An Update on the Aussie Tanker: Milestone Passed in Middle East Operations

06/13/2016
2016-06-05 The RAAF KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport provides air-to-air refueling support to international coalition aircraft in the skies over Iraq as part of Task Group 630. On 27 April 2016, the deployed KC-30A surpassed the milestone of delivering 50 million pounds (27 million kilograms) of fuel to receiver aircraft in…

Russia’s Pacific Power Pivot

06/10/2016
2016-06-10 By Richard Weitz As expected, China’s claims to the South China Sea dominated last weekend’s Shangri-La Defense Dialogue in Singapore. As usual, Russian military views and actions in the Asia-Pacific theater were largely ignored at the event and in Western commentary. In his speech to the plenary, Anatoly Antonov,…

Vietnam Offers US Modest Arms Sales, But Major Strategic Opportunities

05/26/2016
2016-05-26 By Richard Weitz Obama’s just completed his trip to Vietnam, the first of his presidency. The US President discussed trade and investment, economic and energy development, human rights and democracy (the main area of disagreement in the joint presidential news conference), academic exchanges and humanitarian assistance, and of course…

Canada and the F-35: The Danish Decision Provides a Way Ahead for Regional Defense

05/19/2016
2016-05-17 Recently, Denmark selected the F-35 as their next combat aircraft in an open competition with Eurofighter and Super Hornet. Not only did they select the F-35, they have released public information with regard to that selection process and how they reached their decision. In the Question and Answer session held…

The Russians Rethink Their Approach to Warfare: Tactical Nuclear Weapons Outside the Nuclear Ladder of Escalation?

05/11/2016
2016-05-11 By Robbin Laird We have been building on Paul Bracken’s work on the second nuclear age to focus on the impact of the rethink regarding nuclear weapons going on globally. https://sldinfo.com/rethinking-nuclear-deterrence-shaping-a-way-ahead/ SLD: And to the point of different perspectives, that really goes to the heart of the matter.  We…