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Looking Back and Looking Forward with Regard to Airpower: Don’t Ignore Organizational Culture in Sorting Through Mastering the Targeting Enterprise

02/28/2021By Robbin Laird In his book, Selling Schweinfurt, Col. Brian D. Vlaun discusses how combat leaders, supported by their structures that provide cross-cutting assessments of target effectiveness, sorted through the challenge of how to use the World War II European-based bomber force. The core effort was pretty straightforward — attrite German military capabilities. But beyond that focal point, questions loomed… Read more »

Colonel Perrin Provides an Update on the CH-53K: February 2021

02/27/2021By Robbin Laird A year ago, I visited Pax River and had a chance to discuss the progress of the CH-53K with Colonel Jack Perrin Program Manager, PMA-261 H53 Heavy Lift Helicopters, US Naval Air Systems Command at Pax River Naval Air Station. And this week, he provided an update at this week’s International Military Helicopter Conference. What was especially… Read more »

COVID-19 and Live Virtual Constructive Training

02/26/2021By Tony McCormack The world has changed rapidly over the past 18 months and the way Australia’s defence organisation trains its people needs to change with it, or skills and readiness will surely decline. A combination of the Australian Defence Force’s involvement in responding to natural disasters over the summer of 2019–20 and Covid-19 restrictions throughout 2020 resulted in the… Read more »

The Australian Defence Force Shapes a Way Head: From an Historical Perspective

02/24/2021By Ed Timperlake Joint By Design, The Evolution of Australian Strategy is a very important new book by Robbin F.Laird. As the author sagely points out in his preface that “this book although focused on Australia, is not just about Australia.” There is a strategic shift underway as land wars are left behind and alliance forces refocus on the Peoples… Read more »

The French Government Launches Next Gen SSBN Studies

02/23/2021By Pierre Tran Paris - France was launching design studies and starting to build first sections of a third-generation nuclear ballistic missile submarine, in a bid to maintain national sovereignty and military independence, the armed forces minister, Florence Parly, said Feb. 19. A new generation nuclear missile boat signals French ambition to hold firmly to its world military rankings, shared… Read more »

The U.S. Navy and the Challenge of Operating Maritime Autonomy Systems

02/21/2021At times, the advocates for maritime autonomy systems seem like a church. Believers, advocates and true believers expressing anger that the ghost fleet has not yet arrived. But for maritime autonomy systems to become key operating elements within the fleet, they will have to demonstrate their worth and that the cost in all senses of inclusion is not higher than… 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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Japan-U.S. Bilateral Exercise “Forest Light“

02/26/2021From December 7th to 18th, 2020, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) conducted the Japan-U.S. Bilateral Exercise “Forest Light” with the U.S. Marine Corps in Sekiyama Training Area, Somagahara Training… Read more »

The FCAS “Bras de Fer”: A February 2021 Update

02/19/2021By Pierre Tran Paris – Dassault Aviation has insisted on protecting intellectual property rights over its fighter jet technology, while Airbus Defence and Space has sought full access to that… Read more »

Re-Setting the Standard for V-22 Overhaul Time: Breaking the 300-Day Mark

02/19/2021When interviewing the CO of 2nd Marine Air Wing, Major General Cederholm underscored the importance of the logs and maintenance side of his command to be “ready to fight tonight.”… Read more »

UK Defence Co-Operation with Japan

02/18/2021On February 3, 2021, the UK Ministry of Defence published an article which highlighted the coming deployment of HMS Queen Elizabeth to the Pacific and how that deployment fit into… Read more »

Light Carrier Anyone? USS America in Operation

02/18/2021USS America, the lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group, along with the 31st MEU, is seen in the slide show below operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area… Read more »

The UK Establishes a New Space Command and Names its First Commander

02/17/2021An article published on November 19, 2020 in the UK Defence Journal highlighted the establishment of a new UK Space Command On 18 November 2020, the UK announced its proposal… Read more »

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Marines and USAF Joint Ops

02/22/2021Airmen with the 165th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) conduct a casualty evacuation exercise with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 (VMM-261) at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia, Dec. 7-16.… Read more »

Fort Bliss Trainers

02/19/2021Every year, thousands of civilian contractors converge at Ft. Bliss, Texas, to undergo a rigorous training regimen that prepares them to support their military counterparts in critical missions across the… Read more »

139th AW 2020 Year in Review

02/17/2021Leadership of the 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard, summarize the achievements of the organization during the year of 2020, at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, in St. Joseph,… Read more »

Joint Forcible Entry 20B

02/15/2021The 437th Airlift Squadron participated in Joint Forcible Entry 20B. The JFE is a realistic exercise that simulates air drop and air-land insertion in a hostile environment. The exercise requires… Read more »

VMM-261 Training

02/12/2021Airmen with the 165th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) conduct a casualty evacuation exercise with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 (VMM-261) at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia, Dec. 7-16.… Read more »

Iwo Jima Training: November 2020

02/10/2021ATLANTIC 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 photo… Read more »

USCG Refueling at Sea

02/08/2021The Coast Guard Cutter James (WMSL-754) crew conducts a replenishment at sea with Chilean navy oiler Almirante Montt (AO 52) in the Pacific Ocean Nov. 25, 2020. The cutter James… Read more »

SLD BOOKSHOP

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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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CH-53K First Fleet Flight: The View from New River

02/20/2021CH-53K King Stallion takes first fleet flight – Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VMX-1) at Marine Corps Air Station New River, NC, launch the CH-53K King Stallion on… Read more »