Global Uncertainties: Ukraine Intrudes on the 21st Century

03/28/2014
2014-03-28 by Kenneth Maxwell The international consequences of Russia's reincorporation of the Crimean peninsula are still unfolding. The leaders of the G-7 industrialized nations, meeting at the Hague, Netherlands, abandoned their participation in the G-8 summit, scheduled to take place in June, in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, where Russia hosted the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.…

South Africa and Brazil Strengthen Defense Relationships: An Impact of the Gripen Acqusition?

03/28/2014
2014-03-28 By Guy Martin The visit to South Africa last week by Brazilian defense minister Celso Amorim has resulted in defense ties between the two countries being strengthened, with cooperation in the fields of training and technology, particularly regarding air-to-air missiles. During his four-day visit to Africa between March 19…

An Interview with the CEO of Quickstep: An Australian F-35 Global Supplier

03/27/2014
2014-03-27 By Robbin Laird During my visit to Australia in early March, I had a chance to talk with some of the F-35 suppliers in Australia. When one frames this subject, the term “suppliers” to a nation’s F-35 program suggests a legacy approach, whereby one is assembling an aircraft in…

The Challenge of Energy Security in the 21st Century: The Australian Case

03/25/2014
2014-03-25  The global interdependence of the 21st century poses significant challenges when states are forced to handle disruptions, and when competitors to shape outcomes to their advantage use disruptions. Energy security is clearly a key part of global interdependence, and managing energy security is a key challenge facing 21st century…

The Business Model of Thales Australia: Transfer Technology, Grow Indigenously and Export Globally

03/25/2014
2014-03-25 By Robbin Laird Earlier I wrote about the role of European firms in the augmentation of allied Pacific defense capabilities. In American discussions of the re-shaping of Pacific defense, naturally the primary focus is upon the American role and contribution. Lost in such a focus often is how the Asian…