A Typhoon Reminder: Send in the Ospreys

10/15/2024 By Robbin Laird The Marines assisted in relief efforts in the Philippines after a Typhoon hit that country. And as has been done in the past, the dynamic duo of the KC-130J and the Osprey provided the means to do so. As Capt Mark McDonough noted in a 14 October 2024 story: MANILA, Philippines -- U.S. Marines across multiple forward-deployed… Read more »

The Changing Littoral Operational Context: What Role for Maritime Unmanned and Remote Systems?

10/10/2024 By Robbin Laird I had a chance to follow up with Jennifer Parker on her excellent presentation at the 26 September 2024 Sir Richard Williams seminar which focused on the evolving threat environments in the littorals and insights to be gained from operations in the Black Sea, Red Sea and the Philippine’s Sea. She argued in that presentation that new… Read more »

Defence Industry in Australia: Building Strategic Depth and Resilience in Support of the Ready Force

10/07/2024 The September 26, 2024 Sir Richard Williams Foundation focused on accelerating the capabilities of the ready force. Defence industry in Australia is obviously a key player in the ability for the government to find ways to enhance the ready force. A panel of six industrial representatives discussed this challenge lead by Katherine Ziesing of the Sir Richard Williams Foundation as… Read more »

Enabling and Defending the National Information Society: The Space Dimension

10/07/2024 Some time ago – more than a decade – I worked with Alan Dupas, the noted French space expert, on a project for a European space company on the future of space in 2020. We focused on the key point that although a space company was most closely identified with launchers and satellites, the future was its engagement in the… Read more »

From the Ready to the Future Force: Key Warfighting Capabilities for the New Strategic Environment

10/05/2024 By Robbin Laird The strategic environment has clearly changed and the level of real world conflict has escalated, whether in terms of major hot wars – in the Middle East and in Europe – or in terms of active gray zone conflicts. The ready force needs to deal with this real world rather than than just preparing for a future… Read more »

How Does the Ready Force Deal with a Rapidly Changing Operational Environment?

10/04/2024 It is fine to have long-range force structure planning, but what happens when the operational environment is rapidly changing for your operational force? How to adapt the ready force effectively and adeptly in a timely manner? And what consequences does that have for one’s long-range force structure design? The presentation by Jennifer Parker, Expert Associate National Security College of the… Read more »