Iranian regional missile reach for selected ballistic and cruise missiles (Source: IISS)

Analysis: The Strategic Implications of the Soleimani Crisis – 9th January 2020

image: Iranian regional missile reach for selected ballistic and cruise missiles (Source: IISS)

DefenceSynergia is obliged to Prof Dr Julian Lindley-French for permission to publish his most recent strategic analysis which covers an assessment of the Soleimani crisis, together with its implications for Europe and the wider West. This is what he says:

Analysis: The Strategic Implications of the Soleimani Crisis – 9th January 2020 (more…)

Why Britain’s new Aircraft Carriers are not ‘National Delusions’

DefenceSynergia (DS) is most grateful to Prof Dr Julian Lindley-French for permission to reproduce his 2019 Annual Essay – Why Britain’s new Aircraft Carriers are not ‘National Delusions’. The title referring to a recent Times article by Sir Max Hastings.

DS fully supports the thrust of the essay not least where it tackles a growing opinion in some political, military and journalistic circles that the United Kingdom (UK) is a waning world power that has no need of aircraft carriers like the HMS Queen Elizabeth (QEC) and HMS Prince of Wales (POW). 

DS hopes that the Secretary of State for Defence, The Right Honourable Ben Wallace, like Dr Lindley-French, can argue cogently for the funding to achieve the ‘Ends’ ‘Ways’ and ‘Means’ that a Strategic Defence and Security Review indicate – not simply, each time, to adjust the threat to meet the money provided.

The full text of Prof Dr Julian Lindley-French’s Annual Essay can be accessed here: (more…)

Hypersonic Threat

Hypersonic missiles travel at speeds in excess of Mach 5 (about one mile per second), some as high as Mach 25. They are a game-changing system, difficult to detect and even more difficult to kill and which may be either nuclear or conventionally armed. They have the potential to destabilise current defence postures. Western capabilities are embryonic and both China and Russia are, arguably, significantly more advanced. DefenceSynergia (DS) commends the American Foreign Policy Council paper Hypersonic Weapons written by Margot van Loon, Dr Larry Wortzel and Dr Mark B Schneider for its capture and simple explanation of the key elements of capability and risk. DS is pleased to provide the text of the paper with the kind permission of Dr Larry Wortzel. HERE (more…)