2016-09-12 By Robbin Laird The period ahead could be a very deadly one for the liberal democracies. Ill-liberal powers whether they be states (Russia, China or Iran) or irredentist movements spouting 12th century values are clearly working to change the global order to their advantage. Many factors of power are…
2016-09-17 Madama is a border settlement on the northeast frontier of Niger. Little more than an army post, the settlement serves as a frontier station controlling travel between Niger and Libya. It is also the site of a former French colonial fort, built in 1931. The army of Niger…
2016-09-17 According to the Italian Ministry of Defence, Italy is looking to expand European defense efforts in the context of the Brexit dynamic. Minister Pinotti, during a joint interview with Minister of Foreign Affairs Paolo Gentiloni to French magazine "Le Monde", expressed her hope that "a multinational European force based…
2016-09-08 The key to understanding fifth generation combat aviation is sensor fusion and the man-mashine working relationship built into the cockpit. The F-22 started the process; the F-35 continues it. At the heart of the new capability is moving from being a sequential multi-mission pilot directing the combat capabilities of…
2016-09-14 Many years ago we wrote about the long reach of Aegis and the emergence of the offensive defensive enterprise. Combining Aegis with the new Joint Strike Fighter will enhance coverage and lead to a global honeycomb of defensive capabilities. Originally designed as a Cold War tool to bolster fleet…
2016-09-04 By Robbin Laird Prior to the Williams Foundation seminar on air-sea integration, I had a chance to sit down with Air Commodore Kitcher and to discuss the way ahead for the RAAF in the joint combat space. He is the Director General of Capability Planning in the RAAF. Air…
2016-09-10 This video was shot by Todd Miller when he was onboard the USS George Washington on August 15, 2016. The video shows VX-23 “Salty Dogs” and VFA-101 “ Grim Reapers” pilots and crew working on carrier qualifications. The video shows 3 wires, touch and go and a great late…
2016-09-10 By Robbin Laird During the Williams Foundation seminar on evolving approaches to air-sea integration, Rear Admiral Mayer, the Commander of the Australian Fleet, focused on the concrete and specific challenges facing the evolution of the Royal Australian Navy as a key element of the joint force. He argued that…
