Sea Breeze 21: Exercising in a Challenging Geo-Political Context

06/27/2021
On June 21, 2021, the U.S. Sixth Fleet announced the coming of Sea Breeze 21. U.S. Sixth Fleet formally announces participation in the upcoming annually held Exercise Sea Breeze 2021 (SB21) cohosted with the Ukrainian Navy, June 21, 2021. The exercise is taking place from June 28 to July 10…

The Bundestag Budget Committee’s Green Light on FCAS

06/25/2021
Paris - The German parliament approved Berlin’s share of a budget worth €4.5 billion ($5.4 billion) for development work on a European Future Combat Air System, an industry source said June 24. That long awaited June 23 vote by the Bundestag budget committee authorized funding for the German share of…

The European Intervention Initiative Conference: An Update on European Defense Cooperation

06/22/2021
By Pierre Tran Paris - The French air and space force should not have to wait for a future combat air system to gain access to a highly capable command and control network, a senior French air force officer said June 22. “We cannot wait for SCAF/NGWS. "We need to…

Tracking Chinese Engagement with Western Universities

06/22/2021
By Audrey Fritz When the University College Cork in Ireland withdrew from a partnership with Minzu University of China (MUC) in 2021, speculation cited concerns linking MUC with human rights abuses against Uyghurs in Xinjiang. This included the arrest of a Uyghur professor at MUC who was accused of separatism and escalating…

French, German and Spanish Air Chiefs Received FCAS Industry Briefings

06/21/2021
By Pierre Tran Paris - The French, German and Spanish air chiefs were briefed June 17 and 18 by three companies leading the industrial effort on a European Future Combat Air System, the three nations said in a joint statement. The official visits were made just days before German parliamentarians…

The Predator’s Potential Contribution to the Quad

06/21/2021
By Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha (Retd) New Delhi. The US-India ties peaked during the Trump Administration in security and capability building. Many of the pending LOAs (Letters of Acceptance) were hurriedly approved by the US, the driving factor apparently being a very aggressive China which literally wants to push the…

The Coming of the USS Gerald R. Ford: A June 2021 Update

06/20/2021
According to a U.S. Navy press release issued on June 18, 2021, the USS Gerald R. Ford has completed its next test succssfully. On Friday, June 18, the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) successfully completed the first scheduled explosive event as part of Full Ship Shock Trials (FSST). The…

Rogue Ambush Exercise in Australia’s Top End

06/20/2021
According to an Australian Department of Defence story published on June 15, 2021, the Rogue Ambush exercise began in the Northern Territories. The Royal Australian Air Force will deploy over 300 personnel and approximately 30 aircraft to RAAF bases Darwin and Tindal to conduct Exercise Rogue Ambush 21-1 from 15…