The HMS Queen Elizabeth and Crafting the Way Ahead for Its Initial Deployment

06/15/2018
By Robbin Laird The coming of the HMS Queen Elizabeth to the UK combat force is a trigger for significant defense transformation. Most of the analysis of the new carrier really focuses on the platform and what is necessary to get that platform operational but that is far too narrow…

An Update on the Indian Navy: Submarine Modernization

06/15/2018
By Cmde Ranjit B Rai (Retd) Arakkonam, Chennai. On March 29 a chapter of Indian Navy’s flying prowess as part of its aviation arm, took a farewell bow as eight Tu-142MR (Tuploev) planes of the Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 312 were decommissioned after proudly serving the Indian Navy for…

HIMARS and the USMC: Training for the Higher End Fight

06/14/2018
Marines with 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, arrive at one of their launch positions with the High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System at the Air Combat Element landing strip as a part of Integrated Training Exercise 3-18 aboard the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., May…

Crisis Management, Allies and the USMC: Shaping a Way Ahead in the Strategic Shift

06/14/2018
By Robbin Laird The strategic shift from counter-insurgency to force-on-force conflict is not only or simply preparing for a major conflict with peer competitors; it is about crisis management and escalation dominance. On the one hand, the military capabilities are being reshaped to operate in such an environment, and there…

USCG Extends Scan Eagle’s Role in the Fleet

06/13/2018
After being awarded a United States Coast Guard (USCG) contract award, Insitu’s ScanEagle UAS will be used to provide small UAS ISR services aboard the entire U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter fleet. Valued at approximately $117 million, the service contract covers the installation and deployment of small UAS for…

Working the Way Ahead for the USMC: How MAWTS-1 Supports Change

06/13/2018
By Robbin Laird During my latest visit to MAWTS-1, I had a chance to focus upon recent developments generated by the latest WTI course. Last year, I had a chance to talk with Col Wellons and LtCol Ryan Schiller, the Aviation Development, Tactics and Evaluation Department Head, about work on…

VMFA-121 At Misawa Air Base

06/13/2018
Marine Aircraft Group 12 forces deployed several F-35B Lightning ll's for a regularly scheduled aviation training relocation at Misawa Air Base, Japan, May 9, 2018.  [maxgallery id="117631"] ATR's are designed to increase operational readiness and bilateral interoperability for both U.S. and Japanese forces.  AOMORI, JAPAN 05.22.2018 Photo by Lance Cpl. Alexia…

Singapore Summit: The Triumph of Hope over Experience?

06/12/2018
By Richard Weitz Although the results of the summit are still unclear given the vague joint statement and lack of North Korean comments, on the surface it looks like President Trump made major concessions now in order to achieve hoped-for US gains later. The mere fact that the presidential summit…