The liberal democracies are facing a key strategic shift from a primary focus on the land wars in the Middle East to facing the challenges posed by peer competitors. The Pentagon has referred to this as the return of Great Power competition which requires a significant shift from the forces…
We have been looking at the strategic shift for the liberal democracies from a primary focus on the land wars in the Middle East to the challenge of dealing with crisis management involving peer competitors who can engage in force-on-force conflict. We have done so both with regard to the…
In this special report, we have brought together the interviews conducted in January 2018 from a visit to 2nd MAW in Cherry Point as well as New River. Also included is a phone interview from late last Summer with the log demo team working at New River on the new…
F-35B Lightning IIs with Medium Marine Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (Reinforced) conduct flight operations carrying Guided Bomb Units from the USS Wasp (LHD 1), Philippine Sea, Feb. 3, 2019. Naval Aviators with the detachment fly the Marine Corps' newest, most advanced multi-role fighter, the F-35B. The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, the…
In an historic day in Australian aviation, the first two F-35A Joint Strike Fighters to be permanently based in Australia arrived at RAAF Base Williamtown. The Minister for Defence, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, and Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Steven Ciobo MP, were there to welcome the aircraft…
The RAAF is getting ready to receive their first F-35s in country on December 10, 2018. In preparation for the arrival in country, the Australian Department of Defence has generated a series of videos explaining the F-35 and its unique capabilities to the public. This one focused on the helmet…
This year’s International Fighter Conference held in Berlin provided a chance for the participants and the attendees to focus on the role of fighters in what we have been calling the strategic shift, namely, the shift from the land wars to operating in higher intensity operations against peer competitors. It…
In effect, the Danes like the other Nordics, are having to focus on direct defense as their core national mission, within an alliance context. This will mean as well a shift common to other alliance members from a focus on out of area operations, such as in Afghanistan, back to…
