2013-04-02 The third UK F-35B has begun its final check out process from Fort Worth on its way to later delivery at Eglin AFB. According to a Lockheed Martin press release: [caption id="attachment_51920" align="alignnone" width="300"] Lockheed Martin Fort Worth Texas Photo by Randy A Crites of BK-3 first flight takeoff…
2013-04-02 In the first two parts of our series on the build out of the Afghan Air Force, we looked at the importance of the air power transition in Afghanistan and the training of the Afghan Air Force. According to the NATO Air Training Command: the goal of the NATO…
2013-04-02 In a report published in 2012, the Japanese Institute for Defense Studies provided an overview of the evolving challenge posed by how the Chinese are pursuing their defense and security efforts. The report is the third in a series and focuses upon Chinese decision-making and policy coordination involving the…
2013-04-01 By Robbin Laird and Murielle Delaporte Recently, we attended a christening of a new class of US Navy ships called the Mobile Landing Platform. As we looked at the ship from San Diego Harbor, the big gaping hole in the middle is where the change has come: The ship…
2013-04-01 by Dr. Harald Malmgren The Troika (EU Commission, ECB, and IMF) enthusiastically declared “success” in the late March bailout of Cyprus banks. Early this year European finance ministers grew increasingly worried that Cyprus banks would default. The total assets of these banks stood at 7 to8 times the total…
2013-03-30 By Scott C. Truver The U.S. Coast Guard has in place ambitious programs that will revitalize the U.S. cutter force to meet the daunting requirements of the 21st Century. Three highly capable cutter classes are underway in March 2013. First, the Legend-class high-endurance National Security Cutters (NSCs) have been…
2013-03-30 by Richard Weitz Many questions remain regarding the actual capability of Iran’s ballistic missile program, especially the range and accuracy of the missiles, how rapidly Iran could arm them with a nuclear warhead, and Tehran’s intentions and strategy regarding the possible use of these missiles. However, Iran clearly possesses…
By Kiyoshi Takenaka Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighters are the best choice for Japan's future operational needs, the nation's highest-ranking uniformed officer said on Wednesday, in a vote of confidence for the state-of-the-art U.S. warplane. His comments follow reports that some nations that have placed orders for the F-35s may reconsider…
