By Robbin Laird I had the chance to visit HMS Queen Elizabeth in Scotland as the carrier was being built. During a visit to Portsmouth in late April 2018, I had a chance to see the carrier again and to talk with senior UK Navy and industrial personnel involved in…
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 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…
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…
“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…
By Robbin Laird The Norwegians are reworking their defense systems to shape a 21stcentury capability which can enhance their own capabilities but importantly work those capabilities into allied ready combat forces. It is about shaping an effective 21stcentury combat force which when combined with allies provides a very credible deterrent…
By Robbin Laird Recently, I had a chance to visit Portsmouth, UK and talk with senior Royal Navy officers about the coming of the carrier and did so after talking with the team of senior RAF and Royal Navy officers standing up F-35 at RAF Marham. Those interviews will be…
The Norwegians are hosting Trident Juncture 2018 which is a major NATO exercise and at the same time training for the Norwegians to support the total defense concept which they are reinvigorating in the “new normal” European security situation. A recent article on the Norwegian Ministry of Defence website highlighted…
