Australia, a Complacent Nation … Adrift in the South Pacific?

06/29/2024
By Air Vice-Marshal John Blackburn AO (Retd) and Group Captain Anne Borzycki (Retd) Australia has a lengthy history of seeking protection from great and powerful western saviours due to a long-held fear of invasion from "the north." Stunned by the withdrawal of British Forces following the surrender of Singapore in…

Eurosatory 2024: The Evolution of Land Warfare as the Wars in Ukraine and Gaza Rage On

06/28/2024
By Pierre Tran VILLEPINTE, France - There was something for everybody at Eurosatory, a trade show for land weapons and air-ground combat, which closed June 21. Above all, there was politics, domestic and international. The vast halls and outdoor displays just north of the capital were packed with every kind…

How to Shape a National Security and Defence Strategy for Australia: The Perspective of John Blaxland

06/20/2024
By Robbin Laird RSL Australia has recently released a paper by John Blaxland of the Australian National University which underscores the need for a broader Australian national defence strategy rather than one narrowly focused on the Australian Defence Force. “The Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL Australia) was formed…

Ukraine War Underscores Need for Sustained Investments in U.S. Air Superiority

06/19/2024
By Richard Weitz The Ukraine War and other recent conflicts highlight the imperative of preserving U.S. air superiority. Ukraine demonstrates the challenges militaries face when they do not enjoy air superiority. In that conflict, advanced drones have provided the most effective combat air support for both the Russian and Ukrainian…

The French and the Mirage 2000-5-MICA Package to Ukraine

06/17/2024
By Pierre Tran Paris - The Mirage 2000-5 fighter jet may be “an old bird,” but there was a large supply of spare parts, which will be a “big advantage” for the Ukrainian air force, a French ex-fighter pilot said. It was not clear how many of the French-built fighters…

Snap Elections and Fighters to Ukraine: President Macron Tosses a Rock into the Pond of European Politics

06/12/2024
By Pierre Tran Paris - A surprise announcement from president Emmanuel Macron of the sale of the Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000-5 fighter jet to Ukraine has sparked political controversy and public debate over the arms deal. The head of state said June 6 on live national television France would enter…

Making a Good Aircraft Even Better: Osprey Modernization

06/10/2024
By Jo Ann Y. Williams, Ed.D. Attending SOF Week 2024 in Tampa recently made me reflect on the V-22 Osprey program’s past triumphs and challenges, as well as its future. Over a decade ago, I was part of a team that helped train Osprey pilots. Many of today’s Osprey squadron commanders are…

A Remembrance on D-Day: The 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion

06/06/2024
By Pierre Tran Paris - The 80th anniversary of D-Day June 6 1944, marks significance for the family of the late Waverly Woodson, a black army corporal and medic who landed on Omaha beach, Linda Hervieux, journalist and writer, told the Anglo-American Press Association, a press club. Hervieux is author…