From the Integrated to the Integratable Air Wing: The Transformation of Naval Aviation

02/19/2020
By Robbin Laird The US Navy over the next decade will reshape its carrier air wing (CVW) with the introduction of a number of new platforms. If one simply lists the initial operating capabilities of each of these new platforms, and looked at their introduction sequentially, the "air wing of…

CMV-22B is on Its Way: Visiting Amarillo

02/10/2020
By Robbin Laird Last Friday, the US Navy and the Bell-Boeing team hosted an event in which the CMV-22B was rolled out. The ceremonial delivery was held on February 7, 2020, but the week before the first aircraft had landed at Pax River for its final round of testing before…

Maiden Landing of Indian LCA Aircraft onboard Indian Aircraft Carrier

02/09/2020
By India Strategic New Delhi. After completing extensive trials on the Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF), Naval version of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) did asuccessful arrested landing onboard INS Vikramaditya at 1002 hrs on January 11, 2020. Commodore Jaideep Maolankar conducted the maiden landing. Captain Dahiya was the Landing Safety…

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…