The Central Blue 15/15

Oct 21, 20164 min read

Ghost Fleet: A Review – Jason Begley

Though a work of fiction, Ghost Fleet stimulates the reader’s thinking about a broad range of ideas and issues, encouraging...

Oct 18, 20164 min read

Ground-Based Air Defence – Cody Stephens

In the right circumstances Ground-Based Air Defence can be a game-changer. Given that the Australian Defence Force invariably deploys...

Oct 14, 20166 min read

Fiction and the Airman’s Mind – Travis Hallen

Air Force needs to embrace the potential of fiction in the development of the minds of its airmen. Not only will it make Professional...

Oct 11, 20166 min read

A Rose by Any Other Name … Ross Mahoney

Dr Ross Mahoney responds to Robbin Laird’s post referring to the F-35 as a 1st Gen flying combat system. Using a platform to define air...

Oct 7, 20166 min read

The Future for Fifth Generation Warfare is now – Robbin Laird

Dr Robbin Laird summarises interviews he recently conducted with the RAAF’s chief of staff, Air Marshal Leo Davies; the commander of the...

Oct 4, 20163 min read

The Third Industrial Revolution and Air Power – Cody Stephens

The shift from analogue to digital technology that started in the late-1950s and gained serious momentum in the 1970s has now reached...

Sep 29, 20164 min read

Anti-Access/Area Denial – Christopher Cowan

Anti-access/area denial is not as new as you might think. Commonly known as A2/AD, “anti-access/area denial” has become a hot topic in...

Sep 27, 20164 min read

The ADF after Islamic State – Alan Stephens

US President Barack Obama recently suggested that the leaders of Islamic State “know they will lose in Syria and Iraq”, and that...

Sep 22, 201610 min read

Test Pilot Report, F-35 – <em>Major Morten Hanche, RNoAF</em>

“After neutralizing this advanced surface based air defense system [our flight of four F-35s] destroyed four additional targets. Suffice...

Sep 19, 20164 min read

The F-35 and the Transformation of Power Projection Forces – <em>Robbin Laird</em>

The F-35 Lightning II has been operational with the USMC for more than a year, with the USAF for several months, and is nearing...

Sep 16, 20164 min read

Reduce Flying Hours at Your Peril: Increased Accident Rates in the USN and USMC – Gary Waters

The decline in USN and USMC non-deployed flying rates are a cause for concern, as demonstrated by increased home station accident...

Sep 12, 20165 min read

“That’s not very joint”: Air power identity in joint operations

"That’s not very joint” The quote came from a senior Air Force officer in response to a suggestion of mine. My suggestion was that Air...

Sep 5, 20164 min read

Why do we have an Air Force? – Travis Hallen

Why do we have an Air Force? In addressing that question, can we move beyond the “Justification Cycle”? Before you read any further into...

Sep 3, 20163 min read

Some thoughts on strategy – Alan Stephens

“Strategy” is one of those words that’s used so widely and in so many different contexts that it often seems to generate confusion. That...

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