By India Strategic New Delhi. The Indian Air Force formally inducted the omni-role Rafale combat jet, widely described as a “game changer”, into No. 101 Squadron at Air Force Station Hasimara in Eastern Air Command (EAC) on July 28. This is the second squadron to induct the jets. Air Chief…
By Robbin Laird During my visit to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing in July 2021, I had a chance to talk with MAG-31, notably the VMFA-115 Operations Officer, about their squadron’s time in Finland training with the Finnish Air Force last month. Because I was in MCAS Cherry Point, and not…
By Pierre Tran Paris - Onera and European missile builder MBDA are due to conduct the first test flight of a full-scale prototype of a French hypersonic cruise missile in the U.S., with help from NASA and the U.S. Air Force, an official of the French research agency said July…
by 1st Lt. Charles Allen MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. – (July 7, 2021) Marines with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing begin Exercise Summer Fury 21 with a long-range maritime strike off the coast of Washington. Summer Fury is the largest Marine aviation exercise on the West Coast, and provides 3rd …
By Robbin Laird Since 2018, the Marines have ramped up their efforts to train in the Nordic region and to operate in Cold Weather. With the Nordics ramping up their defense capabilities, and working greater integration with each other and with their North Atlantic partners, there are enhanced opportunities for…
By 1st Lt. John Hardin and 1st Lt. Tess LaBossiere KINAWA, Japan. – Marines with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 169 executed one of the longest maritime HMLA self-deployment flights in 1st Marine Aircraft Wing history during exercise Tiltrotor/Rotary Wing (TR/RW) 2107. TR/RW 2107 is a unilateral exercise at…
By Pierre Tran Paris - The French navy has “excellent relations” with the Australian navy, which shares the French view of the importance of the Pacific region, Admiral Pierre Vandier, navy chief of staff, said July 12. Australia is acquiring submarines and combat systems with “oceanic capability,” with an operational…
By Robbin Laird I first met Lt. General Beaudreault during my visit to II MEF in April 2021. I returned on June 29, 2021 prior to the General’s retirement in July. We discussed the evolution of the II MEF with the U.S. Navy and a recent agreement to shape a…
