Preparing the CH-53K for USMC Operations: A New Capability for a New Strategic Environment

02/06/2020
By Robbin Laird A recent news story highlighted progress in the preparation of the new heavy lift helicopter, the CH-53 K, for the USMC. According to Megan Eckstein of USNI News in a story published on December 17, 2019: “The Marine Corps and Sikorsky have resolved the engine integration issues…

Shaping an Australian Navy Approach to Maritime Remotes, Artificial Intelligence and Combat Grids

02/03/2020
By Robbin Laird During my visit to Australia last October, I had a chance to talk to a number of people about the evolving approach in Australia to maritime remotes and their evolving role within the “fifth generation” warfare approach or what I refer to as building a distributed integratable…

India Adds New Capability for Indian Ocean Defense

01/30/2020
By Jimmy Bhatia New Delhi. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria formally inducted the first BrahMos-capable Sukhoi Su-30 MKI squadron in Southern Air Command’s newly developed air base at Thanjavur. India will now have a new…

USMC Aviation: Looking Back to the 2010s and Forward to the 2020s

01/20/2020
By Robbin Laird The significant change in USMC aviation since the introduction of the Osprey has set in motion fundamental changes overall in USMC capabilities and concepts of operations. In the past decade, the Osprey has matured as a combat platform and fostered significant change in concepts of operations. No…

Shaping High End Integrated Training: The Australian Case

01/19/2020
By Andrew McLaughlin The RAAF graduates a growing number of Air Warfare Instructors across multiple skillsets They are among the RAAF best of the best – the latest batch of Air Warfare Instructor (AWI) capability subject matter experts showing they have what it takes to emerge as graduates of the biennial…

Defeating “Weapons That Wait” With Unmanned Systems

01/16/2020
By George Galorisi The November 15, 2019, a Latvian Public Broadcasting System article headline was as stark as it was disturbing: “NATO ships clear more than 50 mines from Baltic Sea.” The subtext was more explanatory: “November 14 saw the conclusion of the Joint Hod ops (Historical Ordnance Disposal Operation) exercise…

Shaping a Next Gen Workforce for Airpower: The Australian Case

01/16/2020
By Andrew McLaughlin The equipment is here or on the way, but what is the RAAF doing to develop a next gen workforce? The Royal Australian Air Force is undergoing arguably the biggest transformation in its 98-year history. Not only has almost every platform in its inventory been recapitalised in the past decade and…

French Arm Their Reaper UAVs: Conduct a Strike in Mali

01/07/2020
By defenceWeb France has for the first time conducted an air strike with one of its Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles in Mali, days after guided bombs were added to the aircraft. The French military said the strike took place after an operation during the night of 20/21 December that saw…