2013-06-02 By Richard Weitz Russian-NATO differences over ballistic missile defense (BMD) were unsurprisingly a major source of disagreement at the International Conference on “Military and Political Aspects of European Security,” hosted in a major Moscow hotel by the Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD), on May 23. Notwithstanding all the changes…
2013-05-31 by Robbin Laird Yesterday I flew the A400M for the first time. [caption id="attachment_53540" align="alignnone" width="300"] Talking with the flight crew during the Airbus Military flight for journalists at the Trade Media Event, May 30, 2013. Credit Photo: SLD[/caption] My friend Francis Tusa has done a short interview for…
2013-05-26 By Richard Weitz I had the opportunity to attend an International Conference on “Military and Political Aspects of European Security,” hosted in a major Moscow hotel by the Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD), on May 23. The MOD convened a similar conference last year in Moscow, though that meeting…
2013-05-22 Australia is re-shaping its forces as it deals with the dynamics of change in the Pacific and its roles and tasks post-Afghanistan. Part of the future approach will be provided by the delivery of a new capability in the Aussie force structure, namely a large LHD or Amphibious Assault…
2013-05-22 By Robbin Laird The USN-USMC team learns in the context of a joint and combined exercise Bold Alligator – the largest annual, amphibious exercise conducted. It is also a great opportunity for an outsider to learn many things, and probably none more interesting than to learn from the young warfighters…
2013-05-22 A key element of shaping a 21st century approach to military operations is the reconfiguration of the force to incorporate expeditionary logistics. Rather than putting a WALMART in place, designing a Kracken defense force for the WALMART, and then moving against the objective area, there is a key trend afoot…
In an April 30, 2013 interview with Rear Admiral Bill Moran, Director of Air Warfare (OPNAV N98), the approach of the US Navy in combining several naval air transitions with the introduction of the USS Ford was the focus of conversation. In a recent co-authored article, the Admiral had looked…
2013-05-15 By Robbin Laird A French White paper is a combination campaign document, Presidential statement, prologue to shaping budgets, and a stab at a tour de horizon view of the strategic environment a la française. It is decidedly not a detailed look at the future and the way ahead. It…
