industry Consultants (EU)(?)

Airbus' plans for a narrowbody assembly-line in Tianjin, China, are running more than a year behind schedule and costing EADS far more than anticipated.

An independent report into DOD procurement aspects of the war in Iraq is strongly critical of alleged delays in U.S. sourcing and deployment of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, credited in the past six months with a sharp drop in the U.S. casualty rate.

The current record aerospace industry order cycle will not be sustained by strong growth from Russia and Eastern Europe, no matter what the Russians themselves might say. Potential, yes, practicality, not yet...

Airbus has lost two airline customers in two weeks for its proposed A350XWB. While the orders themselves were small (13 aircraft total), they're another delay-engendered setback for EADS while Boeing is adding B787 orders despite its own compromised delivery schedule.

...but can the company cash them in the cold light of day? Doesn't look like it when even the simplest of claims ("We're the fastest!") turns out not to be what the courts would call, "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth...".