Seeking Greater Sovereignty in Defense Production and Sustainment: The Australian Loyal Wingman Case

03/06/2019
By Robbin Laird Part of the defense rethinking going on in Australia involves finding ways to enhance a sustainable fifth generation force. Building out a lethal and effective offensive-defensive force, which can expand the perimeter for the defense of Australia and provide for allied extended deterrence, is a core focus…

Australia Moves Ahead with Its Working Relationship with Naval Group: The Sub Design Contract

03/05/2019
The Australian government signed an agreement in 2016 with Naval Group to build a new class of attack submarines. There have been challenges to reach a partnering agreement, including intellectual property and other issues. Last month, a core partnering agreement was signed enabling further working relationships to be established essential…

A Look at the F-4 Rafale Upgrade Program

02/19/2019
By Pierre Tran Paris French Armed Forces minister Florence Parly announced Jan. 14 the award of a €1.9 billion ($2.2 billion) development contract to upgrade the Rafale fighter jet to an F4 standard, while evoking national sovereignty, operational capability and exports as key factors. That budget was agreed after close…

Next Gen UK Deployable Sat Antennas

01/29/2019
According to a story published on the UK Ministry of Defence website on January 28, 2019, the development of a next gen of UK deployable satellite antennas will receive a one million pound investment boost. The ‘wrapped rib’ antenna is lighter, less complex and more cost-competitive than those currently available…

The Spanish Air Force Works the French on the UAV nEUROn

01/26/2019
A detachment of CLAEX, with 2 planes alongside support from the 11th Wing maintenance personnel, has been relocated to Istres Air Base in France, where they partook in a flight test campaign with the UAV nEURON. The development of nEURON is the result of a European partnership led by the…

The Indian Navy Selects EMALS for Its New Carrier

12/12/2018
By Gulshan Luthra New Delhi. The Indian Navy has selected the US General Atomics EMALS for its second aircraft carrier, IAC II, which should be operational in about 10 years. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba told India Strategic in an interaction that the case for EMALS, or Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System,…

A Building Block in Enhanced European Defense Capabilities: The German-Norwegian Common Submarine Build

12/02/2018
The Nordics are clearly working a way ahead for enhanced direct defense of their region. And they are doing so within the context of a reworking of NATO capabilities for Northern European defense. F-35 acquisition is one way the Norwegians are working this approach. The common acquisition of submarines with…

Germany, Fighters and the Future of Air Combat: Perspectives from the International Fighter Conference, 2018

11/24/2018
By Robbin Laird This year’s International Fighter Conference held in Berlin provided a chance for the participants and the attendees to focus on the role of fighters in what we have been calling the strategic shift, namely, the shift from the land wars to operating in higher intensity operations against…