The French Government Launches Next Gen SSBN Studies

02/23/2021
By Pierre Tran Paris - France was launching design studies and starting to build first sections of a third-generation nuclear ballistic missile submarine, in a bid to maintain national sovereignty and military independence, the armed forces minister, Florence Parly, said Feb. 19. A new generation nuclear missile boat signals French…

The U.S. Navy and the Challenge of Operating Maritime Autonomy Systems

02/21/2021
At times, the advocates for maritime autonomy systems seem like a church. Believers, advocates and true believers expressing anger that the ghost fleet has not yet arrived. But for maritime autonomy systems to become key operating elements within the fleet, they will have to demonstrate their worth and that the…

The FCAS “Bras de Fer”: A February 2021 Update

02/19/2021
By Pierre Tran Paris - Dassault Aviation has insisted on protecting intellectual property rights over its fighter jet technology, while Airbus Defence and Space has sought full access to that privileged information, conflicting demands which have weighed on a Franco-German led project for a future combat air system. French president…

Re-Setting the Standard for V-22 Overhaul Time: Breaking the 300-Day Mark

02/19/2021
When interviewing the CO of 2nd Marine Air Wing, Major General Cederholm underscored the importance of the logs and maintenance side of his command to be "ready to fight tonight." We operate all over the globe. Right now, we have forces all the way from Europe into the Far East,…

UK Defence Co-Operation with Japan

02/18/2021
On February 3, 2021, the UK Ministry of Defence published an article which highlighted the coming deployment of HMS Queen Elizabeth to the Pacific and how that deployment fit into a wider strategy. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab discussed the deployment of HMS Queen Elizabeth during…

The Kill Web, Payloads, and the Surface Fleet

02/17/2021
As the U.S. Navy and its joint and coalition partners rework their forces to deliver capability through an integrated but distributed operational force, a key element are the payloads which can be leveraged throughout the modular task forces making up such a force. As Ed Timperlake has argued:  “Payload utility…

The UK Establishes a New Space Command and Names its First Commander

02/17/2021
An article published on November 19, 2020 in the UK Defence Journal highlighted the establishment of a new UK Space Command On 18 November 2020, the UK announced its proposal to establish a new military command dedicated to space, similar to the recent moves taken by allied countries such as…