The 10th Anniversary of the Lancaster House Agreements: The Future of the Franco-British Defense Relationship

11/09/2020
With the coming of Brexit and the continuing challenges to sort out the relationship with the Continent, a key question is how the two most significant defense players in Europe, France and Britain, will sort out their relationship going forward. We discuss this at some length in our new book…

The Next Phase of Australian National Security Strategy: Senator Jim Molan Weighs In

10/31/2020
By Robbin Laird I am in the throes of finishing up my book on the evolution of Australian defence strategy over the past several years, from 2014 until now. With the announcement of the new government defence strategy by Prime Minister Morrison on July 1, 2020, it seemed a good…

The Shift to the Indo-Pacific: Australia Resets Its Defence Strategy

10/30/2020
In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, the prime minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, launched a new defense and security strategy for Australia. This strategy reset puts Australia on the path of enhanced defense capabilities. The change represents a serious shift in its policies towards China, and in reworking alliance…

The UK Defence Strategy: “Integrated Operating Concept”

10/21/2020
The UK is clearly in a period of significant strategic change. The twin impacts of COVID-19 and BREXIT are enough to assure that. With the significant impact of the new aircraft carrier driving significant change with regard to air-sea integration, an evolution we have spent considerable time engaged in with…

Qatar’s European Allies Reinforce Qatari Defense

10/19/2020
While the new agreements among Israel, Bahrain and the UAE reshape Middle Eastern dynamics, Qatar is enhancing its position working with European allies. A recent article on the UK's Ministry of Defence website highlighted a deepening relationship with Qatar. During a joint visit to RAF Coningsby on October 14, 2020,…

An Update on the French Nuclear Deterrent: The 2021 Budget

10/14/2020
By Pierre Tran Paris - France recently published its 2021 draft defense budget, which set aside €5 billion ($5.9 billion) for the nuclear deterrent, taking a chunk out of a total budget of €39.2 billion. Hitting that nice round number showed the significance of nuclear weapons, on which France relies…

MARFOREUR/AF Commander Visits HMS Queen Elizabeth

10/04/2020
Prior to the engagement with the USMC at sea, Maj. General Stephen M. Neary visited HMS Queen Elizabeth at its homeport of Portsmouth. His visit presaged the historic USMC engagement onboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth. According to a story by Staff Sgt. Brytani Musick  published on August 27, 2020: The…