The Way Ahead for NATO: The Ukrainian Crisis Intrudes

03/12/2014
2014-03-13 By Andrew Haggard British Prime Minister David Cameron will host the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s next ministerial summit in September 2014 at Cardiff, United Kingdom. Previously, the alliance was expected to focus on “capabilities, partnerships and Afghanistan,” which U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel described as, “three priority areas…

The F-35 Global Enterprise: Viewed from Down Under

03/11/2014
2014-03-09 By Robbin Laird It is clear that the F-35 global enterprise is a unique enabler of the entire re-set of US and allied airpower. Yet this crucial and even central reality is hardly recognized in the mounds or should one say piles of commentary on the F-35 program. And indeed,…

The Coming of the F-35 to Australia: Shaping a 21st Century Approach to Airpower

03/11/2014
2014-03-12 by Robbin Laird I attended a seminar held by The Williams Foundation yesterday in Canberra, Australia. The focus of the seminar was on Air Combat Operations: 2025 and Beyond. The core emphasis was on the impact of the F-35 on reshaping the Australian combat approach appropriate to the challenges,…

Visiting the 33rd Squadron, RAAF, Amberly Air Base, Australia

03/08/2014
03/04/2014: Second Line of Defense is visiting Australia and discussing with the Australian Air Force some of their modernizations in shaping new capabilities for Australian and Pacific defense. Clearly, one such new capability is the 5-ship squadron of A330MRTT tankers, or the KC-30A. The host for the visit to Amberly…