2012-11-30 by Richard Weitz During his years as Russia’s first civilian defense minister, Anatoly Serdyukov and the Russian government made the unprecedented decision to purchase expensive Western defense equipment. The decision was designed partly to fill gaps in Russian military capabilities, and partly to use the threat of foreign competition to…
2012-11-30 by Richard Weitz China’s growing energy needs represent another force driving its increased interest and involvement in Central Asia. A combination of a booming economy and declining domestic energy production has resulted in China importing an increasingly large percentage of its oil and natural gas. Although China still acquires the…
2012-11-30 by Robbin Laird Ed Timperlake has pioneered work on how to understand the entire approach to re-thinking what the new generation of combat air is really all about. To capture the difference between his generation of aircraft and the F-35, Timperlake has focused on what he calls the Z-axis and…
2012-11-29 Second Line of Defense visited MAWTS during the second week of November 2012. We did so knowing that the Marine Corps is focusing on the concurrent development of tactics and training with operations. In part, that is why the F-35 Bravo is being stood up at MCAS Yuma, the home…
2012-11-28 by Richard Weitz A drive for energy security is a central reality of Chinese foreign and security policies. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) can no longer sustain its rapidly growing economy without importing massive quantities of energy. China’s rapid economic growth has fueled a demand for energy that…
2012-11-28 By D.K. Matai As China's military and economic influence has grown throughout the world, Beijing appears to have become bolder, brasher and more brazen in its claim to territories believed to be rich with oil and natural gas across the Asia-Pacific. The latest attempt to achieve just that is the…
2012-11-27 by Robbin Laird Few would argue the proposition that energy security is a key element for national security and defense policy. Current over dependence on the Middle East – a region increasingly volatile -- and a very aggressive China shaping global energy policy along with a top priority which…
2012-11-26 by Richard Weitz Most European governments are firmly aligned with Washington on the Iran sanctions issue, but serious gaps in coverage exist elsewhere. China, India, and Russia are the main challenges, but even major U.S. allies such as Japan and South Korea present challenges as well. These countries are major…
