Recently, an autonomous minesweeper system that can safely clear sea lanes of mines has been delivered to the Royal Navy. According to a news story on the UK Ministry of Defence website published May 5, 2018, the arrival of the new capability was announced. Following a period of successful trials…
By Robbin Laird Last year, I visited Norway and had a chance to discuss with senior officials their thinking about the way ahead for Norway and North Atlantic defense. The Norwegians are investing significantly in new systems, but just as importantly are re-focused on their total defense concept to ensure…
The Italian Ministry of Defence has recently highlighted their commitment to enhanced cyber defense capabilities. In a story published on the Italian Ministry of Defence website on April 30, 2018, the recent NATO Locked Shield Exercise was the focus of attention. Exercise Locked Shields 2018, the largest and most complex…
The UK hosted a major European exercise on UK territory which tested ways to enhance collective defense. According to a story in the Daily Mail published on May 3, 2018: British troops have taken part in one of Europe's largest military exercises with nearly 12,000 personnel from across 17 nations…
For the fourth time the Portuguese Air Force assumed lead of the Baltic Air Policing mission. During the traditional ceremony at Šiauliai Airbase on May 2 a detachment of the Portuguese Air Force was handed over the symbolic key to the Baltic Airspace from the outgoing detachment of the Royal…
Brexit is a process which have a major impact on the UK and Europe for sure. And no matter what the Brexit negotiated outcome that will be sorted out between the EU and the UK, both continental Europe and the UK will have to find a way to work together…
By Robbin Laird I have spent last week in Norway and visited Bodø air base as well as Ørland airbase, home of the first F-35s in Norway. This week I visited RAF Marham, the Tornado and F-35 base, and RAF Conigsby, a QRA and Typhoon base and then yesterday Portsmouth to…
By Philip Butterworth-Hayes Time, they say, slows down the few seconds before a car crash. For close observers of the UK’s disentanglement from the European Union’s (EU) defence and security institutions, time has started to decelerate over the last few weeks. First came the reports of the Commission’s decision that…
