Defense Analyst

JB,

It all depends on what kind of Defence Analyst you intend to be. As Jason points out there are several grades of ‘Analyst’.

If you wish to make a living out of it usually you’ll need a specialist area and, often, it will be an area in which you’ve got detailed work experience or good contacts. You’ll only ever get so far doing op-ed pieces of news thats already in the marketplace.

If you want to get an ‘academic’ background then Kings College London has a Defence Studies graduate course within its Dept. of War Studies. Something like that may look good on a CV, but, articles published in respected trade journals like Armada or Janes or a list of books authored would likely serve as well!.

If it helps below is most of an old resume of a ‘real’ Defence Analyst who earned his living in a Washington beltway consultancy.

…currently employed as a senior aerospace and defense analyst at a US-based defense think tank covering both US and international projects. A particular feature of his work is the evaluation of the interplay between technical developments of warships, weapons and sensors and the effect of such developments on naval strategy and the associated operational arts.

In the civilian sectors he has covered, oil, natural gas and chemical industries, various aspects of the product transportation and trading network, national and international infrastructure programs and other relevant sectors.

Publications include;

Contributions to the book “Navies in the Nuclear Age” and
Authorship of “Multinational Naval Cooperation”
Authorship of “Littoral Warfare – From the Sea to the Land”.
Upcoming books include “Naval Aviation in the 21st Century” and “Futurtech – the navies of the next century”.
Over the last 25 years he has made innumerable contributions to a wide variety of professional journals and television programs. He has presented papers at numerous international conferences at such venues as Cannes and Bangkok and will be chairing an international naval conference on Littoral Warfare next year. During his career he has visited 43 countries, including long stays in SE Asia, and has been to sea on the warships of 21 navies.

Curriculum Vitae

1972 Graduated from University of London with a BSc in Chemical Engineering
1972 – 1978 Worked in a naval research establishment gaining endorsement to BSc for Marine Engineering.
1978-1982 Employed as an analyst on the world chemical and oil tanker industry,
1982-1988 Systems analyst specializing in defense and naval electronics.
1988 – 1990 Worked for Janes Information Group as defense market analyst.
1990 Emigrated to USA and took up current position.

Speaking with an acquaintance who works in the defense industry last night, and he recommended a career as a defense analyst for me; but how does one go about find out more?

Are there any courses at defense colleges or do you have to study in particular fields, such as engineering, and then use that expertise? I really have no clue :confused:

Most have no formal training whatsoever. They simply pontificate and then the Internet will love you.

As proof I offer you this:

http://www.ausairpower.net/