Partners, Fleets, Innovation and Global Capabilities: The Aussies and the C-17

01/28/2019
As new aircraft enter the combat fleet, there is a clear opportunity to shape new approaches to sustainment for global operations. This is especially true if the aircraft in question is bought and operated by allies as well as US forces.' The core promise of the F-35 global enterprise rests…

Celebrating Australian National Day, 2019: Putting History Into Perspective

01/26/2019
By Robbin Laird The slideshow contained in this article shows the formal celebration of Australian National Day held on the 26thof January. The day marks the arrival of the first fleet to Australia. The day honors the arrival of the British first fleet in Botany Bay on January 24, 1788.…

Russian and Chinese Update, January 2019

01/26/2019
This weekly update includes articles published over the last 90 days on Second Line of Defense and Defense Information with regard to Russia and China. [pdf-embedder url="https://sldinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/An-Update-on-Russia-and-China.pdf" title="An Update on Russia and China"] And for an E-Book version, see the following:

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…

Getting Serious about Peer Competitors: Shaping a Strategic Shift in Afghanistan

01/26/2019
By Ed Timperlake The Trump Administration has clearly indicated that it is working a strategic shift away from the land wars to crisis management with peer competitors. The focus has been upon a return of great power competition. But it this will be difficult to do in terms of resources…

Infrastructure Protection in Northern Europe: The Return of Direct Defense

01/25/2019
By Robbin Laird The Russian takeover of Crimea signaled an end to the optimistic post-Cold War era. As Putin continued to ramp up challenges, the West gradually began to focus on the return of direct defence. Protecting critical infrastructure from cyber attack is, in many ways, surpassing other forms of…

Singapore, the F-35 and the Strategic Triangle

01/24/2019
The Ministry of Defence of Singapore has started its process of formally replacing their legacy fleet with the F-35. An article by Andrew McLaughlin published in the Australian Defence Business Review on January 19, 2019 focused on the decision by Singapore's Ministry of Defence. The Republic of Singapore Air force…