2016-04-11 By Robbin Laird During my visit to Australia in March 2016, I was able to follow up earlier discussions with 2nd Squadron with the new head of 42nd Wing to focus upon Wedgetail, its role in the integrated task force in the Middle East, and evolving the capability as…
2016-04-09 By Robbin Laird In a recent UK MoD announcement concerning the UK role in Baltic defense, it was announced that RAF Typhoons will be deployed along with the HMS Iron Duke. This is clearly designed to operate forward an to provide for NATO defense in the Baltic region. As…
2016-04-09 According to an article on the UK Ministry of Defence website, the Ministry of Defence has announced contracts worth 167 million pounds to upgrade and build new facilities at RAF Marham, the future home of the UK F-35B Lightning II squadrons. The contracts, which will create 300 new jobs,…
2016-04-08 Editor's Note: With all the fireworks about Donald Trump, what is missed is that both Trump on the Republican side and Sanders on the Democratic side represent rejections of the current state of affairs with regard to outsourcing manufacturing from the United States. It is no surprise that…
2016-04-08 By Robbin Laird The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps operate from ships supplied at sea by the Military Sealift Command (MSC). This Command is the crucial logistical lynch pin of the sea services, without which the United States would not have an effective maritime combat force. But the decline…
2016-04-04 By Robbin Laird Air Vice-Marshal Gavin Turnbull is the Air Commander Australia. Air Command is the operational arm of the Royal Australian Air Force. The Commander is responsible for all operational Air Force tasks, and reports to the Chief of Air Force. The Air Commander raises trains and sustains…
2016-04-07 By Robbin Laird A key part of the dynamic of change for the evolution of the Royal Australian Air Force’s force package has been with regard to sustainable lift. The first shift was when the C-17 entered the Air Mobility Group. As Air Commodore Gary Martin, now the air…
2016-04-06 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake During the OT-2 aboard the USS Wasp, a young British maintainer made a simple point about the F-35: Lt. Cdr. Kitchen from the Royal Navy commented during a round table aboard the Wasp in May 2015: “The F-35 can be surrounded by myth…
