Archive: News & Articles

The United States Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is developing a Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) to support homeland defence from ballistic missiles. The first units could be fielded in 2027 or 2028. The United States began fielding a Ground-based Missile Defense (GMD) system in 2004. It was never feasible or intended to protect North America from […]

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has a clear roadmap to revitalise its Suppression of Enemy Air Defence capabilities. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO’s) Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) and Destruction of Enemy Air Defence (DEAD) posture arguably took a back seat during alliance Counter-Insurgency (COIN) operations in Afghanistan. NATO SEAD/DEAD came to […]

Having now been in service for almost 20 years, the Eurofighter Typhoon is reaching full maturity as a combat air platform. While most of its users, in Europe at least, have now joined the ‘F-35 club’, the Typhoon will continue to operate as a potent complement to the F-35 for some years to come. Peter […]

With Europe exposed to war on its doorstep once again, and the NATO alliance continuing to face some internal political opposition with regard to the accession of its newest candidates, the modern European security environment is a challenging one to say the least. In May 2023, ESD interviewed Lieutenant General Göran Mårtensson, Director General of […]

Amphibious warfare – the capacity to project ground force ashore from the sea – is regarded as high-end military capability. In the worsening security situation in Northern Europe, building amphibious force is a key element of NATO deterrence and defence posture. NATO has been broadening and deepening its amphibious capability, to offset concerns that increasing […]

This correspondent has covered various aspects of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) detection business for a number of years in this magazine, often with emphasis on manufacturers and markets. The manufacturers and markets remain largely the same as discussed in the past. As an active consultant in the field, your correspondent is often […]

There are many lessons to be learnt from the logistics of the war in Ukraine. Quite a few relate to how we need to adapt to modern warfare and how to prepare our economies for a complex landscape of challenges. For starters, the equipment providers often lacked direct access to the battlefield to train personnel, […]

This article highlights several complex issues affecting US–Turkey bilateral relations. The current state of US–Turkey relations can be characterised as tense and rather difficult. Furthermore, there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel that might reduce tensions between these NATO allies. Introduction: Human Rights or Humans without Rights in Turkey Since […]

After three decades of development, the THAAD ballistic missile defence (BMD) system – once considered destined to fail – is praised as the most advanced BMD system in the world. As defined by the US Defense Department’s Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) element provides the US military’s Missile Defense […]

As tensions continue to rise across the globe, it has never been more important for NATO member countries to ensure that their armed forces are properly trained and stand ready to defeat potential adversaries. This is NATO’s Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC), located in Bydgoszcz, Poland, principle objective. JFTC’s state-of-the-art facility plays a key role […]

The Australian Army is introducing the Hawkei Protected Mobility Vehicle – Light (PMV-L) to replace one third of the services’ legacy Land Rovers with a more modern and survivable platform. The procurement program for 1,100 vehicles and 1,058 associated trailers is designated LAND 121 Phase 4. The Hawkei vehicle is domestically designed and built by […]

The end of the Warsaw Pact and the collapse of the Soviet Union opened the way towards a new future for Eastern Europe, but the path was not the same for every country. Different circumstances led to different results and that influenced the nature of the transitional process and the time necessary to rejoin the […]

From major vehicle programmes and autonomous battlefield systems, to new individual equipment and devices, British infantry are in line for some much-needed upgrades and additions to their inventories. Procurement is a long and winding process for any arm of service and only with the dark clouds of war gathering does any sense of urgency seem […]

With the German Navy celebrating its 175th anniversary on 14 June 2023, it is worth taking the opportunity to reflect on the Navy’s continuing role in Germany’s security and prosperity. In this vein, Irina Haesler of the German Shipowner’s Association (VDR) examines the relationship between Germany’s Navy and its merchant shipping, making the case for […]

Italy’s new diesel-electric submarine (SSK) – being delivered under the U212 Near Future Submarine (NFS) programme – will arrive at a time when new submarine capabilities are having significant effect in an increasingly contested underwater domain. The boats’ improved capabilities will reinforce the output the Italian Navy is already generating with its Todaro class Type […]

Turkey’s MILGEM programme represents a significant accomplishment in that country’s sustained effort to become a designer, builder and exporter of advanced naval warships. The MILGEM’s programme history highlights how Turkey has built on the initial domestic customer base for MILGEM corvettes to expand into the export market; a proven business model used by many other […]

When the ‘Rhein/Rhin’ Franco-German air transport squadron was officially inaugurated at Évreux, Normandy, on 9 March 2022, a new chapter of Franco-German military co-operation was opened. German and French military personnel commonly operate four French C-130J transport aircraft (two of which are KC-130J tanker variants) and three German C-130J-30s, while three German KC-130J tanker variants […]

It is one of the most famous capabilities to make a difference in Ukraine’s ongoing war, but how applicable is SpaceX’s Starlink satellite communications system to future military operations? On 28th February 2022, four days after Russia’s second invasion of Ukraine, mercurial billionaire Elon Musk, sent Starlink Satellite Communications (SATCOM) terminals to Ukraine. Starlink is […]

From earthquakes, floods and wildfires on the natural side of things, to man-made, mass-casualty events, as such incidents unfold, they present first responders and emergency personnel arriving on-site with typically chaotic scenes. Implementing immediate, coordinated and well-rehearsed control procedures is needed from the start, not least of which is the establishment of an incident command […]

Malaysia’s regional defence environment is characterised by a complex and dynamic security landscape, with a range of security threats, including border disputes, piracy, and terrorism. The country’s strategic location in Southeast Asia has also made it an important partner in regional security cooperation efforts. For the European defence industry Malaysia was once one of their […]

The trilateral ceasefire agreement signed on 9 November 2020 between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia created a serious shift in the balance of powers in the South Caucasus. Consequently, Russia’s influence on developments in this region has been brought into question by the close alliance between Turkey and Azerbaijan. For its part, Armenia has tried to […]