The last Operation Shader RAF Tornado has left the Middle East for the UK. According to an article published on February 5, 2019 on the UK Ministry of Defence website, after almost 40 years serving the UK on military operations across the world, RAF Tornados have returned home for the…
By Robbin Laird Last year during my visit to Norway, I had a chance to visit several airbases and talk with a wide variety of Norwegian officers and defense officials. With the return of direct defense challenges to the Nordics, there has been a major shift to recapitalizing the force,…
The Essex ARG/13th MEU is a flexible and persistent Navy-Marine Corps team deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operation in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic…
By Robbin Laird Last year during my visit to Norway, I had a chance to visit several airbases and talk with a wide variety of Norwegian officers and defense officials. With the return of direct defense challenges to the Nordics, there has been a major shift to recapitalizing the force,…
We have written a number of pieces looking at the impact of Brexit on European defense and will continue to do so. We believe the impact is significant in many way from a negative perspective, but provides significant openings as well if military and political leaders in Europe focus on…
By Robbin Laird During my visit to Germany in February 2019, I had a chance to talk with a number of retired senior Bundeswehr officers and procurement officials. My focus is upon the challenge facing the US and its NATO allies to rebuild their forces to be able to have…
A team of Australian Defence Force service men and women is helping Afghanistan to develop a professional, capable and sustainable air force. The Australians train, assist and advise their Afghan counterparts on command and control, armament and munitions, air operations, engineering, logistics and life support equipment maintenance. [maxgallery id="122620"] Their…
When visiting Berlin over the years, the dramatic change in Germany and in Europe is physically notable, The Potsdamer Platz in Berlin went from being part of the demarcation point between East and West Berlin, and then the breaching point between the two parts of the divided city inn 1989.…
