Thinking Post-Brexit: Serco Looks to Expand Footprint in the French Market

08/04/2019
By Pierre Tran Paris - Serco is seeking to break into the French defense market with offers of support services to military commanders, part of the British company’s bid to triple sales in Continental Europe in the next four years, two directors said. That drive to win French outsourcing deals…

Global Operational Sustainment: The Aussies and the US Continue the C-17 Cross- Servicing Agreement

06/25/2019
The RAAF recently announced their continuation of the cross-servicing agreement between USAF C-17s and Aussies C-17s. According to a recent article published by the RAAF: The United States and Australia have agreed to a cross-servicing arrangement for the repair and maintenance of C-17A Globemasters. The establishment of an Aircraft Repair and…

The Ch-53K at the Paris Air Show: Preparing for Its Global Role

06/20/2019
By Robbin Laird On June 18, 2019, the President of Sikorsky, Dan Schultz, himself a former CH-53-E pilot, provided an overview brief on the CH-53K and their offering for both Germany and Israel. He was joined by John Rucci, Senior Experimental Test Pilot, who was in the Lockheed chalet, working…

The US Logistics Systems: Are We Ready for Full-Spectrum Crisis Operations?

06/19/2019
By Robbin Laird Recently, the Williams Foundation held a seminar, which addressed the core question: how sustainable was the Australian Defence Force if it faced a major regional crisis? The challenge is rooted in part that the forces of the liberal democracies, which have participated in the Middle Eastern land…

Global Supply Chain Support: The Osprey Case Study

05/25/2019
Although the Osprey has become a globally deployed aircraft, the supply chain has not. This is crucial as we move forward into an era of regionally specific crises involving peer competitors. It will not just a race to get that Fed Ex delivery from the US through foreign customs, it…

Reshaping the Osprey Fleet: The Logistics Challenge

05/21/2019
By Robbin Laird I have had the opportunity to follow the standup of the Osprey from the outset of its first deployments. Clearly, one highlight of shaping that narrative was the first time it was used in combat in Afghanistan. That interview was done by phone with Lt Col. Bianca,…

An Update on SP-MAGTF: From the Logistical Point of View

05/20/2019
During my recent visit to Australia, a major focus of attention was upon the challenge facing the Australian Defence Force to sustain that force through a crisis period if a peer competitor was involved. And one of the speakers highlighted the significant challenge of moving beyond the Middle Eastern mindset…