by Ed Timperlake Current realities show the pressure of global dynamics, not wishful thinking, upon defense policies. As the North Koreans prepare to launch yet another missile, the U.S. and the Japanese are deploying forces to monitor and to defend if necessary. For what is the difference between a test…
The A400M is entering its final phases of testing before entering service, initially for the French military. Most recently, the A400M came to the air show in Chile and was highlighted by Airbus military while at that show. Now it is about to start and Asian tour. [caption id="attachment_37277" align="alignleft"…
By Ed Timperlake The F-35 is often simply referred to as a tactical aircraft, and a replacement for 4th generation or legacy aircraft. It is really something quite different. It represents a dramatic shift from the past. For the first time in history, individual F-35 pilots –A, B or C…
Yesterday, the new British A330 tanker began its RAF service life. The British program is built around a unique leasing approach. The leasing approach allows for amortization of operational costs by sharing life as a commercial freighter with its tanker duties with the RAF. [caption id="attachment_37195" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="First flight…
The PNSR Case Studies: The Bottom Line By Richard Weitz The case studies cover a necessarily limited number of national security challenges and analyze a correspondingly finite record of U.S. government performance. This limitation excludes extensive quantitative analysis. Even so, the issues covered, the geographic scope, and historical diversity of…
by Robbin Laird 2012 is perhaps a turning point year in the global fighter market. India’s downselect of the Rafale and the possible selection by Brazil of the same aircraft could have some game changing qualities. First, if this were to occur, this would mean that the US is down…
Thomas Hobson became known in history for what is called Hobson’s choice. A person has a free choice but can only chose one option. For the normal human, this sounds like no choice at all. But for Thomas Hobson, a livery stable owner in Cambridge England, he would offer customers…
by Kenneth Maxwell Brazil's principal newspaper had two stories in its Saturday issue concerning the competition for a new fleet of combat aircraft for the Brazilian air force and the continuing saga of the Super Tucano. In the "Folha de Sao Paulo," Clovis Rossi, writing from New Deli, where President…
