2013-04-22 By Robbin Laird I had the privilege to study and work with Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski in my time as a student and for my first research job. With Brzezinski, one is always pushed towards the “Zbig” picture. And for me, such engagement is always an important stimulus to re-thinking…
2013-04-22 by Kenneth Maxwell Two frigates and a supply ship of the 13th naval force of the Chinese Navy, commended by vice-admiral Li Xiaoyan, entered the Tagus river on April 15, 2013 for a visit to Lisbon. 2013 marks the 500 anniversary of the arrival of the first Portuguese, Jorge…
2013-04-22 by Kenneth Maxwell We are meeting at a time of increasing uncertainty about the future. But it is necessary first to acknowledge that on both sides of the North Atlantic, within Europe as well as within the United States, the broad consensus that has prevailed for much of the…
2013-04-21 by Robbin Laird In researching for my participation in this summer’s B-17 event in France, I have learned many things. An interesting aspect of thinking about the B-17 as a fleet is the question of how it was supported or the logistics element. I found this story on the…
2013-04-19 Airbus broke ground April 8, 2013 on a final assembly facility at Mobile’s Brookley Aeroplex. The facility – dedicated solely to the production of A320 family aircraft – will employ 1,000 people at full production, deliver its first Mobile-made planes in 2016 and is expected to become the nucleus…
2013-04-18 The F-35 as a fleet is a key foundational element for the future of US power projection. The F-35 has been designed from the ground up to provide for interconnected ISR and strike capabilities which can be leveraged as a fleet to enable more effective use of U.S. and…
2013-04-18 by Robbin Laird In my second piece on reflections on the development of the B-17 and its stumbling entrance into history, I would like to focus on one of those set of historical oddities one finds while studying a subject. In this case, it is the intersection of intelligence…
2013-04-16 Second Line of Defense had a chance to continue our discussions with Rear Admiral Buzby, Military Sealift Command Commander, in early April 2013. Day in and day on the oceans of the world, operating in the support of the Navy fleet in all weather, climate and sea states it…