2015-06-10 By Robbin Laird and Murielle Delaporte During a visit to the 31st Marine Air Group, we visited VFMAT-501, the Warlords and met with the CO of the Squadron “OD” Bachman, Major Brian Bann and Squadron Leader Hugh Nichols from the Royal Air Force. In separate pieces, we are publishing…
2015-06-12 By Robbin Laird and Murielle Delaporte Marine Air Group 31 is located at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. It is the home of six F-18 squadrons and one F-35 squadron. The F-35 Squadron – VMFAT-501 – is training coalition and USMC F-35B pilots to operate the F-35B. When Second Line…
2015-06-14 By Robbin Laird When visiting the USS Wasp and both seeing part of the operational tests as well as discussing those tests with the US and British personnel involved in the testing, one of the highlights was the demonstration of being able to fly the largest module of the…
2015-06-14 By Robbin Laird In September 2007, the Osprey was deployed for the first time to Iraq. USMC Commandant Conway and Deputy Commandant of Aviation Castellaw announced and made the decision to deploy the Osprey into combat although virtually all public commentators thought this was too early for an “untested”…
2015-06-04 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake In a meeting last year in the United Kingdom with one of the RAF officers responsible for the introduction of the F-35 into the UK forces, Group Captain Paul Godfrey highlighted the behind the scenes work to roll out an F-35 fleet, an…
2015-06-12 by Murielle Delaporte Interview with Rear Admiral Juan A. Cornago, Spanish Navy, MARCOM DCOS Support Rear Admiral Juan Cornago joined the Spanish Navy College in 1979 and served in the amphibious ship Aragon and in the Navy Air Wing as a Harrier pilot. He then commanded several ships, including…
2015-06-10 By Richard Weitz Reversing Russia’s INF violations may take years. It took Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush seven years to convince the Soviet Union to destroy a radar system that violated the since abandoned 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty. Russia ceased complying with the Conventional Forces in Europe…
2015-06-09 By Robbin Laird On May 26, 2015, when journalists visited the USS Wasp to engage with the ship’s crew and personnel involved in operational testing, a panel was held at the end of the visit with several Marine Corps and Navy participants in OT-1. The material presented provided a…
