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The F-35, the Iron Dome and Saving Lives

07/11/2018
By Edward Timperlake As Herman Kahn once noted: "Anything that reduces war-related destruction should not be considered altogether immoral." There is now the demonstrated promise of advanced weapons systems integrated together in an offensive and defensive enterprise to actually save the lives on innocents on both sides of combat action.…

The Coming of the Maritime Domain Enterprise to Australia: The P-8/Triton dyad

07/11/2018
The security of Australia’s maritime borders will be significantly strengthened with another major military investment.  The Turnbull Government will invest $1.4 billion and acquire the first of six MQ-4C Triton remotely piloted aircraft through a cooperative program with the United States Navy.  The Triton will complement the surveillance role of…

Exercising an Amphibious Assault During BALTOPS

07/11/2018
KAIRAI, LTHUANIA (June 4, 2018)  U.S. Marines assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Members of the Romanian 307th Naval Infantry Battalion conduct an amphibious assault during exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2018 in Kairai, Lithuania, June 4.  BALTOPS is the premier annual maritime-focused exercise in…

The Latin American Challenge and Shaping a Realistic Way Ahead

07/10/2018
By Stephen Blank The revelation that President Trump has seriously considered the desirability of invading Venezuela ought to focus our attention on that unhappy country and others like it in Latin America. While Venezuela’s crisis is an extreme manifestation of the kleptocratic autocracies masquerading under the socialist or Chavista sobriquet…

MAGTF Transformation and the Role of the CH-53K

07/10/2018
By Robbin Laird With peer adversaries emphasizing technological change and force modernization, focusing on strategic advantage for US and allied forces is a key element for combat success. At the heart of such an approach, clearly will be the ability to operate more effective distributed forces and to leverage the…

The Russians and the Nordics: Intimidation Deflected by Mobilization

07/10/2018
By Robbin Laird Putin has clearly focused on expanding Russian influence in the areas of strategic interest to Russia. While the United States has diffused its efforts with an over emphasis on stability operations and counter-insurgency in the Middle East, the Russians have focused on their core interests and how…

Australia and Indo Pacific Endeavor 2018

07/10/2018
A Joint Task Group of four ships and more than 1,000 personnel from the Australian Defence Force are deployed on Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2018, a series of key engagement activities with Australia’s regional neighbors. [maxgallery id="118209"] Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2018 is the second iteration of the exercise and part of ongoing efforts…