10/31/2011 by Ed Timperlake "Can't anybody here play this game?" Casey Stengel More than three months have passed since Undersecretary Robert Work’s July 7th 2011 Memo “Navy Tactical Air (TACAIR) Portfolio Analysis-Warfighter Capability and Affordability Trades” http://www.sldforum.com/2011/08/under-secretary-of-the-navy-robert-works-july-tac-air-memo/ The memo was written while U.S. forces were engaged in combat in Operation “Odyssey…
10/30/2011 Aboard the USS Wasp during F-35B sea trials, Second Line of Defense had a chance to talk with Admiral Scott, Commander of Expeditionary Strike Group Two. The navy leadership aboard the WASP made it clear that V-22/F35B tandem was central to the future of the US Navy. There was…
10/29/2011 In his recent speech in South Korea, the Sec Def made a powerful case for centrality of the Pacific and of coalitions and the danger of a hollow force. I n a recent open letter to the Secretary, we provided some ideas of how to avoid the hollow force and…
10/27/2011 - A key element of understanding a scalable presence strategy is basing. Basing of the force in the Pacific is a function of several key capabilities: Sebasing; Partners and Allies Connected Capabilities; The F-35 and Re-crafting Land Basing Presence is rooted in basing; scalability is inherently doable because of…
10/28/2011 by Richard Weitz When considering South Korea and the F-35 issue, it is important to keep in mind the transformed nature of the ROK-US alliance. Its most important function is still to help protect South Korea from external attack, but it has also evolved, and should continue to do…
10/27/2011 We have discussed three surface combatants earlier: the LCS, Aegis and the CVN and have integrated these platforms into a discussion of the interaction between presence and scalability. Here the focus is upon other surface combatants and their roles in the way ahead. If one is focusing upon littoral…
10/27/2011 Dear Mr. Secretary: Your tour of Asia comes at a crucial time. It is important to re-enforce the perception of American support for the defense of South Korea and Japan and other allies in the region. This is particularly important in a period where some are suggesting reckless defense…
10/27/2011 - by Ed Timperlake Ever since the evacuation of the Chinese Nationalist Forces to Taiwan after their defeat on the mainland by Mao’s Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) has quested for a complete victory by establishing sovereignty over that island fortress. (Credit Image: Bigstock)…
