2016-01-17 It took awhile but finally these planes are showing up. If the Afghans as a nation are going to work together to shape a counter-insurgency and defense strategy, air power is a crucial lynchpin. This is true for multiple reasons. First, the geography of Afghanistan makes this an air-connected…
2016-01-16 By Scott Truver It became commonplace during the Cold War for the President, confronted with a crisis somewhere in the world to ask, “Where are the aircraft carriers?” Given climate change and other trends and dynamics, some future President, confronting a crisis in the Arctic or Antarctic, will almost…
2016-01-14 The Second Line of Defense team visited Pax River's F-35 Integrated Test Force in early January 2016. We are preparing a set of interviews which highlight not only progress towards the introduction of the F-35C into the carrier air wing but the way ahead for the air wing under…
2016-01-12 The Russians are building an Arctic capable rotorcraft fleet for commercial and military purposes. Late last year, the Russian Defense Ministry took delivery of its first Mi-8 ANTSh-V for Arctic missions. This version of the Mi-8 was developed for operations below -40C. “The wealth of expertise we built up…
2016-01-02 By Robbin Laird, Ed Timperlake and Murielle Delaporte As former Chief of Staff of the USAF “Buzz” Mosley once stated about the USAF: “There is not a place on the face of the earth that the USAF will not fight their way into.” This core objective has been challenged…
2016-01-12 By Kenneth Maxwell It is summer time in Brazil and until "Carnival" is over in early February the on-going political crisis, at last in Brasilia, is temporarily on hold. Although the New Year rises in transportation fees in the big cities is already causing opposition on the streets. But what is…
2016-01-10 Recently, during an exercise in Japan, the USMC worked an interoperability force insertion effort with various Marine Corps units working together with the participation of a USAF JTAC. According to a story by Cpl. Thor Larson published on 12,27,15: CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan – It’s the middle of the…
2016-01-09 By Lt Gen P C Katoch (Retd) With the increasing world population, diminishing resources, the rise of Asia and global power push by China, the Indo-Pacific will likely become the center of gravity of conflict with Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) of many countries crisscrossing these waters. Maritime competition is…
