By Robbin Laird I spent a good deal of the 1980s traveling within and dealing with German security issues. A key challenge in the early part of the decade was the Euromissile challenge and working common positions among European partners and with the United States to deal with Soviet intrusions…
It is clear that for President Macron and for Chancellor Merkel that a new impulse needs to be generated for European construction. And they clearly are working together to do this. Whether this an engine driving effective change for the entire European Union is a different matter; for different initiatives…
By Dr. Gary Schaub, Jr. Acquiring new combat aircraft is a big deal. The combat aircraft fleets of most Western countries are nearing the end of their useful service life and therefore must be replaced. Such acquisition programs have been among the most expensive ever pursued and have therefore been…
By Robbin Laird For many years, Airbus Defence and Space hosted an annual media event. These were well run events where Airbus provided overviews on their various programs in front of an invited audience of journalists from many parts of the world. There was a clear opportunity to meet new…
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 attached to 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force, transport Marines from Clark Air Base for live-fire training during exercise KAMANDAG 2 at Colonel Ernesto P. Ravina Air Base, Philippines, Oct. 5, 2018. KAMANDAG 2 helps maintain a high level of…
By Robbin Laird Because the F-35 has been built from the outset on a digital thread production approach and foundation, the program can incorporate, and contribute to a broader set of industrial transformations, known as Industry 4.0. In other words, the F-35 can produce an innovative combat aircraft but it…
By Stephen Blank Recently John Bolton, Director of the National Security Council, gave a speech attacking what he called the Troika of Tyranny: Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, and announcing new sanctions on these states. Perhaps it is not coincidental that Bolton’s speech, announcing a new tough-minded U.S. policy towards Latin America,…
Australian Army soldiers from the Commando Amphibious Operations Course conducted a training activity from Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft into the waters off Manly, Sydney, in late-September 2018. [maxgallery id="120460"] The students parachuted into the ocean on a stormy day and were then required to fight the swell…
