Mattis Visits Finland: Highlights the Importance of Nordic Defense

11/10/2017
2017-11-07 Second Line of Defense has underscored the importance of the evolving challenges as well as strategic responses of the Nordics to those challenges. Apparently, Secretary Mattis agrees. Yesterday, he visited Finland and highlighted their contribution to democracy and to the defense of the region. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis applauded…

Evolving the Capabilities of the MAGTF: The Case Study of the F-35 and HIMARS

11/10/2017
2017-11-01 By Robbin Laird The Marine Corps is being shaped for the transition from a slow motion ground war to higher intensity warfare. This reshaping is being driven by the new aviation assets, the introduction of broad range digital interoperability within the MAGTF and by evolving concepts of operations associated…

Putin Sets the Stage at the Valdai Conference: Driving Demand for Enhanced Missile Defense

11/10/2017
2017-11-01 By Richard Weitz President Vladimir Putin made one of his most anti-American presentations at the Valdai Conference in Sochi since his February 2007 speech to the Munich Security Conference. His comments suggest the prospects for future Russian-U.S. arms control are bleak due to fundamental differences between Moscow and Washington.…

Norwegian F-35s Arrive in Norway: Remembering the Past and Preparing for the Future (Updated)

11/09/2017
2017-11-10 (Updated with Comments on Arrival Ceremony) According to a story on the Ministry of Defence Norwegian website published on November 10, 2017, the comments by the Prime Minister were highlighted regarding the arrival of the F-35 in Norway. The F-35 remains crucial to the continued modernization of our Armed…

Manitou Rotation 66

11/07/2017
11/7/2017: HMAS Warramunga departed her home port of Fleet Base East on the 08 October 2017 to commence the ship’s deployment on Operation MANITOU. Warramunga is supporting international efforts to promote maritime security, stability and prosperity in the Middle East region (MER). [maxgallery id="102202"] The ship is operating as part…

F-22s Deploy to Europe, October 2017

11/06/2017
2017-10-31 The F-22s have somehow gone from being “Cold War relics” to cutting edge multi-mission deterrent capabilities. From the beginning, the F-22 held the promise it has clearly demonstrated now globally, from Syria to the Pacific, namely being able to operate in a redefinition of what an air dominance fighter is…

Norway Gets Ready to Receive Its First F-35s in Country

11/02/2017
2017-10-29 Norway, like Denmark and the UK, is looking forward to the coming and integrative impact of the F-35 on its national and regional defense capabilities. As Major General Tonje Skinnarland. the Norwegian Chief of Staff, put it in an interview earlier this year: “It is not just about adding…