2012-11-12 In a four-part follow up set of interviews, Second Line of Defense is looking at the role and impact of the USS America. Interviews have been conducted with the prospective commander of the ship, the head of amphibious ship building in the USN, a senior USMC general on its…
With the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter scheduled to begin arriving in phases later this fall, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma has been a very busy place the past two years as it has prepared for its new aircraft, pilots and crews. Lt. Col. John Hicks, airfield operations officer, said there…
2012-11-11 by Richard Weitz The close alignment between Seoul and Washington in recent years has reinforced Beijing’s caution about breaking with the DPRK. The PRC and South Korea established formal diplomatic relations in 1992. Since then, their economic exchanges have soared, with China overtaking the United States as the ROK’s main…
2012-11-10 by Richard Weitz In spite of a common threat, South Korea and Japan have struggled to present a united front against that threat. South Korea and Japan both face a common military threat from North Korea, made evident most recently by the DPRK artillery strike against Yeonpyeong Island in…
11/8/12 Japan will allow domestic firms to take part in production of the F-35 fighter, the first such case since Tokyo last year relaxed a self-imposed ban on arms exports, a report said Thursday. Japanese firms will make up to 40 per cent of parts that will be used in…
11/7/12 Japan and the United States are close to finalizing the workshare arrangement supporting the production of Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft for the Japan Air Self-Defence Force. A spokesman from the Japan Ministry of Defence (MoD) told IHS Jane's on 31 October that the two…
2012-11-09 by Richard Weitz The PRC has pursed both condemnations of North Korean policies with concerted support for North Korea that effectively undercuts the ability of outside powers to make that condemnation real. And the PRC as a major developer and exporter of missiles for the global market, de facto,…
2012-11-08 By Robbin Laird Many analysts and politicians have discussed the F-35 as if it was a simple replacement aircraft. And in such conversations, the notion of stealth is seen as a high-end capability needed only sparingly and in specialized circumstances. If this were true, the Marines would not be…
