By Robbin Laird During my recent visit to Warsaw to attend the Defence 24 conference on Polish defense, I had a chance to talk with Dr. Robert Czulda (whose bio can be read at the end of the article). I had a chance to talk with him after the two-day…
According to a news release on the Finnish Ministry of Defence website, the Finnish government has released its latest defence white paper. At its meeting on 9 September 2021, the Government approved the Defence Report to be submitted to Parliament. The Report and its implementation ensure that Finland's defence capability…
By Robbin Laird My colleague John Blackburn has focused for some time on the importance of the Australian defence forces becoming more sustainable from Australian sources. He then broadened his look at resilience to the energy and then maritime sectors. This was PRIOR to the pandemic. With our societies facing…
By Robbin Laird Warsaw I am in Warsaw and have just attended the two-day conference held by Defence 24. According to the organization: “Defence24 Group, the publisher of Defence24.pl portal, is organizing a third edition of Defence24 DAY & SOFEAST conference, focused on the major issues in the areas of…
By Robbin Laird Another change since my last visit to MARFORPAC in 2014-2015 was how the distributed laydown begun in that period was being reworked in terms of expanding basing flexibility and force distribution associated with the current Commandant’s Force Design 2030 effort. I have had a chance both with…
By Pierre Tran Paris - France and Greece signed Sept. 28 a memorandum of understanding for the sale of three French frigates for defense and intervention (FDI), with an option for a fourth unit, in a deal worth some €3 billion ($3.5 billion), the armed forces ministry said. “This Tuesday…
By Ashley Calingo Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.—The Marine Corps’ top modernization priority is fulfilling the requirement for a ground-based anti-ship missile capability. The operational requirement for this ship-killing capability is a relatively new development stemming from the Commandant’s Planning Guidance and the Corps’ Force Design 2030 efforts. “As…
On September 12, 2021, Japanese Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo delivered an address at the Vietnamese defense ministry during his visit to the country. He referred to China's new law, which authorizes its coast guard to use weapons. Kishi said Japan will never be able to accept the law, which he…