By Lt. General (Retired) Deptula 08/05/2011 - Since the advent of Goldwater-Nichols, a joint approach was to move contingency organizations and operations from independent, de-conflicted, service-oriented approaches to sustained interoperability. How well the U.S. military has done that, where we are today, and where we ought be heading, could and…
By Dr. Richard Weitz 08/03/2011 - The 84th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), celebrated this Monday, August 1, is a good time to consider the growing power of PLA Navy, not least because the People’s Republic of China (PRC) looks set to launch its first…
08/02/2011 - The introduction of non-US stealth aircraft into the global competition is a significant development. The Chinese and Russians have introduced developmental prototypes that signify both capabilities and intentions to enter the stealth aircraft game. The former Secretary of Defense indicated that this competition was years away; but it…
Service Life Extension Program (SLEP): Investing in Going Backwards By Michael W. Wynne, 21st Secretary of the USAF 08/02/2011 - Pressure is growing on the DoD budget. Perhaps 80 billion, 400 billion or whatever on top of the one hundred billion in savings that has been demanded by the outgoing…
By James Jay Carafano 08/02/2011 - America’s Navy and Coast Guard have always partnered to protect the nation’s sovereignty. The navy projects power. The Coast Guard policies the seas. The Coast Guard has served the nation well because the nation always gave it the right ships to do the job.…
08/02/2011 - Recently, Second Line of Defense sat down with Admiral Currier, the Deputy Commandant (Mission Support) of the USCG, to discuss the importance of the new National Security Cutter in executing the national maritime strategy. The NSC provides a focal point for deployed defense and security capabilities afloat and…
07/31/2011 Terrorist-Criminal Pipelines and Criminalized States By Douglas Farah Conclusions 07/ /2011 - The trend toward the merging of terrorist and criminal groups to mutually exploit new markets is unlikely to diminish. Both will continue to need the same facilitators, and both can leverage the relationship with the other to…
The Missing Element from the “Sustainment” Debate By Dr. Robbin Laird 08/01/2011 - In the wake of the headlines about the trillion-dollar airplane, F-35 sustainment costs have been tossed into the political fray. According to a single line in an unreleased SAR report, the F-35 fleet is projected to cost…
