From Sea Ceptor to Land Ceptor: The UK Trials Its New Air Defence Missile

06/02/2018
MBDA is building a new generation of missile defense capabilities, built in part around a common missile. Recently, the UK MoD announced the arrival of the Sea Ceptor for its frigates. he Sea Ceptor is a sea-based supersonic missile defence system developed by MBDA for the UK’s Royal Navy. The…

UK Defense, European Defense and Brexit: Note 3

06/01/2018
The defense industrial side of Brexit is clearly tied up with the general dynamics of whatever trade and circulation of skills and labor generally agreed to between the UK and the European Union. But defense is an area where exceptions in regulations are often the rule; but they clearly are…

The USMC Shapes a Way Ahead: The Perspective of the Commanding Officer of MAWTS-1

06/01/2018
By Robbin Laird MAWTS-1 plays a unique role within the USMC and in the joint force. In our book on the reshaping of Pacific strategy and the role of new technologies and concepts of operations, we highlighted the role of the warfighting centers in the development and evolution of US…

Venezuela and the Varieties of “Hybrid War”

05/30/2018
By Stephen Blank For Clausewitz war was a chameleon. And what we now call hybrid war is inherently a protean chameleon-like process encompassing many dimensions of human activity that are or have hitherto not been thought to be connected with war. Venezuela, both of its own accord and as a Russian…

The Royal Marines Receive Their First New Helicopter for HMS Queen Elizabeth Operations

05/30/2018
The HMS Queen Elizabeth is designed as a fast jet carrier for strike operations but also able to operate assault operations as well. For the assault mission, Leonardo has developed a new variant of the Merlin helicopter. According to a story published on the UK Ministry of Defence website on…

Navigating the Way Ahead for a Fifth Generation-Enabled Combat Force: The Perspective of Maj. General Morten Klever

05/29/2018
By Robbin Laird The Royal Norwegian Air Force is transitioning from an F-16 to an all F-35 air combat force as part of both Air Force modernization and overall defense transformation for the Norwegian forces. The coming of the F-35 and the interaction between the standup of the F-35 and…

The Arrival of the Sea Ceptor Missile System

05/29/2018
“A world-class missile system that will protect the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers has officially entered service, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has announced  on May 24, 2018.” According to a story published on the UK Ministry of Defence website on May 24, 2018: Sea Ceptor provides a powerful shield against…