2017-04-27 By Robbin Laird On April 11, 2017, the Williams Foundation held its latest seminar on shaping a way ahead in the shaping of a 21st century combat force. This seminar followed a series of seminars exploring the coming of a fifth generation force and the way ahead for reshaping…
05/02/2017: According to a piece published on the Australian Ministry of Defence website: "On Anzac Day, we remember not only the original Anzacs who died on 25 April 1915, but every one of our service men and women who have served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.…
2017-04-26 By Robbin Laird During my recent visit to Australia to attend the Williams Foundation seminar on integrated force design, I had a chance to discuss Army modernization with the head of the effort, Brigadier General Chris Mills. This is the third time I have had the opportunity to interview…
2017-04-23 By Kenneth Maxwell Brazil is continuing its long plunge into the murky world of profound political crises. Past corruption revelations, simmering judicial conflict between the federal judges and the political and private sector elites, and challenges to a system of government and the constitutional arrangements, which emerged when Brazil…
04/25/2017: General Curtis Scaparrotti, Commander of European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, visited Airmen at RAF Lakenheath in conjunction with a deployment of F-35A Lightning II’s. He highlighted the the significance of the arrival of F-35s to the modernization of the joint and coalition force operating in defense of the North Atlantic. What…
2017-04-26 By Robbin Laird Shifting from a primary focus on the counterinsurgency focused land wars of the last 15 years to shaping a high intensity combat force, which can prevail against peer competitors, is a significant challenge for the United States and its closest allies. A key dynamic within this…
2017-04-24 By Robbin Laird During my latest visit to Australia, I had a chance to visit South Australia and RAAF Edinburgh, which is near Adelaide. At Adelaide, the Australian Navy will be building its new submarines and at RAAF Edinburgh the Aussies are standing up the other key element of…
04/28/2017: This video contains footage of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 conducting ordnance reload training on the F-35B’s with the engine running for the first time ever on Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. U.S. Marines with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152 conducted aviation delivered ground refueling with Marine Fighter…