2014-12-15 by Robbin Laird There is a long history and strategic culture associated with nuclear deterrence. The question is whether the history and the culture are more of hindrance than a help into thinking about second nuclear age deterrence and warfighting? Paul Bracken has argued persuasively that nuclear weapons have…
12/16/2014: Chinese Harbin Z-9E helicopter practices landing aboard the U.S. Navy's guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104). Sterett and ships from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (Navy) PLA(N) commenced a bilateral counter-piracy exercise, U.S.-China Counter-Piracy Exercise 15, in the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa. Aiming to promote…
2014-12-16 By Robbin Laird As the US shapes its next phase of 21st century military and security policy, it is crucial to assess the capability of the national security system to set goals and objectives appropriate the tools available. In a world of high demand, and scarce resources, this means…
2014-12-05 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake There is little question that the ISIL induced crisis is a major one. And it is one with cascading regional implications. With several years of dynamic change in the region, and the failure to create a stable Iraq during the period after the…
2014-12-12 Eurofighter is continuing to progress with its weapons modernization program. Recent test firings of Storm Shadow by the Typhoon are a crucial step in the subsuming of some of the missions of the soon to be retired Tornado aircraft. According to a Eurofighter press release dated early December 2014:…
2014-12-13 The F-35 is built by a 21st century manufacturing approach. When viewing the assembly line in Fort Worth, the reality of assembling a stealth aircraft is evident. Less evident is the 21st century approaches taken by the core industrial partners and global suppliers who ship in the core sections…
2014-12-13 The F-35 is not an airplane, but an air system. And one which will be global in character. Operationally, the impact of an integrated F-35 fleet will be significant. And no less so will be the global sustainment possibilities inherent in the program. The program has built in a…
12/13/2014 With the delivery of the first A400M to the RAF and with the standing up of the first French squadron of the A400M, more information will come from the services about their use of the aircraft. The promise of the aircraft is to provide greater payload, speed and range…
