The F-35 Pilot

08/27/2011
08/19/2011 We have interviewed several F-35 pilots.  Most recently, we sat down with pilots at Pax River.  Comments from these pilots focused on easy of operations, and the ability of the pilot to operate as a deployed decision-maker. Among the pilots we have interviewed, Lt. Col. Fred “Tinman” Schenk underscored…

Russian Air Power on Display: The Return of the MiG

08/27/2011
By Dr. Richard Weitz 08/27/2011 - Until a few years ago, the Russian military aviation sector, like many other Russian defense firms, simply struggled to keep Soviet-era weapons platforms operational through upgrades of their computers or ordinance. The Russian military-industrial complex rarely produced any new sophisticated weapons systems. When it…

The Closing of the Avondale Shipyard: More than just a bottom-line decision…

08/23/2011
By Vince Martinez 08/23/2011 - As the shipbuilding industry prepares for an uncertain future, the looming closure of the Avondale Shipyard near New Orleans expected sometime in 2013 is a clear reminder of the impacts of the downturned economy and a future of fiscal uncertainty. Such corporate decisions are the…

Russian Air Power on Display: A Comprehensive Buildup

08/23/2011
By Richard Weitz 08/23/2011 Despite the heavy involvement of India in the T-50 project, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) is now the main buyer of Russian-made aircraft. After its surprising ineffectiveness in the 2008 Georgia War, the Ministry plans to revitalize the Russian Air Force by raising the level…

Can China Save The World? Towards A New Economic Model

08/23/2011
08/23/2011 D. K. Matai, Chairman mi2g, Phlanthropia, and ATCA, is an engineer turned entrepreneur and philanthropist with a keen interest in the well being of global society. DK founded mi2g in 1995, the global risk specialists, in London, UK, while developing simulations for his PhD at Imperial College. DK helped…

On the Bridge of the Bertholf: Con-ops Enablement by the NSC

08/21/2011
08/21/2011: During a visit to USCG Island in Alameda, California, headquarters of the USCG Pacific operations, Captain John F. Prince, recently commanding officer of the USCGC Bertholf and the executive officer Commander David W. Ramassini discussed recent operations and how the capabilities of the NSC allowed them to achieve mission…