By Robbin Laird The USMC stood up its first operational unit for the CH-53K on January 15, 2022. That unit is Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461 at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, North Carolina and has been designated as the first fleet CH-53K unit. It will be…

By Robbin Laird At the end of February 2022, the German chancellor announced a new way ahead with regard to German defense and the immediacy required for upgrading German defense capabilities. Relatively shortly after that the German government announced a decision to acquire F-35s to replace their gaining Tornados, which…

By Robbin Laird I am crafting a series on mobile basing as a strategic capability for the joint force. The strategic importance of mobile basing goes up with the importance of complicating your adversaries’ targeting solutions and force projection targets. Seabasing is clearly a key part of being able to…

On 1 December 2021, the Williams Foundation held its second 2021 seminar, this one focused on shaping a way ahead for a sovereign Australian space strategy. That report can be found on the Williams Foundation website as well as on Second Line of Defense and Defense.info. Since 2018, the focus…

By Robbin Laird On 1 December 2021, the Williams Foundation held its second seminar for the year. The first one was in April 2021 and focused on next generation autonomous systems, and the second one focused on the requirements of a sovereign defence space capability for Australia. After drafting the…

By Robbin Laird With the current focus on finding ways for the USMC to better support the joint force, a key opportunity might be overlooked. How might the joint and coalition force reshape themselves to be capable of either doing or leveraging mobile basing? The Marines with their triad of…

By Robbin Laird Recently, the Williams Foundation held its latest bi-annual seminar, this one focused on the way ahead for the Australian space enterprise.  Since 2014, the Williams Foundation has held bi-annual seminars on the transformation of the ADF as it embraced fifth generation warfare and working joint force integration.…

According to a November 18, 2021, story by LCpl Michele Clarke, 2nd MAW recently worked practiced F-35B operations working with a forward arming and refueling point. The Marines are working to enhance their capabilities to operate the force from a variety of remote locations to support its capability to operate…