Aligning Airpower Capabilities with Australia’s Maritime Strategy

04/26/2024
At the April 11, 2024 Williams Foundation seminar, the former head of the Air Warfare Center and now Director General for Air Combat Capability, Air Commodore Ross Bender, addressed the way ahead for the RAAF in dovetailing with the new strategic focus of the Australian government. Bender noted that the…

Conceptualizing Australia’s Maritime Strategy and Shaping a Government Approach

04/24/2024
By Robbin Laird I followed up with Jennifer Parker on April 19, 2024 with regard to her presentation on how to conceptualize Australian maritime strategic interests and strategy. We focused on how she conceptualized the strategy and the needed approach as much wider than a focus on ADF capabilities. We…

French Defence Exports: An April 2024 Update

04/23/2024
By Pierre Tran Paris - Sales and orders of the defense sector of the French aeronautics and space industry fell in 2023 compared to the previous year, while overall sales rose nine percent to €70.2 billion ($75 billion), the chair of the GIFAS trade association told a news conference April…

Air Power in Australia’s Maritime Strategy

04/21/2024
By Robbin Laird This was the title of the presentation by Chris McInnes, a noted Australian airpower and defence analyst, to the April 11, 2024 Williams Foundation Seminar. He provided an overview of how airpower made unique contributions to Australian defence by providing rapid strike options throughout the Australian areas…

What does a 21st century defence strategy look like for Australia in a multi-polar authoritarian world?

04/16/2024
The answer is that it does not look like the defence strategy which has been followed throughout most of the post-war period. The threat envelope is quite different. There is no American and Western managed rules-based order dominating the world. There are diverse authoritarian movements and states which follow their…

The Future is Now for the ADF: Shaping Space for Maritime Autonomous Systems

04/15/2024
During my current visit to Australia, both at the 11 April Williams Foundation Seminar and in my interviews and discussions, there is a clear concern for ramping up ADF capabilities now. In addition to any longer term additive capabilities, it is crucial in the evolving strategic context to find ways…

Changing the Business Rules: Moving Beyond Slo Mo War Preparation

12/18/2017
2017-12-18 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.…