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Evolving European Fighter Programs: A March 2023 Update

03/29/2023By Pierre Tran Paris - It is still early days in the studies for a European New Generation Fighter (NGF) and a target weight has yet to be decided, but it is clear 20 tonnes is excessive for the planned fighter jet, a source working on the project said. Weight is a key design factor in determining the cost and… Read more »

Putting the 2023 Australian Strategic Review in Context: An Assessment by John Blaxland

03/28/2023By Robbin Laird Currently I am in Canberra, Australia to participate in the latest Williams Foundation Seminar for which I write the reports. While visiting, I have the opportunity to discuss strategic issues with a number of analysts and officials while here. This year is noticeable for the coming defence review of the Labor government and the recent announcement of… Read more »

China’s Strategic Shift: What are the Implications for the Evolving Global Order?

03/25/2023By Robbin Laird Dr. Harald Malmgren has described what he and his colleague see as a strategic shift in China associated with the next phase of President Xi’s leadership. The shift from an export-oriented growth economy which is deeply intertwined with the developments in the Western world to one more focused on domestic consolidation and a global shift to the… Read more »

The Next Phase of the Xi Era: China’s Strategic Shift in a World in Flux

03/23/2023By Robbin Laird The recently concluded Party Congress in Communist China has both consolidated Xi’s control of the Chinese system and turned the country further from its earlier legacy of global engagement built on its powerful export engine. According to my colleague, Dr. Harald Malmgren, Chinese policy under Xi has taken a significant strategic turn in its economy and with… Read more »

MARSOC and 2nd MLG Prepare for the Entrance of the CH-53K Into the Fleet

03/21/2023By Sgt. Jesula Jeanlouis CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – Marine Forces Special Operations Command’s Paraloft personnel teamed up with 2nd Marine Logistics Group’s Air Delivery Platoon to evaluate the secondary mission capabilities of the CH-53K King Stallion helicopter, Oct. 25 – Nov. 3, 2022. This evaluation included day and night aerial cargo delivery, low-level static line parachute operations, and military freefall… Read more »

Changing the Business Rules: Moving Beyond Slo Mo War Preparation

12/18/20172017-12-18 By Brian Morra The Department of Defense’s acquisition system is a major cause of the erosion of the defense capabilities of the United States. This erosion is visible in high profile, fatal accidents like those the US Navy has experienced in the Western Pacific over the past two years. Less visible is the long-term deterioration of defense capacity relative… Read more »

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The Australian Defence Force Faces Its Future in the Direct Defense of Australia

10/11/2022With the looming defence strategic review launched by the new Labour government, the Williams Foundation seminar held on September 28, 2022 looked at the challenges facing the ADF and the nation in shaping a defence policy shaped not by a peacetime mindset but one attuned to a global order in conflict. Download PDF Now »

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Building and Operating a Hybrid Fleet in the Pacific: A Key Area for U.S. Navy and RAN Cooperation

03/16/2023By George Galdorisi The USN’s commitment to a future fleet comprised of as many as 150 unmanned maritime systems did not instantly materialize, and it is worth examining this journey.… Read more »

Dassault Report: March 2023

03/10/2023By Pierre Tran Paris – Dassault Aviation could raise production of the Rafale to three fighter jets per month, if the aircraft company won export orders, executive chairman Eric Trappier… Read more »

The Marine Corps Works its Way Ahead: The Perspective of Lt. Gen. Brian Cavanaugh

03/08/2023By Robbin Laird I had a chance to meet with Lt. Gen. Brian Cavanaugh at his office in Norfolk on Friday 24, 2023. He is Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force,… Read more »

A Mission-Kitable Aircraft for Kill Web Operations: Colonel Marvel Discusses the Way Ahead with the Osprey

02/24/2023By Robbin Laird I first encountered the Osprey in 2007 in a visit to MAG-26 at New River. In that discussion with Marines, we focused on how what was referred… Read more »

Distributed Operations and Logistics in the Pacific: How to Shape a Way Ahead for the Fleet

02/23/2023Recently, the PACFLEET Commander, Admiral Paparo, provided the keynote address at the WEST 2023 conference held in San Diego from February 14 through 16 2023. That presentation provides his perspective… Read more »

Maritime USVs, UAVs and Reshaping ISR/C2: A Discussion with Lt. General (Retired) Steve Rudder

02/22/2023By Robbin Laird To deal with the challenges in the Pacific, the United States has and will continue to have a significant shortfall in core platforms to implement a classic… Read more »

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JAGM Integration

02/17/2023U.S. Marines with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), load and fire an AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) in support of… Read more »

Recovering the NASA Artemis I Orion Spacecraft

02/15/2023Amphibious transport dock USS Portland (LPD27) recovers the NASA Orion spacecraft, Dec. 11, 2022. Portland, along with Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8), operated in U.S. 3rd Fleet… Read more »

Red Flag-Rescue

02/13/2023Red Flag-Rescue is a joint exercise that involves other service branches as well as partner nations and is the Department of Defense’s premier combat search and rescue exercise held twice… Read more »

Silent Wolverine

02/10/2023Exercise Silent Wolverine is a U.S.-led, combined training exercise that tests Ford-class aircraft carrier capabilities through integrated high-end naval warfare scenarios alongside participating allies in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. 11.08.2022… Read more »

Exercise ARDENT CROSSBOW

02/08/2023Exercise ARDENT CROSSBOW is the first time the 633d Air Base Wing is conducting agile combat support as an Air Base Squadron as part of Air Combat Command’s effort to… Read more »

Exercise Keen Sword 2023: Overview

02/03/2023Exercise Keen Sword 23 enhanced regional security, stability, and prosperity through multilateral cooperation and collaboration across the Indo-Pacific region from Nov. 11 – 20, 2022. Keen Sword is a biennial… Read more »

HMLA-775

02/01/2023U.S. Marines with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 775, Marine Aircraft Group 41, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, conduct a live fire exercise over Camp Pendleton, California, Oct. 27, 2022. HMLA-775… 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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Devil Ray USV in Medical Evacuation Training Scenario

03/12/2023U.S. Navy Sailors simulate a ship-to-shore patient transfer using a MARTAC T-38 Devil Ray unmanned surface vessel (USV) in Aqaba, Jordan, March 9, 2023, during International Maritime Exercise 2023. The… Read more »