Turkey Orders Its First F-35s: Another Brick Falls Into Place (Updated)

01/06/2012
01/06/2012 by Robbin Laird Turkey yesterday ordered its first two production F-35s.  Allies and partners continue to show support for the plane, while Inside the Beltway continues to miss the point.  The plane is an essential element for 21st century combat operations and capabilities.  Allies in Asia and the Middle…

The Super Tucano has won the LAS competition: Lingering Questions

01/04/2012
01/04/2012 By Ed Timperlake There is tremendous news for the American/NATO war effort in Afghanistan. With the selection of the Super Tucano, the Afghan Army Air Force can now begin to develop a combat capable air fleet for the Afghan Air Force. Doing so is part of the process of…

“Democratizing the Battlefield”: The Rover Experience

01/03/2012
01/03/2012: The Second Line of Defense team in looking to the future of defense and key tools for the 21st century believes that the last decade is not prologue to the next.  Many important experiences and con-ops have emerged in the past decade, which provide key elements, which need to…

Whither the Eurozone?

01/03/2012
01/03/2012 - by Dr. Harald Malmgren News headlines about the European Union summit on 8-9 December declared that “Eurozone leaders agree treaty changes.”  UK Prime Minister Cameron vetoed change of the EU Treaties.  So what was really agreed? Leaders of the 17 Euro members and several other EU members agreed…

Coast Guard Stakes Its Future on National Security Cutters

01/03/2012
01/03/2012 - by Dr. Scott Truver The focal point of U.S. Coast Guard acquisition reform and recapitalization remains the National Security Cutter. The NSC is one of the Coast Guard’s major contributions to the nation’s fleet. As such, the Navy may want to look at the Legend-class cutters as a…

The Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor: Where Manufacturing is Not a Dirty Word

01/03/2012
01/03/2012 - by George Talbot Any region that wants jobs with good wages and a secure future is eager for a piece of the $219 billion U.S. aerospace industry. It’s such an appealing prospect that a group of competing states in the Southeast actually joined forces to back EADS’ bid…

Saudi Arms Deal offers Boeing Military Aviation a Lifeline

01/03/2012
01/03/2012 by Richard Weitz On December 29, the Obama administration announced that the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have finalized the deal to provide advanced F-15SA combat aircraft to the Royal Saudi Air Force.  The sale has gained widespread support within the U.S. defense community and will…

Iraq 2012: Looking Forward

12/23/2011
12/23/2011 by Richard Weitz Recently, Vice President Joe Biden made his seventh visit to Iraq as vice president and 16th visit overall. Biden spent two days in Baghdad meeting with Iraqi political leaders, then he travelled to Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan Regional Government, to meet with President Massoud Barzani.…