Featured Article

01/20/2025
By Robbin Laird When I was working with the U.S. Coast Guard, more than a decade ago, the Commandant was considering a new acquisition approach. The acquisition approach became known as Deepwater. This is the only comprehensive mutli-domain acquisiton approach which the U.S. has tried to implement in the maritime domain. In a 2003 Defense Horizons article I wrote for the National Defense University I focused on the Deepwater model within the context of various…
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The UK Defence Strategy: “Integrated Operating Concept”

10/21/2020The UK is clearly in a period of significant strategic change. The twin impacts of COVID-19 and BREXIT are enough to assure that. With the significant impact of… Read more »

USMC Deployment Onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth: The Partnership Which Almost Did Not Happen

10/18/2020By Robbin Laird In this September 23, 2020 story published by 3rd Marie Aircraft Wing, the historic deployment of USMC F-35Bs onboard the UK’s largest warship ever built… Read more »

The Integratable Air Wing and Re-imaging the Large Deck Carrier: The Coming of the USS Ford

10/15/2020By Robbin Laird On Friday, October 9, 2020, I had a chance to visit the USS Ford and to get an update on the progress of this formidable… Read more »

Ready Spartan Prove 2020

10/08/2020The Royal Australian Air Force deployed C-27J Spartan aircraft and personnel from RAAF Base Amberley to participate in Exercise Ready Spartan Prove (RSP) in Townsville Queensland from 10… Read more »

The F-35 in the Way Ahead for USMC-US Navy Integration

09/29/2020By Robbin Laird During my visit to MAWTS-1 and to NAWDC, one clear instrument of their enhanced integration in the contested battlespace was rather obvious: The F-35 and… Read more »

Shaping Combat Architecture for Blue Water Expeditionary Operations

09/27/2020By Robbin Laird As the USMC focuses on how it can best help the US Navy in the maritime fight, two key questions can be posed: “How is… Read more »

Surface Warfare Officers and Training for the High-End Fight

09/26/2020By Robbin Laird I have argued that the shift from the land wars to the new strategic environment is best described as the shift to full spectrum crisis… Read more »

The Ground Combat Element in the Pacific Reset

09/24/2020By Robbin Laird As the USMC works its relationship with the US Navy, a core focus is upon how the Marine Corps can provide for enhanced sea control… Read more »

Visiting MAWTS-1, September 2020: A Discussion with Col. Gillette About Shaping a Way Ahead

09/22/2020By Robbin Laird Prior to my visit in early September 2020, I conducted a series of teleconferences with MAWTS-1 officers in the late Spring and early Summer. The… Read more »