2014-07-09 By Robbin Laird One does not build military aircraft primarily to fly at airshows. It is fun to see such aircraft, visit static displays and talk with manufacturers and users alike. But the reality of military aircraft innovation is seen in the battlespace, and how operators, maintainers and leaders…
2014-07-14 According to a press release dated today from Airbus Defence and Space: Airbus Defence and Space has successfully completed the first paratrooping trials of the A400M new generation airlifter. Spanish Army troops took part in a series of jumps at drop zones in France and Spain. The 11-flight test…
2014-07-12 While the press focuses on the F-35B landing vertically (amazing press out there!), Lt. Col. "OD" Bachman and the squadron is moving from Eglin to MCAS Beaufort where the F-35B partners will train as well in the future. Italians, British and other nations who acquire the B will come…
2014-07-07 By Richard Weitz Recent tests have seen progress for two key elements of the evolving missile defense system deployed by the United States and key allies. The first set of tests involve key elements for the new Ground Based Interceptor to be deployed in Alaska. And the second set…
2014-07-02 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake When we wrote our book on the evolution of Pacific challenges and strategy with Richard Weitz, we focused on the core necessity to shape a modular and scalable force to provide for the kind of forward presence, which the US needed to operate…
2014-07-08 By Robbin Laird During my recent visit to the 2nd I have had the opportunity to visit the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing for a number of years. The Wing has been an important force for innovation in the period in which I have been visiting. KC-130Js, and Ospreys are…
2014-07-08 Second Line of Defense visited 2nd Marine Wing in late June 2014, and we covered the VMX-22 change of command. As part of this effort, we sat down with the departing commander, Col. Michael Orr and with the newly appointed commander, who had been serving as the Executive Officer…
07/04/2014 By Robbin Laird Last year after attending the Airbus Military Trade Media briefing, I looked at what the promise the A400M provided to users and the marketplace. Journalists who attended were given the opportunity to fly the aircraft for more than an hour. Francis Tusa, the well-known British journalist…
