09/23/2015: A Company of Army Commandos have parachuted out of three Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft and dropped into the waters of Exmouth, Western Australia to fight and defeat a simulated enemy during the inaugural Australian Defence Force Exercise Northern Shield. The Special Forces contingent descended into Exmouth against the setting…
2015-09-22 By Robbin Laird During my visit to Australia in August 2015, I had a chance to talk with an experienced fighter pilot and squadron commander, and now commander of Air Combat Group about his time in Operation Okra and the way ahead for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).…
2015/09/15 By Robbin Laird During my recent visit to Australia, where the Royal Australian Air Force is shaping its path ahead with regard to transformation via what it calls Plan Jericho, its combat experience in the Middle East is providing an important input to the way ahead. As the new Chief…
2015-09-19 By Ed Timperlake and Robbin Laird Close air support in the context of the fight against ISIS is about providing support for those forces on the ground engaged in the fight against ISIS. A key force in the fight is the Peshmerga who clearly need supplies and air support…
09/21/2015: The 388th Fighter Wing received their first two F-35A Lightning II Aircraft at Hill AFB, UT, on September 2, 2015. The two aircraft, tails 5071 and 5072, are both Block 3I jets, which provide initial warfighting capability. That includes data links, multi-ship sensor fusion ability, the updated Integrated Core Processor, and…
09/21/2015: The F-35 is being built on three final assembly lines. The main one is in Fort Worth Texas. The second one is located at Cameri Air Force Base in Italy. This facility will transition to a full up maintenance facility after its run of planes have been built. Planes…
2015-08-25 By Robbin Laird What is clear from my recent trip to the Pacific is that amphbiosity is a growing capability. This true not just in terms of nations building out capabilities and working with the USN-USMC team on ways to use that capability, but in terms of shaping more…
09/21/2015: The Osprey operates as a combat connector among ships in an operation and links with land forces as well. In this video, an MV-22 lands on the Japanese JMSFT ship Hyuga during Dawn Blitz 2015. Credit: Defense Media Activity - Navy:9/4/15 Marines and sailors with 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade…
