The shift from counterinsurgency operations in the Middle East to major power competition has fundamentally transformed how Western militaries must prepare for combat. This strategic pivot, which I explored in my 2021 book Training for the High-End Fight: The Strategic Shift of the 2020s, demands nothing less than a complete…
The landscape of military aviation training stands at a critical juncture. As combat aircraft have evolved into increasingly sophisticated platforms bristling with advanced sensors, networked communications, and complex mission systems, the challenge of preparing pilots to operate these systems effectively has grown exponentially. The emergence of fifth-generation fighters has fundamentally…
This video previews our forthcoming report entitled: THE LVC DYNAMIC A KEY FORCE FOR CHANGE IN COMBAT PILOT TRAINING which has been generated as a guide to our upcoming visit to the Italian International Flight Training School in October 2025. The landscape of military aviation training stands at a critical…
U.S. Marines with 2nd Distribution Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, and Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, execute external lifts at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, July 21, 2025. Marines with 2nd MAW and 2nd DSB trained alongside elements of the U.S. Army, U.S.…
This report examines the evolution of U.S. hypersonic weapons development from the Bush administration through 2025, tracing how technological promise repeatedly encountered bureaucratic obstacles and shifting strategic priorities. The report argues that after decades of delays caused by focus on counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, American hypersonic programs have…
U.S. Marines with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), and 2nd Distribution Support Battalion (DSB), Combat Logistics Group 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, perform an external lift with a CH-53K King Stallion at U.S. Coast Guard Base Sector Key West, Florida,…
This report analyzes the Philippines' "porcupine defense strategy," emphasizing its reliance on maritime autonomous systems (MAS) and distributed lethality to deter aggression in the South China Sea. It highlights the Taiwan-Philippines-Japan strategic triangle and the critical importance of the First Island Chain and Luzon Strait for regional security and global trade. The report details how U.S.-Philippines military cooperation, including fast boat bases and the deployment…
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162 transport Marines with Company C, 1st Battalion 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division, during Atlantic Alliance 2025 at Pickerel Pond, Maine, July 10, 2025 In a groundbreaking demonstration of evolving naval warfare doctrine, U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162…
