Visiting the Ready Room of VMFAT501: Leveraging Combat Experience to Prepare the F-35B for Deployment

09/26/2013
2013-09-26 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake During the visit of Secretary Wynne to the 33rd Fighter Wing, we accompanied him on the visit and added some meetings of our own. Among the most notable of those additional meetings was an opportunity to sit down with two USMC leaders in the…

Shaping the Weapons Approach for the F-35B: Leveraging the Harrier Experience

09/25/2013
2013-09-26 Although the F-35B is a new aircraft, and new skills are being learned, the USMC is clearly harvesting experience where relevant to shaping the combat approach of the new aircraft.  In a discussion with a combat-hardened Marine who is a weapons loader for the Harrier, the shaping of the approach…

Not McArthur This Time: But U.S. “Returns” to the Philippines 21st Century Style

09/21/2013
2013-09-21 With the changing strategic situation in Asia, the government of the Philippines is reworking its relationship with the U.S. military. According to sources in Manila, a key consideration is the mobility, which the evolving USMC brings to the stage. As this source noted: “The Marines can move rapidly with the…

Shaping a New Pilot Culture: Wynne and Berke Discuss the Way Ahead for Airpower

09/18/2013
2013-09-18 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake The current Chief of Staff of the USAF has prioritized an IOC for the F-35 and the acquisition of the F-35. In Japan, he noted that:  “The F-35 is flying, it is a real thing, and progress is real,” he said.  Several countries, including…

UK Pilot Operating MV-22 Lands on British Warship During Exercise

09/17/2013
09/17/2013: During COUGAR 13, a MV-22 had landed on a British Warship and operated by a British pilot.  September 16, 2013, UK exchange pilot LT “Odd Job” Wotten operating with VMX-22 “bounced off” of HMS Illustrious. [slidepress gallery='uk-pilot-operating-mv-22-lands-on-british-warship-during-exercise'] Credit Photos: 26th MEU:9/16/13 According to the Royal Navy: Cougar is the…