The New UK Air Combat Strategy: Putting into a Strategic Context

07/19/2018
By Robbin Laird With the anticipated announcement paralleling efforts in France and Germany, the UK government has announced its intention to build a Typhoon successor. The initial investment was announced as two billion pounds and was launched as a UK national project. But how realistic is this project as announced…

The F-35, the Iron Dome and Saving Lives

07/11/2018
By Edward Timperlake As Herman Kahn once noted: "Anything that reduces war-related destruction should not be considered altogether immoral." There is now the demonstrated promise of advanced weapons systems integrated together in an offensive and defensive enterprise to actually save the lives on innocents on both sides of combat action.…

Moscow’s Collective Security Organization: A Challenge to NATO?

07/09/2018
By Richard Weitz One issue that will probably not be on the NATO summit agenda, but should be, is to develop a strategy for dealing with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). NATO has consistently rejected to do so, dismissing the organization as a façade for Moscow’s aspirations for regional…

Shaping the Way Ahead for Australian Defense: What Role for Independent Strike Capabilties?

06/20/2018
Australia is engaged in a significant process of defense modernization and working closely with its closest allies in this process. But looking beyond what the current trajectory of modernization, what course might Australia follow going forward? We have published a look at paths which Australia might take going forward. https://defense.info/strategic-insights/the-future-of-australian-defense-in-a-dynamically-changing-region/…

SANDF Way Ahead: Priorities and Challenges

06/19/2018
By defenceWeb The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has revealed its short and long term priorities, including border safeguarding, anti-piracy patrol and continental peacekeeping, which it aims to pursue in spite of severe funding cuts. In the Department of Defence 2018 Annual Performance Plan, Secretary for Defence Dr Sam Gulube…

Crisis Management, Allies and the USMC: Shaping a Way Ahead in the Strategic Shift

06/14/2018
By Robbin Laird The strategic shift from counter-insurgency to force-on-force conflict is not only or simply preparing for a major conflict with peer competitors; it is about crisis management and escalation dominance. On the one hand, the military capabilities are being reshaped to operate in such an environment, and there…

Shaping a Way Ahead: The Perspective from the Norwegian Joint Headquarters

05/29/2018
By Robbin Laird The Norwegians are reworking their defense systems to shape a 21stcentury capability which can enhance their own capabilities but importantly work those capabilities into allied ready combat forces. It is about shaping an effective 21stcentury combat force which when combined with allies provides a very credible deterrent…

The Coming of HMS Queen Elizabeth: A Trigger Point for UK Defense Transformation

05/27/2018
By Robbin Laird Recently, I had a chance to visit Portsmouth, UK and talk with senior Royal Navy officers about the coming of the carrier and did so after talking with the team of senior RAF and Royal Navy officers standing up F-35 at RAF Marham. Those interviews will be…