India and Russia kicked off the 11th iteration of their bilateral military exercise, designated Indra-2019, at a military training ground in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on December 11, according to the Indian Ministry of Defense (MoD). The exercise will be simultaneously conducted in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, a state on…
By Robbin Laird Recently, I had the opportunity to visit with Rear Admiral Pete Garvin in his office in Norfolk Virginia to discuss the way ahead with the US Navy’s Patrol and Reconnaissance Force (MPRF). Commander Patrol and Reconnaissance Group / Commander Patrol and Reconnaissance Group Pacific (CPRG/CPRG-PAC) provides oversight…
It’s clear that combat capabilities and operations are being recrafted across the globe and, as operational contexts change, the evolution of the role of fighters is at the center of that shift. The 2018 International Fighter Conference held in Berlin provided a chance to focus on the role of fighters…
By Robbin Laird One way to remember December 7, 1941 is to go back to the actual day and recall the events. December 7, 1941 dawned an ordinary Sunday for now-retired Lt. James "Jim" Downing and hearing his recount of the day is a very important way to remember the…
By Lieutenant Rilana Ostheim The Royal Australian Navy is now one of the world’s premier amphibious forces after the fleet’s two Canberra-class landing helicopter docks (LHDs) and landing craft achieved final operational capability. The entire amphibious capability acquired under Joint Project 2048 – including HMA Ships Adelaide and Canberra, their 12 landing craft…
By Andrew McLaughlin The deployment of an RAAF P-8A Poseidon maritime ISR aircraft to the Middle East has concluded. The aircraft was deployed under the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) in September in response to the June shoot-down of a US Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk UAS by Iran, and subsequent…
By Robbin Laird The F-35 is termed a fifth-generation platform, but is better understood as a first generation flying combat system. Or a next generation capability or foundation for building a C2/ISR infrastructure for the integrated distributed force. Because the F-35 is being stood up worldwide with both the U.S.…
By Robbin Laird We had three different sets of presentations throughout the International Fighter Conference 2019 which discussed how the capabilities of the French, German and Eurofighter operating forces in. the years to come will evolve. Namely, the new Future Combat Air System, Rafale and Eurofighter modernization. But the core…
