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But if we aren't preparing for national survival then why are we bothering at all? Why do your frigates have those silly gas guzzling turbines and ridiculously expensive combining gears? Surely you can make like the Absalons and jog along on a pair of diesels? Who really needs to exceed 35...

Salesfolk use both carrots and sticks. They both discomfit their potential client by pointing out the disadvantages of their current situation, and offer hope of a better future if their solution is purchased. The Mafia are salesfolk after a fashion. As are the Chinese and the Russians.

You do yourself no favours by your focus on Trump while ignoring 400 years of American and European history and the lasting support of 40% of Americans. The constraints of a regulated state do not sit comfortably with everybody. They are quite happy to see somebody bolt and rip down the fences.

The issue is one of coercion. Can the state coerce the individual to be good? The enlightened hope was that individuals, having the means to do evil, would choose to do good. Regardless of the best intentions of the state coercion is counter-productive. After a century of religious wars a...

That can and may thing I alluded to elsewhere? They may only build one a year, as in that is they are allowed to build. What can they build a year, as in what are they capable of, is an entirely separate question.

Really? Nobody else has ever refused to accept "no" for an answer?

For the same reason the Spanish want Gibraltar, Cyprus is still a contentious issue, Kennedy wanted the Russians out of Cuba (and the Russians wanted to be there), and the Vikings chose to establish themselves on islands. An island is still a hard nut to crack. .... It is foolish to rely on...

Same same. Fish and poison. Empires occur when defences must be expanded to embrace interests.

It may not be normal but it should not be surprising in that it is not impossible. As to defensibility...that depends on which side of the table you sit.

What are the US Army's key concerns? Judging by where they are focusing their R&D funds, 19 BUSD, which compares to their 2027 procurement budget of 60 BUSD, these are their priorities: Moving small bodies of troops rapidly over long distances to unpredictable landing zones. (FLRAA) Defending...

Based on reports from early April 2026, the Skyhammer interceptor drone, developed by British start-up Cambridge Aerospace, is aimed at a cost of £20,000 – £30,000 per unit. UK Defence Journal Designed specifically to counter Shahed-style, slow-flying attack drones, the Skyhammer is a...

No sooner said than done.... https://theaviationist.com/2026/04/10/uk-orders-skyhammer-air-defence-system/ A jet powered interceptor drone with a 30 km range and a speed of 700 km/h...

Further to the "run faster" notion: During World War II, approximately 50 to over 50 different development types/marks of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine were produced, ranging from the early Merlin I to the late-war 100-series, plus the US-produced Packard V-1650 variants. There are 24 main...

It hurts. And there is no getting away from that. Your Dad'll be proud of you. Chris.

And that is the role of the US Air National Guard who wants to keep flying the A-10. A lower cost means of maintaining a "Just in Case" capability in a lower threat environment. As the head of NORAD said, in his jurisdiction Gen 5 fighters are not critical to the threats he is facing. He is...

Seen. But when we reduced that fleet others have been converting crop dusters to perform the same roles. The same thing happened when proper air forces went jet powered in 1945. Twenty years later they were still looking for props to relace their Mustangs and Typhoons. Our soldiers and...

A lot of this comes down to the control of the dissemination of information. In my view this is an outmoded idea. It is one that the commercial world confronted decades ago. They gave up on protecting secrets. Patent laws were supposed to protect trade secrets. Two problems: To protect...

https://open.substack.com/pub/austinegray/p/four-existential-risks-in-naval-defense?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=29ob66

I said nothing about obligations. Since Monroe the Americans have been clear on their sense of the Western Hemisphere. All of it. If they don't control it there is a threat to their control. The rest of us can accept or oppose.

Since... ie it has happened.