Wild Blue Yonder

May 6, 2022
Fortress on the Azov: Re-learning Strongpoint Defense of Urban Terrain in LSCO

The defenders of Mariupol are proving that the ability to hold urban terrain is central to the future of operations in major interstate conflict.
April 15, 2022
Back to the Basics: Why the West Should Reconsider the Nature of War

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the world largely expected the execution of a Russian Hybrid-war as outlined by General Gerasimov. While the actual Russian operations have played out more in the conventional realm as of this writing, aspects of the conflict have extended beyond
March 31, 2022
Partners in Europe’s High North: Norway, the United States, and Great Power Competition on NATO’s Northern Flank

The old diesel-powered ferry boat nudged towards a tunnel opening at the entrance to one of the fjords lining the main channel to Tromsø, Norway. Tromsø, a city of 75,000 inhabitants, lies some 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, and our inveterate band of warrior scholars had made a point of
March 28, 2022
The Quality of Mercy: Morality and the Interest of the State

Immoral behavior is neither the only nor the most effective means for a ruler or state to achieve their best interests. Based on the following analysis of Thucydides’ Peloponnesian War, given equivalent circumstances, a state that has the ability to act mercifully is better equipped to
March 18, 2022
Wild Blue Yonder on the Air - Ep. 13 - Colonel Karey Dufour (ret.) on Medical Services in a Constrained or Denied Environment (MSCODE)

Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Air University, the United States Air Force, the Department of Defense, or any other US government agency.Dr. Margaret Sankey: Welcome to Wild
March 14, 2022
Air Operations Center Evolution: A Roadmap for Progress

The AOC is how today’s Air Force fights at the operational level, and it works—today. But it needs to evolve if it is to be relevant in the next fight.
March 10, 2022
Posturing Through Partnership: Airpower Imperatives for the Indo-Pacific Gray Zone

To successfully compete in the gray zone with China and guarantee a free and open region, USINDOPACOM must manage the risk of escalation with Beijing while undertaking airpower imperatives that enhance the regional posture of the USAF and strengthen airpower capacity among Oceana, Southeast, and
March 8, 2022
The Case for A.C.E Infrastructure in EUCOM

An examination of three critical categories of infrastructure including airfields and force employment, ground support, and communications architecture demonstrates that utilizing existing Joint and Allied airfields and support capabilities, maximizing prepositioned stocks, and leveraging
March 1, 2022
Putin’s Deterrence Playbook: US Ideas on Display?

From integrated deterrence to conventional-nuclear integration (CNI), the United States has put forward ideas on how to practice deterrence in the era of strategic competition. Those concepts are now being executed by Putin and the US would be wise to take notes on how the Russian President
Feb. 25, 2022
Putinstances: What Do the Olympics Mean to Putin?

Putin structures domestic stability through systematic power consolidation and challenges global stability through acts of entropy, with a curious pattern of significance around Olympic competitions. As Russian forces concentrate on the Ukrainian border disguised as an exercise with a backdrop of