Shaping a Way Ahead for Polish Defense: The Perspective of Robert Czulda

10/06/2021
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…

Finland Issues New Defence White Paper, September 2021

10/05/2021
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…

An Australian Strategy for National Resilience

10/04/2021
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…

The Defence 24 Conference on Polish Defence, September 2021

10/01/2021
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…

Shaping a Way Ahead for Force Design 2030 in the Pacific: The Perspective of the MARFORPAC G-9 Branch Head

09/30/2021
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…

Greece Signs Agreement to Buy French Frigates, September 2021

09/29/2021
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…

Marine Corps Leadership Focuses on Ground-Based Ship-Killing Missiles

09/28/2021
  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…

Japan’s Minister of Defense Address to Vietnamese Defense Ministry

09/28/2021
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…