Dr Robbin Laird, Shaping a Way Ahead for the Australian Defence Force in the Context of Global Strategic Transition, 3 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) At the May 22, 2025 Sir Richard Williams Foundation seminar, Air Marshal Robert Chipman, Vice Chief of the Australian Defence Forces, recently outlined the nation’s evolving approach to national security in a comprehensive address. Chipman describes Australia’s security environment as “complex and deteriorating,” with

Dr Robbin Laird, Training for Modern Airpower Operations: How to Address the Challenges, 3 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) I had...

Dr Robbin Laird, An Update on the Royal Australian Air Force: A Conversation with Air Marshal Chappell, 2 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) At the May 22, 2025 Sir Richard Williams Foundation Seminar, Air Marshal Geoff Brown (Retd), former Chief of Air Force 2011-2015), talked with Air Marshal Chappell (current Chief of Air Force since July 2024) about the current state of the RAAF and the way ahead. Air Marshal Chappell emphasized that the Royal Australian Air Force i

Dr Robbin Laird, The Need to Speed Delivery for the Ready Force and Enabling a More Cost-Effective Future Force, 1 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) The second panel during the Sir Richard Williams seminar held on May 22, 2025 was composed of members of the Australian defence industry and was chaired by Katherine Ziesing, Sir Richard Williams Foundation. She posed questions throughout and drove a more integrated discussion than would have occurred otherwise. The member

Dr Robbin Laird, Air Power and the Challenge of Shaping an Effective Ready Force Which Can Deliver Deterrence by Denial , 29 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) The first of two panels held at the Sir Richard Williams Foundation seminar on May 22, 2025 was entitled a “Cost Per Effect” panel. It was chaired by Air Marshal (Retd) Darren Goldie and the panelists were: Air Vice Marshal Glen Braz, Air Commander Australia Professor Justin Bronk. Air Vice Marshal John Haly, Hea

Dr Robbin Laird, Enhancing the Ready Force: Providing the Optimal Mix to Deliver the Desired Combat Effect, 28 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) Sustaining and equipping the ready force in dynamically changing operational conditions is a major challenge facing the ADF and those of its allies. A critical metric for evaluating approaches for how to deliver a cost desired effect is simply comparing the use of force packages or what I prefer to call the combat clusters up a

Dr Robbin Laird, Budgeting for an Enhanced Ready Force, 27 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) If the strategic environment is driving an enhanced need to bulk up the capabilities of the ready force, where will the money come from to do so? And just as significantly, would recasting and reinforcing the fight tonight force with new means such as maritime autonomous systems change the approach to future force building? Dr. Marcus Hellyer, Head of Research at Strategic Analy

Dr Robbin Laird, Enhancing Non-Kinetic Capabilities in the Ready Force, 26 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) At the 22 May 2025 Sir Richard Williams Foundation seminar, GPCAPT Marija Jovanovich, Chief of Staff of the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, underscored a crucial approach for enhancing the combat capability and success of the ready force. This is the ability of deceiving the adversary to the point whereby they simply do not know where best to strike and to not b

Dr Robbin Laird, A Blueprint for Action for the USAF: How to Enhance Combat Readiness to Meet the Strategic Challenges Facing the U.S. and Its Allies, 26 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info ) The United States Air Force stands at a critical crossroads. After decades of counterinsurgency operations and peacetime bureaucracy, America’s air arm faces an uncomfortable reality: it may not be adequately prepared for the high-intensity conflicts that could define the next decade.

Dr Robbin Laird, Putting the Nature of the Military Capability Threat from the Multi-Polar Authoritarian World in Perspective, 25 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) In assessing how the question of how to balance long-term force development versus the need to prioritize ways to enhance the ready force in the short to mid-term, a critical consideration is the nature and scope of the military and security threat posed by the global players – the multi-polar authoritarian w

Dr Robbin Laird, Dr. Marcus Hellyer on Breaking the Autonomous Systems Defence Employment Barrier, 24 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) On May 22, 2025, I had a chance to talk with Dr. Marcus Hellyer about a key problem which was raised during his presentation yesterday at the Sir Richard Williams Foundation seminar. Australia faces its most challenging strategic environment since World War II, yet its defense establishment remains locked in outdated thinking that could

Dr Robbin Laird, Australia in Era of Strategic Uncertainty: The Defence Dimension, 23 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) Yesterday, the first seminar of 2025 for the Sir Richard Williams Foundation was held at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. The seminar was entitled: The Imperatives for Cost Effectiveness in Multidomain Operations. The program for the seminar laid out the basic aim for the seminar as follows: The 2025 seminar series will identify and discu

Dr Robbin Laird, Air Power in an Age of Strategic Uncertainty: The Perspective of General Moseley, 23 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) Recently, General (ret) T Michael “Buzz” Moseley KBE, spoke via video link to the May 22, 2025 seminar held by the Sir Richard Williams Foundation in Canberra, Australia. General Moseley was the 18th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. Moseley was a distinguished war fighter who lived in the world as it is rather than the wor

Dr Robbin Laird, Enhancing the Ready Force: A Key Imperative for Australia in the Evolving Strategic Environment, 23 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) The Sir Richard Willliams Seminar held in Canberra on May 22, 2025, highlighted the challenges facing the ramping up of the ready force in operating in the rapidly evolving strategic environment. After the seminar, I discussed with Air Marshal (Retired) Geoff Brown his takeaways from the day’s seminar regarding key themes

Dr Robbin Laird, Defence Industry in Australia: Building Strategic Depth and Resilience in Support of the Ready Force, 7 October 2024 Link to article (Defense.info) The September 26, 2024 Sir Richard Williams Foundation focused on accelerating the capabilities of the ready force. Defence industry in Australia is obviously a key player in the ability for the government to find ways to enhance the ready force. A panel of six industrial representatives discussed this challenge l

Dr Robbin Laird, Enabling and Defending the National Information Society: The Space Dimension, 7 October 2024 Link to article (Defense.info) Some time ago – more than a decade – I worked with Alan Dupas , the noted French space expert, on a project for a European space company on the future of space in 2020. We focused on the key point that although a space company was most closely identified with launchers and satellites, the future was its engagement in the global informati

Dr Robbin Laird, Shaping a Way Ahead for Airpower in a Contested Region: The Perspective of Air Vice Marshal Glen Braz, 7 October 2024 Link to article (Defense.info) Air Vice Marshal Braz participated in the latest Sir Richard Williams Foundation seminar on September 26, 2024. His presentation and engagement were as part of a panel with Rear Admiral Christopher Smith, Commander Australian Fleet which focused on how to generate mass for the ready force. I had chance to meet wi

Dr Robbin Laird, The Challenge of Shaping the Way Ahead for the Ready Force and Preparing for Future Threats, 5 October 2024 Link to article (Defense.info) Prior to the 26 September 2024 Sir Richard Williams Foundation seminar which focused on shaping a way ahead for the ready force, I spoke with John Conway to get his perspective on the focus of the seminar. With four decades experience in the business of air combat across operations and industry, John is identified this way

Dr Robbin Laird, How Does the Ready Force Deal with a Rapidly Changing Operational Environment? 4 October 2024 Link to article (Defense.info) It is fine to have long-range force structure planning, but what happens when the operational environment is rapidly changing for your operational force? How to adapt the ready force effectively and adeptly in a timely manner? And what consequences does that have for one’s long-range force structure design? The presentation by Jennifer

Dr Robbin Laird, The Chief of the Australian Army Explains How They are Dealing with the Simultaneous Challenges of the Three R’s, 3 October 2024 Link to article (Defense.info) In the September 26, 2024 Sir Richard Williams seminar, we focused on how the force in being can evolve effectively in the near to mid-term as investments are being made in future force capabilities, most notably the new SSNs. This means that the services have to deal with three challenges simultaneous