Featured Article

06/14/2025
We have a growing experience with drone warfare and its impacts. The best way to understand their impact is how they have already re-shaped combined arms operations. Notably when combined with payload revolution and fifth generation warfare operations, as seen in the recent Israeli operation in Iran, drones are becoming a key part of the evolution of combined arms. Analysis of the Ukraine-Russia war, Houthi drone campaigns, and Israeli precision operations provides insights with regard…
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Defence Industry and Working with Defence in Shaping a Way Ahead for Autonomous Systems

06/08/2021By Robbin Laird The development and incorporation of autonomous systems into the Australian fifth-generation force requires a close working relationship between defense industry and the Department of Defence… Read more »

The Strategic Opportunities and Challenges for II MEF Transformation

06/07/2021By Robbin Laird During late April 2021, I had the chance to visit II MEF at Camp Lejeune. This command is a key part of the overall effort… Read more »

Expanding Capabilities: The Viper Attack Helicopter Adds Link 16

06/07/2021By Robbin Laird In a press release today, it was announced: “The United States Marine Corps (USMC) has successfully demonstrated in flight testing a two-way connection between the… Read more »

The Australian Army, Navy and Air Force Shape a Way Ahead for the Inclusion of Autonomous Systems

06/05/2021By Robbin Laird WGCDR Keirin Joyce noted: “All of the services see robotic autonomous systems as a significant part of the road ahead. It’s just that the services… Read more »

The Evolution of C2 in II MEF Transformation

06/04/2021By Robbin Laird As II MEF transforms, a key challenge is force cohesion and force aggregation. For example, with the current Marine Expeditionary Unit, the MEU has a… Read more »

The Eco-System for Next Generation Autonomous Systems and Shaping a Way Ahead for the ADF

06/03/2021By Robbin Laird In the April 8, 2021, Williams Foundation seminar on Next Generation Autonomous Systems, an important consideration was how the ADF could leverage a broader ecosystem… Read more »

Shaping Australian Long-Range Strike: A Role for an Aussie B-21?

06/02/2021By Marcus Hellyer The government’s 2020 defence strategic update provided refreshing clarity about Australia’s deteriorating strategic environment and the need for new military capabilities to address it. These… Read more »

Re-shaping North Atlantic Defense: Shaping a Way Ahead for North-Carolina Based Marines

06/01/2021By Robbin Laird The Navy and the Marines are reworking ways to enhance their warfighting and deterrence capabilities in the North Atlantic. This effort has been referred to… Read more »

Crisis Capabilities and Escalation Management

05/30/2021By Robbin Laird Our focus over the past few years has been upon the shift from the Middle Eastern Land Wars to the refocus on peer competitors. The… Read more »