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The Way Ahead for the Large Deck Carrier: The Perspective of Rear Admiral Meier, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic

11/23/2020By Robbin Laird The day before we flew to the USS Gerald R. Ford, I sat down with Rear Admiral Meier, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic, in his Norfolk office, to discuss the way ahead for Naval Air Force, and the next generation large deck carrier. I would call it that rather than simply a large deck aircraft carrier, because… Read more »

The International Fighter Conference 2020: The Evolution of Airpower in the High-End Fight

11/21/2020By Robbin Laird I have attended and reported on the last two International Fighter Conferences, both held in Berlin, in 2018 and 2019. Unfortunately, this one was held on a Zoom stage due to the COVID-19 world. This year I was especially looking forward to coming to Berlin, because my daughter was coming to study in Berlin as part of… Read more »

Thales to Supply Key Systems for German Frigate: November 2020

11/20/2020By Pierre Tran Paris. Thales signed Nov. 17 a contract worth €1.5 billion ($1.8 billion) to supply Dutch shipbuilder Damen with a radar, combat management and fire control systems for the German MKS-180 frigate, Philippe Duhamel, vice president for defense mission systems, said. The deal with Damen was the third largest for Thales, following the sale five years ago of… Read more »

Enhancing Range and Endurance of the ADF’s P-8 Fleet

11/19/2020Recently, the RAAF completed its first round of air-to-air refueling trials. According to an article published by Australian Defence Business Review on October 22, 2020: The tests were conducted over seven flights in designated airspace off the Queensland coast from September 22 to October 1 using the MRTT’s fuselage-mounted boom and the P-8A’s UARRSI (Universal Aerial Refueling Receptacle Slipway Installation). “The execution… Read more »

Visiting the USS Gerald R. Ford: November 17, 2020

11/18/2020By Robbin Laird On November 17, 2020, a small number of journalists, most from the local Norfolk based media, flew from Norfolk Air Station to the USS Gerald R. Ford at sea, less than 100 miles off of the Virginia cost. We flew on the venerable C-2 Greyhound, but this was the first time I had done a carrier landing… Read more »

Strengthening the Indian-U.S. Defense Partnership

11/17/2020By Richard Weitz The next U.S. presidential administration should build on the positive legacy of the Trump administration in strengthening the Indo-U.S. security ties. The two countries recently held the third round of their yearly “2+2” defense and foreign ministers’ dialogue in New Delhi, continuing a process launched in 2018. From October 26-27, U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and… Read more »

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Platforms, Concepts of Operations and Defense Decisions: The German Case

08/30/2020With the launch of our defense information website (defense.info) , we introduced a micro-site on defense decisions. We wrote: “In this new section of the defense.info website, we will address U.S. and allied upcoming procurement choices and decisions. “We are focused on how platform and system choices affect the evolution of the capabilities, concepts of… Download PDF Now »

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EMALS Launch USS Gerald R. Ford, November 17, 2020

11/19/2020This launch sequence was viewed onboard the USS Gerald R. Ford at sea November 17, 2020. It also features the in-deck launch control officer. Read more »

The View from the Bridge: USS Gerald R. Ford, November 17, 2020

11/19/2020This photo slide show highlights the view from the bridge of the USS Gerald R. Ford as seen on a visit at sea to the ship on November 17, 2020. Read more »

The European Defence Fund and European Defence: The Perspective of the EU Commissioner for the Internal Market

11/15/2020By Pierre Tran Paris. The European Union could raise a total of €30-€40 billion ($35-$47 billion) to finance work on defense and security projects, drawing on the €7 billion budget… Read more »

Japan’s Ministry of Defence: “Free and Open-Pacific (FOIP)

11/13/2020According to the Japanese Ministry of Defence: A free and open maritime order, which relies on the rule of law, is the foundation for the stability and prosperity of the… Read more »

The Way Ahead for French Defense? A French Parliamentary Report Raises Significant Questions

11/12/2020By Pierre Tran Dateline Paris. A scathing parliamentary report on the draft 2021 defense budget pointed up an imbalance of political power, with the executive arm withholding information from the… Read more »

The USAF and RAAF Training Partnership on the F-35

11/11/2020By Airman 1st Class Brooke Moeder, 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs The Royal Australian Air Force returned a majority of its F-35A Lightning II pilots, maintainers and aircraft to RAAF Base… Read more »

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Black Dagger Launch

11/23/2020Launch of a Black Dagger target missile at Fort Wingate NM in support of a White Sands Missile Range test mission. The Black Dagger was intercepted over WSMR as part… Read more »

Spartan Warrior 2020

11/20/2020The USAFE Warrior Prep Center hosted Spartan Warrior 20-09, the largest Combined Air Operations simulation exercise to test a new training simulator. These exercises will help improve interoperability, operational fluidity… Read more »

Landing with the New Advanced Arresting Gear: USS Gerald R. Ford, November 17, 2020

11/19/2020In this slideshow and video, a US Navy fighter jet lands onboard the USS Gerald R. Ford during the cyclical operations training cycle as seen on a visit to the… Read more »

Visiting the USS Gerald R. Ford, November 17, 2020: Photo Album 2

11/19/2020By Robbin Laird On November 17, 2020, a small number of journalists, most from the local Norfolk based media, flew from Norfolk Air Station to the USS Gerald R. Ford… Read more »

Weapons Elevator 3

11/18/2020Sailors assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) weapons department move and build MK-82 500-pound class inert bombs May 30, 2020. Ford is underway in the Atlantic Ocean conducting… Read more »

Bomber Run

11/16/2020345th EBS sortie on Sept. 25th in support of Bomber Task Force 20-04. EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, AK, UNITED STATES 09.25.2020 Video by Master Sgt. Theodore Daigle 307th Bomb Wing Read more »

Weapons Loading onboard USS Ford

11/13/2020Sailors assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) weapons department and personnel attached to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 load MK-82 500-pound class inert bombs and other inert ordnance… Read more »

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The Second Line of Defense team provides high quality publications with regard to key global strategic developments. You can purchase these here or on a number of booksellers as well, such as Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

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The Australian Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise

10/26/2020“The National Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise is an ambitious nation-building project that will deliver cutting-edge capabilities to the Royal Australian Navy while creating thousands of jobs and building Australian industry. “The… Read more »