In our co-authored book on the return of direct defense in Europe, we highlighted the importance of enhanced Nordic defense cooperation and NORDEFCO as a coordinating forum, and the high probability that the UK post-Brexit would deepened its relationship with the Nordics as they, in turn, deepened their defense cooperation.…

By Robbin Laird A key element of the presentations and discussions at the 1 December 2021 Williams Foundation seminar on building out sovereign capabilities was how Defence could best position itself to nurture, leverage and work with the evolving Australia space industrial eco-systsem. AIRCDRE Terry van Haren (Retd.), former air…

By Robbin Laird Sovereign Australian space requires an Australian industrial space eco-system to be shaped and enhanced. How might this be done? Crafting, shaping, and building out an Australian space industry able to provide for sovereign capabilities for the Australian government decision makers is based on the enhanced opportunities in…

By Robbin Laird Sovereignty is a tricky term, notably when it comes to global economies and to allied based national defense. The COVD-19 crisis and the conflict with the 21st century authoritarian powers, notably China, have reminded the liberal democracies of how vulnerable they are. And when American allies talk…

By Pierre Tran Paris - UK prime minister Boris Johnson needs to face up to geopolitical reality and forge strong links with the European Union, and accept Global Britain is little more than a “title in search of a plot,” said a report from the European Council on Foreign Relations,…

By Richard Weitz The Russian military obliterated a defunct Soviet-era Tselina radio-surveillance satellite, Cosmos 1408, that had been orbiting almost 500 kilometers above the Earth since 1982, with a single-short anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon on November 15. Though intended to intimidate the West, like the Russian military mobilizations near Ukraine and…

By Robbin Laird The Abraham Accords set in motion enhanced maritime security and defense capabilities in the Eastern Mediterranean. The UAE, Bahrain, the U.S. and Israel cooperated in a five day exercise in the Red Sea to reinforce defense and security relationships in the maritime domain,. Vice Admiral Brad Cooper,…

By Robbin Laird I had the chance to work with Lt. General (Retired) Robling both when he was Deputy Commandant of Aviation from 2011-2012 and when he was the MARFORPAC commander from 2012 to 2014.   We started by looking back at his time as the MARFORPAC Commander, and the…