2012-09-06 By Robbin Laird Major Mike “Gravy” Roundtree, flew the 199th sortie of the F-35 on August 24, 2012. Just after his flight, I had a chance to talk with him about that flight and his assessment of the F-35 and its role for the USMC. Question: You are a…
2019-09-12 By Robbin Laird During my visit to Eglin AFB, I had a chance to talk with Major Mike Byrd, USAF, a maintainer in the F-35 program about many aspects of the maintenance training process. In this interview we focused upon the weapons loading training platform at Eglin. Byrd: The…
2012-08-31 by Robbin Laird This September, the Osprey will reach a 5-year mark in its operational deployment history. In September 2007, the Osprey was deployed for the first time to Iraq. The USMC Commandant Conway and Deputy Commandant of Aviation Castellaw announced and made the decision to deploy the Osprey into…
This slideshow provides a view from the F-35 Integrated Training Center of a day in the life of this center. The Joint Strike Fighter is born joint and the training and support approach is rooted in combing service culture with a new approach to joint training. The slideshow has been…
by Robbin Laird I have completed nearly 5 years of interviews of the Marines who have flown and maintained the Ospreys. My discussions with these Marines have shown how you start with a platform and expand its envelope over time. Your testing boils down to real warriors carrying the development…
2012-08-23 In a wide-ranging interview with Christopher Thayer, Director, Contractor Operated Ships, Military Sealift Command, the role of his Directorate in the re-structured MSC was discussed as well as a new asset coming into the MSC fleet, the Joint High Speed Vessel. Mr. Thayer was appointed as the Director, Contractor…
2012-08-10 By Murielle Delaporte Based on interviews with two of the operational leaders for the assault and maneuver helicopter battalion operating off the French aircraft carriers -- BPCs (Bâtiment de Projection et de Commandement) -- during the Libyan operation, it is clear that there are challenges and opportunities which air mobility…
2012-08-09 SLD interviewed Colonel Frédéric Gout, French Army, Commanding Officer of the French Army's 5th Combat Helicopter Regiment (5th RHC), based in Pau about the role of the 5th RHC in French operations. The interview was conducted at Pau in mid-2012. While the role of helicopters is essential in the evolution…
