Russia Pluses Up Infrastructure in Syria

10/10/2016
2016-10-10 Russia has used its naval supply fleet to provide support to its Syrian intervention forces, notably for the Russian Air Force. The operation has demonstrated the important synergy between air power and naval support systems for their exercise of airp0wer. As a result, the Russians have decided to upgrade…

The Next Administration and China Policy: Why Reinforce the Dominance of Beijing in China?

10/02/2016
2016-10-02 By Danny Lam Ever since Marco Polo, China experts command a field of expertise that required extensive study of a tonal language and memorization of a complex set of characters.   These are sizable barriers that for centuries, fostered the establishment of and then institutionalization of a priesthood of experts…

Shaping a Way Forward for the Canadian Air Force: Putting the Fighter Decision in Context

09/21/2016
2016-09-21 By Danny Lam The Canadian Air Force along with the entire Canadian Defence Force faces a tough transition. The challenges to Canada associated with developments in both Europe and Asia or what the recent NORTHCOM/NORAD Commander referred, as threats from the 10 and 2 O’clock are going up, not down.…

The Brexit Challenge to European Defense: Italy Proposes a “Schengen of Defence”

09/17/2016
2016-09-17  According to the Italian Ministry of Defence, Italy is looking to expand European defense efforts in the context of the Brexit dynamic. Minister Pinotti, during a joint interview with Minister of Foreign Affairs Paolo Gentiloni to French magazine  "Le Monde", expressed her  hope that "a multinational European force based…

Transforming the Power Projection Forces for the Liberal Democracies

09/17/2016
2016-09-12 By Robbin Laird The period ahead could be a very deadly one for the liberal democracies. Ill-liberal powers whether they be states (Russia, China or Iran) or irredentist movements spouting 12th century values are clearly working to change the global order to their advantage. Many factors of power are…

The Network as a Weapon System: The Perspective of Rear Admiral Mayer, Commander Australian Fleet

09/10/2016
2016-09-10 By Robbin Laird During the Williams Foundation seminar on evolving approaches to air-sea integration, Rear Admiral Mayer, the Commander of the Australian Fleet, focused on the concrete and specific challenges facing the evolution of the Royal Australian Navy as a key element of the joint force. He argued that…

Vice-Admiral Barrett on the Way Ahead of the Australian Navy: Design the Force for Decisive and Distributed Lethality

09/06/2016
2016-09-01 By Robbin Laird A key speaker at the Williams Foundation seminar on air-land integration was the Chief of the Australian Navy, Vice Admiral Tim Barrett. Barrett’s speech focused on the opportunities and challenges of the largest recapitalisation of the Australian Navy since World War II. New submarines, destroyers and…

Uzbekistan After Karimov: A Potential Power Vacuum in a Key Region

09/05/2016
2016-09-05 By Richard Weitz With the death of Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov, the country’s political leaders are in the process of deciding who will be Kasimov’s successor. Predicting the country’s future leadership is difficult given that Karimov has been the country’s only president since Uzbekistan gained independence on August 31,…