Working Expeditionary Basing: MAWTS-1 and the F-35

05/29/2020
By Robbin Laird Over the past few weeks, I have been discussing with USAF and U.S. Navy officers, how the two services are training to shape greater synergy with regard to the integrated distributed force. The fusing of multiple sensors via a common interactive self-healing web enhances the ability of…

The Strategic Shift and Dynamic Targeting: Meeting the Challenge

05/28/2020
By Robbin Laird With the strategic shift from the land wars to the more fluid battlespace involving peer competitors engaged in full spectrum crisis management with the United States and its allies, one aspect of the change for military forces is how to use lethal force effectively. This comes down…

Laser Kill for the Maritime Kill Web

05/24/2020
According to a U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs article published on May 22, 2020, Amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27) successfully disabled an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a Solid State Laser - Technology Maturation Laser Weapon System Demonstrator PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii Amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD…

Training for Force Integration: The Perspective from the Air Warfare Center, Nellis AFB

05/21/2020
By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake We visited the USAF Warfare Center in 2015, when Major General Jay Silveria, was the commanding officer. A visit last month was postponed due to the COVID-19 impacts, but, hopefully, we can return later this year. But we did have the opportunity to have…

What is Triton’s Contribution to the Maritime Kill Web?

05/20/2020
By Robbin Laird The US Navy has deployed Triton to Guam and has begun its operational history. According to an article on USNI News by Gidget Fuentes published on May 12, 2020, a pair of MQ-4C Tritons operating from Guam has been integrated into fleet operations and provide reach across…

Teleconferences and Decision Making

05/18/2020
Recently, NATO Chiefs of Defense held their virtual meeting in NATO military committee history. According to a NATO news item published on May 14, 2020: After meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the 30 Chiefs of Defence reviewed NATO’s ongoing operational commitments, particularly the NATO Resolute Support Mission and…