Australia, a Complacent Nation … Adrift in the South Pacific?

06/29/2024 By Air Vice-Marshal John Blackburn AO (Retd) and Group Captain Anne Borzycki (Retd) Australia has a lengthy history of seeking protection from great and powerful western saviours due to a long-held fear of invasion from "the north." Stunned by the withdrawal of British Forces following the surrender of Singapore in WWII, it turned its attention to another large and powerful… Read more »

Eurosatory 2024: The Evolution of Land Warfare as the Wars in Ukraine and Gaza Rage On

06/28/2024 By Pierre Tran VILLEPINTE, France - There was something for everybody at Eurosatory, a trade show for land weapons and air-ground combat, which closed June 21. Above all, there was politics, domestic and international. The vast halls and outdoor displays just north of the capital were packed with every kind of military and security kit, spanning from minute Lynred semiconductors… Read more »

The CH-53K Moves to Yuma: The Future is Now

06/23/2024 By Robbin Laird On June 7, 2024, the CH-53K moved from the VMX-1 detachment at New River to join the core of the unit which is located at Yuma. This means that the VMX-1 aircraft is co-located with MAWTS-1 and becomes an integral part of the ongoing transformation of the USMC. What was VMX-22 and located at New River on… Read more »

How to Shape a National Security and Defence Strategy for Australia: The Perspective of John Blaxland

06/20/2024 By Robbin Laird RSL Australia has recently released a paper by John Blaxland of the Australian National University which underscores the need for a broader Australian national defence strategy rather than one narrowly focused on the Australian Defence Force. “The Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL Australia) was formed in 1916 in response to the lack of a unified… Read more »

Ukraine War Underscores Need for Sustained Investments in U.S. Air Superiority

06/19/2024 By Richard Weitz The Ukraine War and other recent conflicts highlight the imperative of preserving U.S. air superiority. Ukraine demonstrates the challenges militaries face when they do not enjoy air superiority. In that conflict, advanced drones have provided the most effective combat air support for both the Russian and Ukrainian ground forces, while air and missiles defenses, along with electronic… Read more »

The French and the Mirage 2000-5-MICA Package to Ukraine

06/17/2024 By Pierre Tran Paris - The Mirage 2000-5 fighter jet may be “an old bird,” but there was a large supply of spare parts, which will be a “big advantage” for the Ukrainian air force, a French ex-fighter pilot said. It was not clear how many of the French-built fighters Paris will send to Kyiv, but there should be no… Read more »