The Next Phase of the Xi Era: China’s Strategic Shift in a World in Flux

03/23/2023
By Robbin Laird The recently concluded Party Congress in Communist China has both consolidated Xi’s control of the Chinese system and turned the country further from its earlier legacy of global engagement built on its powerful export engine. According to my colleague, Dr. Harald Malmgren, Chinese policy under Xi has…

MARSOC and 2nd MLG Prepare for the Entrance of the CH-53K Into the Fleet

03/21/2023
By Sgt. Jesula Jeanlouis CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – Marine Forces Special Operations Command’s Paraloft personnel teamed up with 2nd Marine Logistics Group’s Air Delivery Platoon to evaluate the secondary mission capabilities of the CH-53K King Stallion helicopter, Oct. 25 – Nov. 3, 2022. This evaluation included day and night aerial…

Building and Operating a Hybrid Fleet in the Pacific: A Key Area for U.S. Navy and RAN Cooperation

03/16/2023
By George Galdorisi The USN’s commitment to a future fleet comprised of as many as 150 unmanned maritime systems did not instantly materialize, and it is worth examining this journey. This is due to the fact that the ADF and RAN will likely have to socialize such a change in…

The Marine Corps Works its Way Ahead: The Perspective of Lt. Gen. Brian Cavanaugh

03/08/2023
By Robbin Laird I had a chance to meet with Lt. Gen. Brian Cavanaugh at his office in Norfolk on Friday 24, 2023. He is Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic; Commander, Marine Forces Command; and Commander, Marine Forces Northern Command. According to the official information regarding these two commands…

A Mission-Kitable Aircraft for Kill Web Operations: Colonel Marvel Discusses the Way Ahead with the Osprey

02/24/2023
By Robbin Laird I first encountered the Osprey in 2007 in a visit to MAG-26 at New River. In that discussion with Marines, we focused on how what was referred to me early on, as the Osprey Nation, was stood up and shaped a core group of combat warriors who…

Distributed Operations and Logistics in the Pacific: How to Shape a Way Ahead for the Fleet

02/23/2023
Recently, the PACFLEET Commander, Admiral Paparo, provided the keynote address at the WEST 2023 conference held in San Diego from February 14 through 16 2023. That presentation provides his perspective on joint and partner operations in the Pacific and how they are working together to address deterrence in defense. The…

Maritime USVs, UAVs and Reshaping ISR/C2: A Discussion with Lt. General (Retired) Steve Rudder

02/22/2023
By Robbin Laird To deal with the challenges in the Pacific, the United States has and will continue to have a significant shortfall in core platforms to implement a classic warfighting strategy. That is why I wrote a book with my colleagues published in 2013 entitled, Rebuilding American Military Power…