Transforming Jointness: Lt. General (Retired) Deptula Looks at the Way Ahead for Combat Innovation

11/16/2015
2015-11-12  By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake On November 5, 2015, Lt. General (Retired) Deptula testified in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The key topic was the challenge of revisiting the roles and missions of the Armed Forces. This is especially crucial because of the more than decade long…

Shaping a Way Ahead for the 21st Century Air Combat Enterprise: An Australian Perspective on the Italian First Flight

11/16/2015
2015-11-13 By Robbin Laird The first flight of Italian F-35 pilots occurred on November 5, 2015. The two pilots flew a USAF and a RAAF jet. The flight aboard the Australian jet highlighted the role of the partners in the F-35 program, and a harbinger of things to come. As…

The Next Step in Eurofighter Weaponization: The Storm Shadow Added to Its Strike Capabilities

11/09/2015
2015-11-09 Both the British and Italian air forces are retiring their Tornados and handing many of its missions to the Eurofighter. A key part of that transition is expanding the range of missiles carried by Eurofighter. In an earlier article, Lars Joergensen explained the modernization approach. It is clear that a…

The Way Ahead for Eurofighter Modernization: A Discussion with Paul Smith (Updated from Dubai Air Show 2015)

11/09/2015
2015-11-09 By Robbin Laird (Originally published 2015-10-09) The Eurofighter is a clear player in shaping European and global air forces. It has reached critical mass and will be modernized through its operational life to work with new air assets and to deal with the evolving threat environment. The program currently has…