Articles

Are We Losing the North? Canadian Arctic Security and Sovereignty Note: This Article is the opinion of the Author only, and not the opinion of any group or media outlet Due to its increasing accessibility resulting from climate change, the Arctic may become a contested and militarized arena where states within the region and beyond attempt to secure access to lucrative shipping routes and resources. Such an eventuality poses particular challenges to Canada, raising the spectre that Canadian sovereignty in the North could be irrevocably compromised. Canada’s legal title to its Arctic territories is well established, however given the increased interest and anticipated activity in the Arctic, Canada will need to increase its presence in the region. Along with an enhanced presence, it is also imperative that Canada has the ability to survey, and be aware, of what transpires on, underneath and above its Arctic domain. Over the years, the United States has questioned Canada’s claims...

As a continuation/Part-2 of "A Brief History of Indian Orbital Rockets" (https://defencehub.live/threads/a-brief-history-of-indian-orbital-rockets.8461/), this part covers those programs that are still to come. NOTE: As with the preceding article, I will only be mentioning those programs that aim to develop a full-fledged orbital launch capability as their primary goal; as such programs like the Nano Satellite Launch Vehicle (NSLV) which in the opinion of this author are primarily aimed at a Sub-orbital launch capability, have been excluded. Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) 2021-2022 Diagrams from official SSLV Brochures While ISRO’s focus has rightfully been on increasing the size & payload capacity of its rockets, it hasn’t forgotten the commercial & strategic implications of a small, launch-on-demand rocket system that can greatly reduce both the cost & lead team it generally takes to put a satellite into orbit – and neither has the Government of India forgotten the...

NOTE: In this compilation I'm only going to mention orbital-rated launch vehicles, as such any sub-orbital launchers/sounding rockets will not be mentioned. I'm going to divide this into two parts. The first part will cover the history up till this point, the second part will talk about where things are going. Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) 1979 After launching its first RH-series sounding rocket in 1967, ISRO (then known as INCOSPAR until 1969) set out to develop its first orbital rocket, and achieved this goal in 1979. The SLV, otherwise known by its unit designation SLV-3, was a four-stage rocket with all-solid propulsion, and was the first orbital flight-rated Indian rocket. The SLV only had 4 launches and could never develop into a successful launch system, but it had far-reaching implications for both the civilian space sector as well as the development of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) in the 80s and 90s that gave rise to Prithvi & Agni...

Re-Examining Cross Examination A Legal Study into the Nuances of Cross Examination By Usman Khan Yousafzai Table of Contents Introduction ......................................................................................................................1 PART I: Lacunas Present in Cross Examination Law........................................................ 2 Chapter One: Unproduced Document..................................................................... 2 Chapter Two: Unmarked Public Document............................................................. 7 Chapter Three: Fact Not subjected to Cross Examination..............................................9 Chapter Four: Rights of Cross Examinationer....................................................... 11 Chapter Five: Conclusion....................................................................................... 13 Introduction Cross Examination is the interrogation/questioning of a witness by the...

Introduction Ensuring the strong naval presence and military deterrent of the United States also means guaranteeing that American troops will get the supplies they depend on, no matter where confrontation may arise. As a key provider of surge forces to crisis locations around the world, United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) must confront any and all potential challengers it might face in the 21st century, specifically the rising maritime power of the People’s Republic of China. Challenges USTRANSCOM could face in this regard are threefold—the aging and inadequate nature of the American sealift force, the vulnerability of said forces to strategic chokepoints in the event of conflict, and the versatility and strength of the Chinese People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM). Aging Forces and Recapitalizing Sealift The growing age of the ships available to the United States for sealift operations is perhaps one of its most obvious and most dangerous problems. With...

News of the F-35 program being labelled a "failure" has shocked many. But news outlets haven't mentioned the elephant in the room; manned air-to-ground attack aircraft are becoming obsolete, and the F-35 doesn't cut it as an air superiority fighter. Intended to replace the F-16 as the USA's main multirole fighter, the F-35 has been a long-awaited upgrade for the USAF. However, doubts about its performance have been circulating for years. Skyrocketing costs have also been among the major complaints by critics. Truth be told, the F-35 is highly advanced. It is packed with the latest sensors, has a small RCS and an intuitive cockpit. However, all the extra equipment has made the F-35 heavy. Being single-engined, this extra weight is problematic. The thrust-to-weight ratio simply isn't good enough for dogfights, even against the decades-old F-16. In response to criticism, F-35 office spokesman Joe DellaVedova, explained: “The F-35’s technology is designed to engage, shoot and kill...

Rann of Kutch Conflict Battle Of Sardar Post By Usman Khan Yousafzai (Saiyan0321) The history of conflicts between Pakistan and India has been a hotly documented affair with both sides providing their versions of the story and both sides making sure that solely their narrative survives the test of time. In the list of conflicts, the Rann of Kutch conflict often takes a backseat due to the subsequent events of 1965 however what most military historians fail to understand that this conflict created the domino effect that led to the 1965 conflict as the result of the conflict provided Pakistan army with a victory that would make the army overconfident of its prowess whereas India discovered the chinks in its armor and looked to bring appropriate changes to it. The confrontation was not something of a ‘spur of a moment as is often believed. In fact records from both sides hold that they were well aware of a flashpoint developing and there were diplomatic and military exchanges...

Drones have been all the rage for years now. However, only recently have we seen what they are truly capable of. So what lies in store for us? The truth is that drones will diversify. They will occupy different roles. Just like fighters, attack aircraft, interceptors, etc. Drone fleets are forming at a rapid pace and militaries are looking to expand their roles. Due to removing the possibility of losing a pilot, drones can prove to be more effective than manned aircraft. This is due to the fact that a high probability of a shootdown often means that a mission will be called off before it even starts. But, if losing a pilot isn't a prospect, then launching aggressive strikes in dangerous territory is no longer an issue. X-47B (MC2 Timothy Walter / Public domain) Nowadays drones can function fully autonomously, meaning that if the signal is lost they can manage to automatically find their way back. As new manufacturing technologies make it easier and cheaper to produce drones...