Enhancing and Defending Air Mobility

10/11/2011
10/11/2011 U.S. and allied forces have relied significantly on various air mobility assets in Iraq and Afghanistan and protecting these assets  has been crucial to mission success. Awareness of threats is a precondition for dealing with them. Coping with various manpads threats to air assets is a significant and constant…

The Rafael in The Afghan Operations: Reconnaissance Pods Used Effectively

10/11/2011
10/11/2011 During the French operations in Afghanistan, the reconnaissance pods on the Rafael provided to be a key asset.  The tactical aircraft provided dynamic targeting data and were able to work with the sea-bases to work an intervention and strike picture to guide the entire French air operation.  This was…

The De Gaulle and the Libyan Operation

10/11/2011
10/11/2011 During a recent visit to Paris, Second Line of Defense sat down with Vice Admiral (Retired) Richard Wilmot-Roussel, now the naval advisor to the head of Dassault Aviation.  The Vice Admiral has had a wide-ranging naval career, including being the first Commander of the French Aircraft carrier, the Charles…

These Guys are in the Fight

09/28/2011
By David Smith 09/28/2011 - For a week last month, US Marines of the 2nd Combat Engineering Battalion and Georgian soldiers of the 33rd Infantry Battalion joined forces in Operation Black Sand in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.  Deployed to Combat Outpost (COP) Shukvani, they cleared the Ladar Bazaar of improvised explosive…