2016-08-15 By Todd Miller For those of us who are not pilots, we can discuss landing aircraft on aircraft carriers but cannot appreciate just how difficult and fraught with disaster the operation is. Pilots returning from long, mentally exhausting missions are often faced with a night landing in stormy weather, at…
2016-08-13 By Scott C. Truver In early August, the USS Wasp (LHD 1) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG)––also comprising USS San Antonio (LPD 17) and USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41)––conducted AV-8B Harrier II and unmanned aircraft strikes against ISIL targets in Libya, to drive the terrorists from the coastal stronghold of…
2016-08-11 RAAF BASE DARWIN, Australia For the first time, U.S. Air Force F-16C aircraft have deployed to Exercise PITCH BLACK 16 (PB16) in partnership with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport. On July 19, a RAAF KC-30A flew non-stop with six F-16Cs from Kadena Air Base, Japan…
2016-08-08 On August 5, 2016, Second Line of Defense visited Williamtown Airbase to meet with Group Captain Stuart Bellingham, Commanding Officer of No. 42 Wing (the Wedgetail squadron). When you visit the squadron what is striking is that the squadron is colocated with the System Program Office (SPO). When you…
2016-08-07 Currently, Second Line of Defense is in Australia and participating in the upcoming Williams Foundation seminar on air-sea integration. Initial interviews have been conducted at Amberley and Williamtown airbases and provide updates on the C-17, KC-30A and Wedgetail roles and evolutions within the RAAF and its global operations. Many…
2016-08-07 According to a press release issued on August 2, 2016, the F-35 completed its AIM-9X flight tests. The F-35 Lightning II advanced its combat capability by launching an air-to-air missile and directly hitting a drone over a military test range off the California coast on July 28. U.S. Air…
2016-08-07 Over the years, the MV-22 has been certified on a number of coalition ships, the latest is the HMAS Canberra. During an interview when a Dutch ship was conducting certification trials, the Captain of the ship highlighted what was at stake with the effort: In a phone interview prior…
2016-08-03 By Kenneth Maxwell As Rio de Janeiro prepares for the opening of the Olympic and Paralympic Games this Friday many of the old dilemmas are very much on display. The city provides a magnificent backdrop. When viewed from the top of the "Pão de Açúcar," the iconic mountain that…
