USCG Extends Scan Eagle’s Role in the Fleet

06/13/2018
After being awarded a United States Coast Guard (USCG) contract award, Insitu’s ScanEagle UAS will be used to provide small UAS ISR services aboard the entire U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter fleet. Valued at approximately $117 million, the service contract covers the installation and deployment of small UAS for…

Working the Way Ahead for the USMC: How MAWTS-1 Supports Change

06/13/2018
By Robbin Laird During my latest visit to MAWTS-1, I had a chance to focus upon recent developments generated by the latest WTI course. Last year, I had a chance to talk with Col Wellons and LtCol Ryan Schiller, the Aviation Development, Tactics and Evaluation Department Head, about work on…

Singapore Summit: The Triumph of Hope over Experience?

06/12/2018
By Richard Weitz Although the results of the summit are still unclear given the vague joint statement and lack of North Korean comments, on the surface it looks like President Trump made major concessions now in order to achieve hoped-for US gains later. The mere fact that the presidential summit…

The Strategic Shift: The Challenge of Mobile Basing

06/09/2018
By Robbin Laird The strategic shift is a crucial one for the liberal democracies. That strategic shift is from a primary focus on counter insurgency and stability operations to operating in a contested environment with high tempo and high intensity combat systems as a primary tool set. It is about managing conflict…

The Arrival of the F-35s at RAF Marham: The Dambusters Return

06/08/2018
The arrival of the first F-35s from the United States to Britain on June 6, 2018 to their operating base at RAF Marham required a change in the sign entering RAF Marham as can be seen in the featured photo. The entire effort to rebuild Marham to support the UK…

Indo-Pacific Endeavor 18: The Participation of the Royal Australian Navy

06/07/2018
In an article published on June 2, 2018 by the Royal Australian Navy and written by Lt. Ryan Zerbe the Royal Australian Navy's participation in Indio-Pacific Endeavour was the focus of attention. A Joint Task Group of Royal Australian Navy ships and embarked soldiers and marines has set sail from Townsville, bound…

Defense Secretary Mattis in Asia: The Singapore Speech

06/06/2018
Defense Secretary James N. Mattis met with several Indo-Pacific leaders on the sidelines of the 2018 International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore June 1. According to a June 2, 2018 article published on the Department of Defense website: During Mattis’ meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the…