By Pasquale Preziosa South Asia, long considered the epicenter of geopolitical rivalry — particularly between India and Pakistan — is now entering a new era of heightened complexity. The region’s established fault lines are being reshaped not only by traditional animosities but also by global shifts: the redefinition of United…
By Robbin Laird The Philippines is pioneering a revolutionary "porcupine defense" strategy that uses distributed maritime autonomous systems to create defensive geometries that complicate adversary attack profiles while providing multiple axis points for disruption — proving that innovative, cost-effective platforms can effectively challenge traditional maritime power projection. A New Paradigm…
By Robbin Laird In combat, reliability isn't just important. It's everything. Seconds count and missions hang in the balance. So it’s good news that Congress just made a $160 million investment in combat readiness with the Osprey Nacelle Improvement Program, which will keep America's most versatile aircraft in the fight.…
When Putin decided upon a "special operation" in Ukraine, his focus was on Europe and his way ahead in his effort to emulate Catherine the Great. Only it has not turned out that way. The conflict has enhanced pressure on the multipolar authoritarian world which had been making significant gains…
By Robbin Laird The challenge facing every historian is deceptively simple yet profoundly difficult: How do we understand people from the past without either excusing their actions or condemning them by today's standards? This methodological dilemma sits at the heart of historical scholarship, determining whether we produce genuine insight or…
In the complex chess game of global geopolitics, few developments have been as paradoxical as the way two of Xi Jinping's most challenging counterparts may have inadvertently strengthened China's strategic position. While facing significant domestic economic headwinds, President Xi has found unexpected opportunities in the disruptions caused by Vladimir Putin's…
By Robbin Laird The United States faces a critical strategic moment in the Pacific. While adversaries deploy operational capabilities — however imperfect — America continues to treat essential weapons systems as science projects rather than deployable assets. This is particularly true for hypersonic weapons, where the absence of a clear…
By Pierre Tran Paris - The key point on a planned European fighter jet lay in opting for clear program leadership with a prime contractor rather than assigning subcontractor work based on national funding, Dassault Aviation executive chairman Eric Trappier said July 22. French officers had conducted “an audit on…
