2016-07-13 The F-35B will be a staple for the USMC and the RAF and will fly with the Italian Navy as well. There are a number of other Air Forces which are clearly interested in the aircraft as well, including Israel, Singapore, Japan, and Spain. The plane can operate in…
2016-07-05 By Robbin Laird During my visit to RAF Lossiemouth in late April 2016, I had a chance to meet with the Officer Commanding and members of the Tornado Operational Conversion Unit, XV(R) Squadron. When one looks at the end of an era, in this case the sun setting on the…
2016-07-05 By Todd Miller The United States and Allies have few concerns higher than the proliferation of Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) capabilities among potential adversaries. A2/AD systems deployed in the South China Sea, Middle-East, or along Europe’s eastern borders threaten US and allied freedom of movement and power projection. A2/AD is not…
2016-07-02 Although the arrival of F-35s for the Farnbourgh and RIAT air shows can be seen as a unique event, it is not. It is part of a process of the coming of the F-35 to its initial operating capability, and starting a pattern of cross-Atlantic crossings. Earlier, the Italian…
2016-07-05 According to an article by the Commander, US Third Fleet Public Affairs published on 6/23/16: SAN DIEGO - Twenty-six nations, 45 ships, five submarines, more than 200 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel will participate in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise scheduled June 30 to Aug. 4, in…
2016-06-26 By Robbin Laird Last April, I had the chance to talk with Air Commodore Smyth about the coming of the F-35 to RAF Marham. And just down the road from Marham is RAF Lakenheath where the USAF will operate its UK-based F-35s. Flying the same aircraft in the same airspace…
2016-06-26 Second Line of Defense attended the Airbus Defence and Space Trade Media Brief held in Munich Germany on June 20 and 21st 2016. We will be reporting on a number of the presentations and the launch discussion of the new H Force weapons system by Airbus Helicopters. In this first…
2016-06-20 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake We have argued that the 21st century warfighting enterprise is in need of a weapons revolution. As the former Chief Scientist of the USAF, Dr. Mark Lewis put it: : “Why are we putting 3rd and 4th generation weapons on 5th generation aircraft? https://sldinfo.com/building-21st-century-weapons-for-21st-century-operations-key-attributes-of-the-new-weapons-enterprise/…
