2014-03-25 By Robbin Laird Earlier I wrote about the role of European firms in the augmentation of allied Pacific defense capabilities. In American discussions of the re-shaping of Pacific defense, naturally the primary focus is upon the American role and contribution. Lost in such a focus often is how the Asian…
2014-03-25 The Pacific is a big place. The search for the missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH 370 only underscored how vast and difficult an area to operate in the Pacific is. The Indians have enhanced the reach of the navy to operate into the Pacific more effectively. Part of this enhanced…
2014-03-25 by Ed Timperlake and Robbin Laird The image of the Marines fighting in Guadalcanal or the US carriers fighting their way through the Japanese fleet in the Pacific are core images for war in the Pacific burnt deeply in the memory of Americans. The challenges are different this time…
2014-03-23 During the Williams Foundation seminar held in March 11, 2014 in Canberra, the RAAF’s exchange pilot who became a proficient F-22 pilot, RAAF Fighter Pilot Matthew Harper, explained what it was like to become a 5th generation pilot. Not surprisingly, Harper has an impressive background. He has over 2000 hours flying…
2014-03-23 From a story on Australian 9 News National: In a report released on Monday, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute says it makes most sense for the federal government to commit to spending between $8 billion and $10 billion on 58 of the fighters, which are expected to enter service…
2014-03-22 Excerpted from news.com.au March 22, 2014 BACK in the late 1960s the aircraft chosen as the nation’s key strike weapon into the new millennium — the F-111 swing-wing fighter/bomber — was derided as the “flying Opera House’’ or the “widow maker” due to cost blowouts, delivery delays and serious…
2014-03-22 During a visit to PACAF, Second Line of Defense had a chance to sit down and talk with Navy Captain Pat Connelly. Captain Connelly is currently the liaison from PACFLT to PACAF. This puts him in an interesting spot to live through some of the major changes occurring with…
2014-03-21 Recently, the Williams Foundation in Australia held a seminar in Canberra on the future of air combat. In particular, the seminar focused on the impact of fifth generation technologies and was built around a central set of presentations by operators of the impact of fifth generation aircraft on the evolution…
