SLDinfo.com - Second Line of Defense | Delivering Capability to the Warfighter

Osprey Major Redesign Effort: Modified CV-22s Arrive at Cannon Air Force Base

01/21/2022According to the USAF: “U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 20th Special Operations Squadron familiarize themselves with the new nacelle improvement modifications on a CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Jan. 7, 2022. "The improvements should increase aircraft availability and reduce required maintenance actions, leading to increased flying hours. "The versatility of the CV-22 offers… Read more »

Team Tempest Reinforced by Japanese-UK Engine Agreement

01/20/2022Both the UK and Japan are working towards their next fighter aircraft. Both are members of the F-35 enterprise and can build on that operational experience as well. The Japanese are looking in their F-X program to replace their F-2 aircraft; and the UK is looking beyond its current generation Eurofighter aircraft. The UK has launched its Tempest program which… Read more »

The Afghan Winter 2022 and Afghan Sanctions

01/17/2022By Pierre Tran Paris - There was perhaps a faint echo of sweeping U.S. sanctions against Vietnam after 1975, as the people of Afghanistan face a winter of starvation due to international restrictions on humanitarian aid and on the Afghan banking system. News pictures of a chaotic evacuation of Afghan and foreign nationals from Kabul last August prompted media reports… Read more »

Final Report: Australia and Shaping a Sovereign Space Strategy

01/17/2022On 1 December 2021, the Williams Foundation held its second 2021 seminar, this one focused on shaping a way ahead for a sovereign Australian space strategy. That report can be found on the Williams Foundation website as well as on Second Line of Defense and Defense.info. Since 2018, the focus of the seminars has been increasingly with regard to how… Read more »

France and Indian Defense Cooperation: Perspectives from Parly’s December 2021 Visit

01/14/2022By India Strategic “France, more than any other country, understands the necessity of the Indian content. And we are fully committed to the Make in India initiative, as well as to the further integration of Indian manufacturers into our global supply chains. Make in India has been a reality for French industry for several years, particularly for defence equipment such… Read more »

Air Marshal (Retired) Geoff Brown on the ADF and Australian Space Capabilities

01/08/2022By Robbin Laird On 1 December 2021, the Williams Foundation held its second seminar for the year. The first one was in April 2021 and focused on next generation autonomous systems, and the second one focused on the requirements of a sovereign defence space capability for Australia. After drafting the report on the conference, I had a chance to discuss… Read more »

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The Requirements of a Sovereign Defence Space Capability

01/08/2022Recently, the Williams Foundation held its latest bi-annual seminar, this one focused on the way ahead for the Australian space enterprise. Since 2014, the Williams Foundation has held bi-annual seminars on the transformation of the ADF as it embraced fifth generation warfare and working joint force integration. Since 2018, the focus has been increasingly with… Download PDF Now »

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VMFA-115 Deploys to the Middle East, December 2021

01/12/2022According to a story written by Senior Airman Jacob B. Wrightsman and published by CENTCOM on December 31, 2021: PRINCE SULTAN AIR BASE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Marines from… Read more »

European Defence Cooperation Projects: Diverse Flight Paths?

01/07/2022By Pierre Tran Paris – France and other European nations should work together in military programs to allow Europe to reach “critical mass,” Guillaume Faury, chairman of GIFAS, the aerospace… Read more »

Australian Army Establishes Army Aviation Command

01/07/2022As part of the re-set of the Australian Army to support the evolving Australian defence strategy focused on the Indo-Pacific region, the Army has established a new army aviation command.… Read more »

Mobile Basing as a Strategic Capability: The USMC and Re-shaping the Joint and Coalition Force

01/04/2022By Robbin Laird With the current focus on finding ways for the USMC to better support the joint force, a key opportunity might be overlooked. How might the joint and… Read more »

How Defence Leverages the Evolving Australian Space Industrial Eco-System

01/03/2022By Robbin Laird A key element of the presentations and discussions at the 1 December 2021 Williams Foundation seminar on building out sovereign capabilities was how Defence could best position… Read more »

Shaping an Australian Space Industrial Eco-System for Defence and Security

01/02/2022By Robbin Laird Sovereign Australian space requires an Australian industrial space eco-system to be shaped and enhanced. How might this be done? Crafting, shaping, and building out an Australian space… Read more »

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Terrain Shaping Ops

01/21/2022Throughout history, forces have attempted to turn, fix, block, disrupt and deter others through ever-evolving scientific and technological solutions. However, current Terrain Shaping Obstacles are fixed and limited to the… Read more »

Cold-Weather Operations Course

01/19/2022Twenty-seven Soldiers who are participating as students in the Fort McCoy Cold-Weather Operations Course (CWOC) class 22-02 practice building an Artic 10-percent tent Jan. 5, 2022, during course training at… Read more »

All Domain Warfighting Center

01/17/2022Located in Northern Michigan, the National All Domain Warfighting Center is changing the way we train to fight. The NADWC boasts two extensive maneuver training centers, Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver… Read more »

MAG-24 and EABO

01/14/2022U.S. Marines with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 367, conduct live-fire training off the coast of Hawaii, Nov. 4, 2021. HMLA-367 conducted this training to demonstrate readiness and combat… Read more »

Marines Work a Forward Refueling Point in MCAS Iwakuni Exericise, 2019

01/12/2022U.S. Marines with Marine Air Control Squadron 4 Detachment Bravo (MACS-4 DET B) and Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 (MWSS-171) conduct a Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP) exercise at… Read more »

Resolute Dragon

01/12/2022Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 172 provide fuel and are resupplied by two MV-22B Ospreys at Ojojihara Training Area during exercise Resolute Dragon 21, Dec. 4, 2021. RD21 is… Read more »

Counter Drone: NATO Actions

01/10/2022The misuse of small, widely available drones represents a significant and growing risk to NATO operations and day-to-day defence activity. NATO is working with industry to develop capabilities to counter… 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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An Update on Australia and the Triton

01/07/2022Adding Triton to the ADF is an important step forward in building out the kind of long range ISR and C2 capabilities to empower the reach of the ADF. Enhanced… Read more »