2016-08-02 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake General “Hawk” Carlisle has been at the center of operations as well as the airpower transition for some time. As the PACAF commander, he helped shaped the evolution of what is becoming an offensive-defensive enterprise in which combat air and missile defense systems…
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 Recently, the Marine’s premier attack helicopter landed on the HMAS Canberra during the RIMAC exercise. According to a story by Leut. Andrew Ragless and published on August 8, 2016: HMAS Canberra has been visited by one of the most potent attack helicopters in the United States Marine Corps, the AH-1 SuperCobra. Landing…
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 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…
2016-07-17 By Robbin Laird During my visit to the United Kingdom in June 2016, I had a chance to talk with Air Commodore Dean Andrew, the ISTAR Force Commander based at RAF Waddington. We spoke about the challenges of transforming the current platform focused Air ISTAR community to an integrated…
