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Uptick in NATO Intercepts of Russian Military Aircraft in Europe

01/14/2021NATO air forces across Europe scrambled more than 400 times in 2020 to intercept unknown aircraft approaching Alliance airspace. Almost 90 percent of these missions - around 350 - were in response to flights by Russian military aircraft. This is a moderate increase from 2019. Russian military aircraft often do not transmit a transponder code indicating their position and altitude,… Read more »

The UK Carrier Strike Group Reaches Initial Operating Capability

01/13/2021According to an article published by the UK MoD on January 4, 2021, the new UK carrier strike group built around its unique strike carrier, the Queen Elizabeth, has reached IOC status. The CSG has reached Initial Operating Capability (IOC), meaning all elements of the group from fighter jets to radar systems to anti-ship weapons have been successfully brought together… Read more »

The UK MoD Contract for Spear 3 Weapons for the F-35B

01/12/2021Paving the way for other F-35B customers globally, the UK has issued a contract for its procurement of the innovative strike missiles for the fifth generation aircraft. According to a January 6, 2021 article published by the UK MoD: Known as SPEAR3, the next-generation missile can travel long distances at high-subsonic speed and over the next decade will become the… Read more »

UAE Prepares for Commercial Nuclear Operations

01/11/2021By India Strategic ABU DHABI. The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, ENEC, has announced that its operating and maintenance subsidiary, Nawah Energy Company, Nawah, has successfully achieved 100% of the rated reactor power capacity for Unit 1 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant. This major milestone brings the Barakah plant one step closer to commencing commercial operations, scheduled in early 2021.… Read more »

Multiple Basing, Kill Webs and C2: Shaping a Way Ahead

01/07/2021By Robbin Laird As the United States and core allies build out the way ahead for an integrated distributed force, a key challenge is shaping C2 systems which fully enable such a force. C2 and ISR have been historically treated as separate terms but increasingly the sensor networks are integrable with C2 systems, and with the focus on a distributed … Read more »

An Update on the CH-53K from VMX-1: The Perspective of Lt. Col. Frank

01/05/2021By Robbin Laird During my visit to 2nd Marine Air Wing during the first week of December 2020, I had a chance to visit New River Marine Corps Air Station and meet with Lt. Col. Frank, VMX-1, to get an update on the coming of the CH-53K. Lt. Col. Frank showed me the simulator as well giving me a chance… Read more »

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Visiting 2nd Marine Air Wing, December 2020

01/11/2021I first visited 2nd MAW in 2007, at the beginning of the Osprey era. There I saw a small number of the aircraft on the tarmac and met with pilots and maintainers at the beginning of a long period of disruptive change, a period of change which delivered new capabilities, and new approaches for the USMC… Download PDF Now »

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The German State Buys Significant Stake In Hensoldt

01/09/2021by Reuters/defenceWeb Germany’s government has decided to buy a 25.1% stake in defence supplier Hensoldt at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Reuters reported last week that the government aimed to… Read more »

Visiting MAG-26: The Perspective of Col. Spaid

01/04/2021By Robbin Laird During my visit to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, and to New River Marine Corps Air Station, I had a chance to visit Marine Aircraft Group 26. Over… Read more »

Exercise Deep Water: Working the Integrated Distributed Insertion Force

12/31/2020By Robbin Laird Last July, North Carolina-based Marines organized an exercise in which they called Deep Water. In a press release from November 5, 2020, this is how II Marine… Read more »

Europe, China and Australia: How Far Apart?

12/31/2020By Robbin Laird With the European Commission spearheaded a closer relationship with China, the gap — not just geographical — between Australia and Europe is clearly growing. My own recently… Read more »

Visiting HMLA-269 and 167: Shaping a Way Ahead for Marine Corps Light Attack Helicopters

12/30/2020Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 269 (HMLA-269) is currently commanded by Lt. Col. Short and is a squadron consisting of the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter and the UH-1Y Venom utility… Read more »

The Next Phase of Australian National Security Strategy: Noise Before Defeat 5

12/28/2020In the release of the new Australian defensce strategy on July 1, 2020, Prime Minister Morrison highlighted the important role which Senator Jim Molan plays in his thinking about defence..… Read more »

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USS WASP Virtual Tour: Introduction

01/15/2021Sailors aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) give an introductory video tour. NORFOLK, VA, 10.30.2020 Read more »

USS Iwo Jima Trains with 24th MEU

01/13/2021ATLANTIC OCEAN (Nov. 5, 2020) ] The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group is participating in SWATT off the coast of North Carolina, to maintain readiness, proficiency and lethality. (U.S. Navy… Read more »

USS Donald Cook SM-2 Launch

01/11/2021ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 14, 2020) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) launches a SM-2 missile during Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2, Oct. 14, 2020. Exercise Joint Warrior… Read more »

200,000th Arrested Landing on CVN-72

01/08/2021PACIFIC OCEAN (July 21, 2020) The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) celebrates its 200,000th arrested landing. Abraham Lincoln is underway conducting carrier qualifications in the Pacific Ocean. (U.S.… Read more »

WestPac

01/06/2021The 18th Wing executed the third iteration of Exercise WestPac Rumrunner with joint partners Oct. 16th and focused on improved interoperability as well as fine-tuning agile combat employment concepts. ACE… Read more »

Global Thunder

01/04/2021B-52H Stratofortresses land at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Oct. 20, 2020, as part of Global Thunder 21. Exercises like GLOBAL THUNDER involve extensive planning and coordination to provide unique… Read more »

Seawahk Deliver Payload to USS Henry Jackson

01/01/2021An MH-60R Sea Hawk, attached to the “Easy Riders” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 37, delivers a payload to the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730)… 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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Attack Utility Helicopter Team Adapting Close Air Support

01/05/2021As the strategic shift from the Middle Eastern land wars to engagement where flexibile, expeditionary basing is envisaged, the attack utility helicopter team of Vipers and Venoms is adapting. In… Read more »