11/14/2016: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Finnish President Sauli Niinistö to NATO Headquarters for the first time on Wednesday (9 November 2016). The two leaders discussed the security situation in the Baltic region and how to deepen NATO’s close partnership with Finland. Credit Video: NATO Channel
2016-11-14 By Robbin Laird During a June 2016 visit to RAF Lossiemouth, I had a chance to discuss the GSS or Ground Support System approach for the Typhoon with an RAF officer involved with GSS. This digital system is a key part of both maintaining the Typhoon and enhancing its…
2016-11-13 By Robbin Laird When I was a kid, I remember the images of deterrence which were provided by strip alert bombers against the Soviet threat. Now we have images in the press of the strip alert Typhoons dealing with the air defence of the United Kingdom against a wider…
2016-11-12 By Robbin Laird During my visit to RAF Lossiemouth in April 2016, there was a chance to talk with the Officer Commanding Engineering and Logistics Wing at RAF Lossiemouth. Obviously, the operation of the Typhoon fleet is dependent upon the engineers and logisticians to forge an effective hub for…
2016-11-11 By Robbin Laird During a visit to RAF Lossiemouth in June 2016, I had to discuss with an experienced Typhoon pilot now in 1 (F) Squadron, the evolution of Typhoon and its performance in recent Middle Eastern operations. This pilot’s background was initially with the Army and then he became a…
2016-11-10 By Robbin Laird RAF Lossiemouth currently is a Typhoon and Tornado base, but with the Tornados to be phased out within the next few years, the Typhoons will be joined by the P-8, which will probably operate as well from Lossie. This provides the opportunity to integrate the Typhoons with…
2016-11-10 By Robbin Laird During my visit to RAF Lossiemouth in April 2016, I had the chance to talk with OC II(AC) Sqn, the commander of one of world’s oldest and most famous squadrons. He was the squadron commander who led the transition from RAF Marham to Lossie in 2014.…
2016-11-10 By Richard Weitz Pessimism about Europe’s global power potential was pervasive at the Valdai Conference. Many speakers, from Russia and elsewhere, saw the Continent in current crisis and generation-long decay. In particular, they cited deep dissatisfaction with the bureaucratic, technocratic, and formalistic nature of the institution and its disrespect…
