2012-10-28 by Robbin Laird As the littoral combat ships come to the fleet, sailors and seamen are learning how to operate the ship and to shape the concepts of operations for the new ships. After the keel laying ceremony for LCS-6, I had a chance to talk to two of these…
2012-10-28 by Richard Weitz Israel and Azerbaijan have found each other to be attractive partners. Israel’s deepening ties with Azerbaijan have helped compensate for its deteriorating relations with Turkey over the Freedom Flotilla crisis. Meanwhile, Israel has provided Azerbaijan with important assistance in many areas. Azerbaijan has a history free of…
By Peter B. de Selding (Excerpt from Article) The French research minister said Oct. 26 that Europe’s launch vehicle sector is “at a turning point” and must begin investment in a next-generation rocket immediately given the changing competitive landscape. Addressing an issue that continues to divide France and Germany less…
Just when the large deck carrier demand goes up, but the supply goes down, adding the USS America to the fleet provides a long-term solution set. The expanding capabilities of the Gator navy come as change occurs in other parts of the USN fleet. And in the time it takes…
2012-10-27 By Richard Weitz In the immediate aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the leaders of the former Soviet republics in Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, supported various measures to preserve economic, security, and other ties with the other former Soviet republics. Uzbekistan was a founding signer…
2012-10-26 By Richard Weitz Proponents of repealing the arms embargo have offered a variety of arguments for removing it. First, they note that the embargo complicates the EU’s relations with China and partially negates EU efforts to develop a strategic partnership with Beijing regarding key international issues. For example, in…
2012-10-25 The new USAF COS underscored the importance of the F-35 to USAF and its approach to air superiority and operations in denied air space. The F-35 brings several core capabilities to the USAF in shaping its evolving approach to global combat presence and capability. First, the aircraft is a…
2012-10-24 By Harald Malmgren The mid-October Euro Summit illuminated widening divisions between the leadership in France and Germany. It is the German leadership which is most opposed to a single bank supervisor and a comprehensive “banking union” for the EU. In German politics, a EU banking union is little more than…
