The New Iraqi Government: Shaping a Way Ahead

12/14/2018
Iraqis had to wait for more than five months after the parliamentary elections to form a new government. In October 2018, after a complicated electoral campaign, the Iraqis finally had a new president and prime minister. What will happen next and how will the team lead Iraq, a divided country…

F-35C Flight Ops Onboard USS Carl Vinson

12/14/2018
Lightning II aircraft assigned to the "Rough Raiders" of Strike Fighter Squadron 125 (VFA-125) are launched with F/A-18 Hornets during integrated flight operations in support of VFA-147 Safe-For Flight Operations Certification aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).  PACIFIC OCEAN 12.09.2018  U.S. Navy 

Argonauts Complete Carrier Quals: The US Navy Takes a Major Step Forward in Shaping the Kill Web

12/13/2018
Capt. Max McCoy, the commodore of the squadron, told USNI News in a recent interview that having a single point-person overseeing all Navy efforts related to operating and maintaining the new airplanes will prove to be a smart decision. “The F-35C is unlike any other airplane we’ve had to date.…

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,…

Norway, Trident Juncture 2018 and the “Total Defence Concept”

12/10/2018
The return of direct defense to Northern Europe as seen Sweden restore conscription, the Finns move closer to the United States, the Danes increasing defense spending and the Norwegians emphasizing their "total defence concept." As the Norwegian Ministry of Defence has defined this approach: An example of how Norway is…

Canadian Government Moving Military Aircraft Testing Facility Out of Cold Lake

12/10/2018
According to a story by David Pugliese and Tyler Dawson published in the National Post on December 6, 2018, the Canadian government is establishing a new military aircraft testing facility in Ottawa and moving it from Cold Lake. The federal government will create a new centre of excellence in Ottawa to…

F-35s Arrive at Williamtown December 10, 2018: But the ADF has Been Focused on Shaping a ‘Fifth Generation” Enabled Force for Some Time

12/10/2018
By Robbin Laird, Research Fellow, Williams Foundation, Canberra A great photo opportunity was provided by the arrival of the first two F-35s from the United States to their operating base at Williamtown Air Base in Australia on December 10, 2018. [maxgallery id="121867"] But as the saying goes “fortune favors the prepared.”…

NATO’s Tactical Leadership Programme 18-4: Amendola Air Base, Italy and Italian F-35s Shape a Way Ahead

12/09/2018
By Robbin Laird Normally, the TLP is held in Spain at Albacete Airbase. We visited Albacete Airbase in 2016 and talked with Spanish Air Force pilots concerning their Eurofighter operations at the base. As we noted at the time: “Albacete flies a regular Quick Reaction Alert force to provide for…