Working Expeditionary Basing: MAWTS-1 and the F-35

05/29/2020
By Robbin Laird Over the past few weeks, I have been discussing with USAF and U.S. Navy officers, how the two services are training to shape greater synergy with regard to the integrated distributed force. The fusing of multiple sensors via a common interactive self-healing web enhances the ability of…

The Strategic Shift and Dynamic Targeting: Meeting the Challenge

05/28/2020
By Robbin Laird With the strategic shift from the land wars to the more fluid battlespace involving peer competitors engaged in full spectrum crisis management with the United States and its allies, one aspect of the change for military forces is how to use lethal force effectively. This comes down…

The Return of Direct Defense in Europe and Political Warfare: A Canadian Perspective

05/27/2020
A key part of the direct defense challenge being faced in Europe today is political warfare with the 21st century authoritarian powers. And a key policy instrument being used by both Russia and China WITHIN European states is disinformation guided by an ability to connect that disinformation with the defense…

The “Five Eyes” and Managing Strategic Dependency on China

05/26/2020
Our colleague John Blackburn has highlighted the publication of a new report published by the Henry Jackson Society, based in London. A new report by a UK Think Tank, the Henry Jackson Society, addresses the supply chain dependence on China by the "Five-Eye" powers. Of the five powers, Australia is…

Laser Kill for the Maritime Kill Web

05/24/2020
According to a U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs article published on May 22, 2020, Amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27) successfully disabled an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a Solid State Laser - Technology Maturation Laser Weapon System Demonstrator PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii Amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD…

Air Vice-Marshal Andrew Clark, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Air Power in the Indo-Pacific Region

05/24/2020
Air Vice-Marshal Andrew Clark of the Royal New Zealand Air Force spoke recently to the virtual RAAF Airpower Conference on the Indo-Pacific Region. Originally, the conference was to be held in March 2020, but was postponed due to COVID-19. But the RAAF's Airpower Development Centre has moved ahead with a virtual conference,…