Manned-Unmanned Teaming: USMC and Naval Aviation Work the Challenge

03/23/2022
By Maj. Jorge Hernandez Marines from Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VMX-1) and sailors from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23 (HSC-23) teamed up to conduct tactics development in integrating manned and unmanned rotary-wing aircraft at Naval Air Facility El Centro, California on March 10, 2022. During the exercise,…

The Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon: A March 2022 Update

03/22/2022
By Pierre Tran Paris - France is keen to work with the U.K. on a project for next generation cruise and naval missiles, while Britain looked determined to field a hypersonic weapon, a French navy officer said. There are 18 months of talks under an Anglo-French agreement signed Feb. 18…

The Meshing of Beijing’s Goals With Putin’s War

03/21/2022
By Michael Shoebridge Beijing’s goals, set out in numerous speeches by Xi Jinping and in decisions and actions, are clear now. Number one remains Xi and the Chinese Communist Party staying in power indefinitely as rulers of China’s 1.4 billion people—Xi’s real ‘China dream’. Xi and his acolytes want three…

The Timeline for the Russian Invasion of Ukraine: A Look Back at 2021

03/18/2022
By Robbin Laird In this report, I highlight developments from June 2021 to the Fall of 2021 which made it abundantly clear that action by Putin against Ukraine was in the cards, but what he would actual do was a future question. When perhaps; what perhaps; but not that something…

Fire and Ice: Crisis in Europe

03/17/2022
By Robbin Laird My friend and colleague, New York Times best-selling writer George Galdorisi, has written a political-military thriller that is prescient regarding today’s events. His book, Fire and Ice, published by Braveship Books March 2021, has a high concept that essentially predicted what is dominating our daily news: Putin holding Europe hostage…

France and the Ukraine 2022 Crisis: France Sends 2nd SSBN to Sea

03/11/2022
By Pierre Tran Paris - The French fleet air arm is flying a daily patrol of two Rafale fighter jets and a Hawkeye spy plane over Romania and Bulgaria, part of a Nato enhanced Vigilance Activities (eVA) mission, a French navy officer said March 8. Those flights are from the…

Germany Re-Boots its Defense Efforts in the Middle of the Russian Ukraine Invasion

03/10/2022
By Robbin Laird Recently, I had a chance to talk again with Lt. General (Retired) Klaus-Peter Stieglitz about Germany and the government’s recent decision to change course on defense and security. I first had the opportunity to meet Lt. General (Retired) Klaus-Peter Stieglitz, a former German Air Chief, last Fall…

Lessons that Australia Should Learn from Conflict in Ukraine

03/09/2022
In this radio interview with our colleague John Blackburn, he discusses what Ukraine demonstrates to Australians as they work on a resilience-based defense effort. This March 5, 2022 interview was conducted on the show Australia Overnight. John Blackburn AO, Air Vice-Marshal (Ret’d) / Chairman of the Institute for Integrated Economic…