The Australian Defense Minister followed the opening address at the RAAF Airpower Conference 2018 given by Air Marshal Davies with an overview of how she saw the evolving global situation and its impact on the ADF. Senator the Honorable Marise Payne, the Minister of Defence, noted at the outset that…
The RAAF Airpower Conference 2018 provided a good look at the perceived dynamics of change in the broader global environment and within the ongoing technological revolution reshaping the demand side of both the use and development of modern airpower and the ADF more generally. The conference was opened by Air…
Recently, Deputy Commandant of Aviation, Lt. General “Stick” Rudder testified before the Congress on the coming of the CH-53K and its importance to the USMC and its approach to combat operations. “This aircraft is mechanically and technologically amazing. It fits directly into the National Defense Strategy as far as heavy…
According to an article released by the US Navy and written by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Morgan K. Nall, the USS Preble and INS Tarkash operated together and exchanged crew this month during an exercise. Units of the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group sailed in formation with the Indian…
By Robbin Laird The European Air Group has been an incubator for change within the European air forces. The EAG flies below the radar but is a key asset for the Air Chiefs of 7 major European Air Forces in shaping ways to work more effectively together and to get…
By Dr Alan Stephens It was the 19th century British prime minister Lord Palmerston who famously remarked that in international relations there are “no eternal allies … only interests”. Palmerston’s hard-headed world view has particular relevance for small- and medium-nations that find themselves drawn into high-intensity warfare. The October 1973…
By Robbin Laird During my visit to Helsinki in February 2018, I had a chance to discuss the approach and modernization of Finnish Defense with Jukka Juusti, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence. The Permanent Secretary manages and supervises the activities of the Ministry of Defence together with the…
With changes in the region, and with new dynamics of change in the North Atlantic, how might Australia rethink its defense policy? It is clear that the current government has put in place a fundamental transformation of Australian defense policy with the RAAF being significantly modernized, the navy recapitalized but…
