Special Report

Spy Balloon Lifts Veil on China’s ‘Near Space’ Military Program

The little-noticed program that led to a Chinese spy balloon drifting across the United States this month has been discussed in China’s state-controlled media for more than a decade in articles extolling its potential military applications.

The reports, dating back to at least 2011, focus on how best to exploit what is known as “near space” — that portion of the atmosphere that is too high for traditional aircraft to fly but too low for a satellite to remain in orbit. Those early articles may offer clues to the capabilities of the balloon shot down by a U.S. jet fighter on February 4.

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Academia

One Step Ahead: Chile’s NCO Integration Pioneering Efforts
One Step Ahead: Chile’s NCO Integration Pioneering Efforts

Effective militaries are those that not only can project power in various places simultaneously but who do so effectively. As technology and innovation continue to advance and yield new weapon systems, modern militaries should not forget the importance of investing in the style and potential of their soldiers, marines, airmen/airwomen, and sailors’ leadership. Archaic leadership styles, such as Top-Down command, are quickly becoming obsolete with vast amounts of data to analyze from current global conflicts. Cohesive forces that trust their subordinates to accomplish tasks within their Commander's intent are more agile and don't stall when facing adversity. There is a [ … ]

Dialogue about Cybersecurity
Dialogue about Cybersecurity

I believe it is crucial for all of us to have dialogue about cybersecurity, both the threats, and the opportunities for all of our nations. This is my first time in Colombia, and I am so excited to be here. If you are not familiar with the Inter American Air Forces Academy or IAAFA as we refer to it, I will touch on the importance of the Academy a little later in my comments. INTRODUCTION Over the last 15 years, I have served as an Air Force cyberspace officer focused on countering nation-state cyber activity both in the United States [ … ]

Climate Change as a Regional Security Issue 
Climate Change as a Regional Security Issue 

Published in the Journal of the Americas, Volume 4, Third Edition 2022, the U.S. Air Force professional magazine.    Introduction  This paper analyzes the impacts of climate change on the roles and missions of the armed forces in Latin America and the Caribbean, and examines the range of missions generated or affected by direct or indirect effects of climate change. First, it starts with credible evidence from the United Nations’ intergovernmental panel on climate change, which states that temperatures are likely to rise by two to four degrees Celsius, thus increasing the number of extreme weather events, and leading to [ … ]

Tussle for the Amazon: New Frontiers in Brazil’s Organized Crime Landscape 
Tussle for the Amazon: New Frontiers in Brazil’s Organized Crime Landscape 

Brazil is witnessing a “tussle for the Amazon”—a new and deadly phase in the history of its organized crime groups and their operations. While the country is no stranger to violent criminal organizations, recent years have seen groups building increasingly sophisticated networks, both within and beyond Brazil’s borders. In the strategic state of Amazonas, these developments have sparked a power struggle between several of the country’s largest criminal organizations that has concerning implications for the stability of Brazil as a whole.    Three major groups currently vie for power. The most known is the First Capital Command (Primeiro Comando da [ … ]

Magazines

Edition 2021-2
Edition 2021-2
Edition 2021-1
Edition 2021-1
Edition 2020-2
Edition 2020-2
U.S. Air Force Major General Barry Cornish, commander of U.S. Air Forces Southern/12th Air Force
Primarily, we do security cooperation. We focus in the aerospace and cyber domains. Our planning assumptions and our campaign support plan mesh with SOUTHCOM’s [U.S. Southern Command] campaign planning and strategy.
U.S. Air Force Major General Barry Cornish, commander of U.S. Air Forces Southern/12th Air Force
Brigadier General Steven Ortega, commander of the Belize Defence Force
Our relationship with Mexico is very good. Presently, we offer Mexico overflight rights, so they can try to locate the illegal flights and try to identify where they could land, so we are in a better position to respond. We do combined patrols along the border with the Mexicans and it’s working excellently.
Brigadier General Steven Ortega, commander of the Belize Defence Force
Brigadier General Miguel Ángel Rivas Bonilla, deputy chief of the Salvadoran Armed Forces’ Joint Chiefs of Staff
We integrate in different ways to combat transnational organized crime on our borders. One of them is through the Central American Armed Forces Conference, where we build relationships based on mutual support and trust, a highlight of which is transnational border patrols.
Brigadier General Miguel Ángel Rivas Bonilla, deputy chief of the Salvadoran Armed Forces’ Joint Chiefs of Staff