Drones

NATO Sees Flaws in Air Campaign Against Qaddafi

By Eric Schmitt, the New York Times

From Eric Schmitt, the New York Times:   Despite widespread praise in Western capitals for NATO’s leadership of the air campaign in Libya, a confidential NATO assessment paints a sobering portrait of the alliance’s ability

Clinton to NATO conference: ‘We are now in a battle for the future’

By the Department of State

From the Department of State:  Excerpts from remarks by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the World Affairs Council 2012 NATO Conference

NATO Secretary General: ‘Solidarity to be a key theme’ at Chicago summit

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  We have started the countdown to our Chicago summit.

NATO’s sea of troubles

By the Economist

From the Economist:  As preparations begin for NATO’s Chicago summit in May, the 63-year-old alliance is facing a perfect storm of problems.

Mitigating NATO’s Invisible Risk

By Jordan Becker, the New Atlanticist

From Jordan Becker, the New Atlanticist:  As Europe becomes a modest producer rather than a consumer of security and the US engages in a “strategic pivot” toward the Asia Pacific

Lawmakers criticize Air Force for mothballing $3.8 billion worth of UAVs

By Andrea Shalal-Esa, Reuters

From Andrea Shalal-Esa, Reuters:  Lawmakers on Tuesday called top Air Force officials to task over recent acquisition missteps and raised concerns about their budget plans for fiscal 2013, which calls for cancellation of Northrop Grumann Corp’s unmanned Global Hawk plane.

Thieves grab top-secret plans for joint French/UK UAV

By Paul Roberts, ThreatPost

Britain and France plan joint expeditionary force and carrier group

By defensemanagement.com

From defensemanagement.com:  The UK and France are to deepen defence cooperation efforts, speeding up work on a new joint expeditionary force and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) programmes, Prime Minister David Cameron has announced.

NATO to spend almost $4 billion on UAV program

By Justyna Pawlak, Reuters

From Justyna Pawlak, Reuters: NATO is to buy five U.S.-made unmanned drone aircraft capable of countering Afghan insurgents, hunting pirates off Somalia or monitoring arms embargoes, an alliance official said on Wednesday. . . . "The acquisition itself is plus 1 billion (euros)," a NATO official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity. The cost […]