From Good Enough to Strategic Command: The Evolution of Military Pilot Training

09/23/2025 I talked with Tom Webster of Textron Aviation Defense on July 15, 2025 about the legacy of combat pilot training and the reshaping of that approach to embrace the fifth generation and multi-domain combat pilots needed for the high-end fight. This article deals with the first part of our conversation which focused on the legacy approach and the demands that… Read more »

The Invisible Battle: Synchronizing Non-Kinetic Effects in Modern Warfare

09/22/2025 By Robbin Laird The nature of warfare is fundamentally unchanged — it remains a contest of political will between adversaries. However, the character of how wars are fought has transformed dramatically. In an era where conflicts can be decided before the first missile is fired or the first shot is taken, military forces worldwide are grappling with a critical challenge:… Read more »

Rethinking Military Transformation: From Platform-Centric to Threat-Informed Innovation

09/21/2025 By Robbin Laird The nature of military transformation has fundamentally changed. Where once armed forces could afford to develop new platforms over decades and then figure out how to use them, today's security environment demands a completely different approach. This shift represents perhaps the most significant change in military thinking since the advent of combined arms warfare itself. In a… Read more »

Combat Readiness at the Speed of Relevance: Preparing for Tomorrow’s Conflicts Today

09/18/2025 By Robbin Laird On September 18, 2025, the Sir Richard Williams Foundation held its 2nd seminar for the year which was entitled: "Fight Tonight: Combat Readiness at the Speed of Relevance." I will highlight the presentations at the conference in a series of articles over the next few weeks. I will conclude the series with an article providing my perceptions… Read more »

Australia’s Strategic Dynamic: Redefining Alliance Partnership in the Indo-Pacific

09/17/2025 By Robbin Laird The comfortable certainties of the post-Cold War era are dissolving. For Australia, this transformation presents both unprecedented challenges and opportunities to reshape its role as a strategic actor in the Indo-Pacific. Australia is moving from alliance dependence toward more strategic independence while deepening operational integration with trusted partners. The traditional model of alliance partnership, where Australia provided… Read more »

Brazil at the Crossroads: Why Resource Sovereignty Requires Democratic Partnership

09/17/2025 Brazil stands at a critical juncture that will determine whether it emerges as a strategic power or remains trapped as a raw material supplier in China's sphere of influence. While President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's administration pursues deeper integration with Beijing through initiatives like BRICS expansion and transcontinental infrastructure projects, this path threatens to foreclose the very opportunities that… Read more »