Operation Safe Seas: Italian Efforts to Deal with At Sea Migrants

01/07/2016
2016-01-07 There have been roughly one million migrants which have entered Europe from land and sea during 2015. [caption id="attachment_83506" align="alignnone" width="577"] http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34131911[/caption] In an earlier interview, the challenge of migration to Europe and the role of Italy was discussed in terms of how best to handle the challenge. During a…

C2 Modernization: An Essential Element for 21st Century Force Structure Innovation

01/02/2016
2016-01-02 By Robbin Laird Although the notion of C5ISR has taken hold, the concept can confuse more than it clarifies. C2 is become an essential element for force structure transformation, rather than focusing excessively on the ISR, or collection of information to inform decisions. The shift from the kinds of…

The Sea Services Transform Their Reach, Punch and Impact in the Extended Battlespace

12/23/2015
2015-12-23 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake There is a growing literature on the challenges to U.S. forces facing more difficult combat conditions as competitors and adversaries enhance their capabilities. The anti-access, area denial challenge, in particular, has been a key theme as the sea services face the future; but…

Ship of Fools: Brazil’s Government in Meltdown

12/19/2015
2015-12-19 By Kenneth Maxwell The current situation in Brazil reminds me of the allegory of the Ship of Fools painted at the beginning of the XVI century by Heronymus Bosch and based on the satirical poem by Sebastian Brandt: A vessel seized by its deranged and oblivious passengers and bound inexorablyf or the paradise…

First Norwegian F-35 Training Sortie

12/18/2015
12/18/2015: LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFNS) -- The first two Norwegian F-35s arrived here Nov. 10. Shortly after, a Norwegian pilot flew the F-35 Lightning II for the first time, in conjunction with the Royal Norwegian Air Force's birthday. The F-35 program took its first step forward, integrating partner nations…