By Robbin Laird Frankly, until I went to San Diego this February, I had never heard of Maritime ISR officers. And looking at the web, it is apparent that I am not alone. But now NAWDC is training MISR officers and they have their own warfighting patch as well. The…
By Robbin Laird During my visit to NAWDC in early July 2020, I had a chance to continue discussions begun earlier in the year with the CO of NAWDC and his senior officers. Rear Admiral Brophy had highlighted as one major change at NAWDC from the time when I had…
By Robbin Laird This week the Navy's Airborne Command and Control Community celebrated the 60th anniversary of the first E-2 flight. According to a story released by the public affairs team from Naval Air Force Atlantic: "While the U.S. Navy celebrated its 245th birthday this October, the Airborne Command &…
By Robbin Laird In the last article on the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), I looked at one key building block which enhances both the ops tempo of the strike package on the USS Gerald R. Ford as well the flexibility of the weapons packages which can be moved…
By Robbin Laird Two years ago, I published a chapter on the USMC’s recent experience with unmanned air systems in the book edited by John Jackson, entitled, One Nation Under Drones. I focused on the substantial experience they have accumulated with Scan Eagle and then with the Blackjack system. The…
Recently, the Australian Aegis combat ship, the HMAS Hobart, returned from its engagement in the Regional Presence Deployment 2020, This Australian Department of Defence video highlights the engagement of the ship in the deployment. This year, one of Australia’s most advanced warships is leading the Royal Australian Navy’s largest and…
By Robbin Laird On Friday, October 9, 2020, I had a chance to visit the USS Ford and to get an update on the progress of this formidable warship. Earlier, Ed Timperlake and I have visited the USS Ford in 2015 and discussed the next generation large deck carrier with…
By Robbin Laird As the fleet re-works blue water maneuver warfare and expeditionary operations from the sea, a key element of the effort is shaping an effective weaponization approach and strategy. Doing so is a work in progress and a major challenge for the United States and its allies. During…
