By Robbin Laird (Updated) With the all the focus on the Russian intervention in the last US presidential elections, it is useful to take a broader view of the challenge focused by the new technologies and approaches. During my recent visit to Helsinki, a visit the European Centre of Excellence…
The Second Line of Defense team has been in Australia for the past two weeks conducting interviews and will provide highlights from the Airpower Conference being held this week in Canberra as well as updates and a final report for the Williams Foundation Conference on the shift from the land…
We have written for years about the impact of the decline of the icebreaker force in the USCG on US Arctic policy. We referred to the US as the "reluctant Arctic power." In our interview with the USCG Commandant Admiral Paul Zukunft we focused on the need to shift policy…
Northrop Grumman is in the final stages of acquiring ATK, the space company. But not widely noticed is the key role which ATK plays in composites manufacturing, which is a key part of building 21st century aircraft. ATK plays a key role in the F-35 program from this point of…
By Robbin Laird During a visit last week to the European Air Group based at High Wycombe in the UK, I had the chance to meet with the Deputy Director of the EAG, Air Commodore Robert Adang of the Royal Netherlands Air Force and got an update on their work…
2018-03-02 At the request of the Government of Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Australian Defence Force is providing support to the Department of Foreign Affairs effort following the 7.5 magnitude earthquake that stuck central PNG on 26 February 2018. In the video below, the role of the C-130J is highlighted.…
2018-02-22 By Robbin Laird Without the composites revolution, it would be difficult to image an Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. Equally, without the composites revolution it would be difficult to envisage the successor to the CH-53E being able to lift three times more than its predecessor. The lift is a function of…
2018-02-17 By Robbin Laird Helsinki, Finland My last official interview in Finland was with the former head of the Finnish Air Force and now Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy for the Finnish Defence Forces, Lt. General Kim Jäämeri. In my discussions in Helsinki, I was increasingly persuaded that a number…
