By Robbin Laird On Friday, October 9, 2020, I had a chance to visit the USS Ford and to get an update on the progress of this formidable warship. Earlier, Ed Timperlake and I have visited the USS Ford in 2015 and discussed the next generation large deck carrier with…
By Pierre Tran Paris – France recently published its 2021 draft defense budget, which set aside €5 billion ($5.9 billion) for the nuclear deterrent, taking a chunk out of a total budget of €39.2 billion. Hitting that nice round number showed the significance of nuclear weapons, on which France relies…
By Robbin Laird As the fleet re-works blue water maneuver warfare and expeditionary operations from the sea, a key element of the effort is shaping an effective weaponization approach and strategy. Doing so is a work in progress and a major challenge for the United States and its allies. During…
In an article published by the UK Ministry of Defence on September 28, 2020, the UK role in Exercise Joint Warrior was highlighted. Taking part will be the Royal Navy’s largest and most powerful warship HMS Queen Elizabeth, taking her place at the heart of a UK-led NATO Carrier Strike…
By Kenneth Maxwell Calouste Gulbenkian set the rules for the division of the oil spoils in the Middle East in the aftermath of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. He did so under the “red line” self-denying agreement of 1928 between the major oil companies (including the America companies of…
By Robbin Laird With the shift from the land wars to rebuilding U.S. forces for contested operations with peer competitors, the role of training is changing significantly. There clearly was innovation during the land wars, but the geographical battlespace was well known, and air and maritime power could operate with…
The Royal Australian Air Force deployed C-27J Spartan aircraft and personnel from RAAF Base Amberley to participate in Exercise Ready Spartan Prove (RSP) in Townsville Queensland from 10 – 18 September 2020. No. 35 Squadron and No. 383 Squadron operated at austere airfields in a simulated uncertain security environment to…
Recently, I had a chance to talk with Dr. Ross Babbage about his most recent work on the nature of the challenge which China poses to the liberal democracies. His work over the past few years has focused on the nature of the comprehensive challenges posed by the 21st century…
