By Todd Miller The wide open ground and air space of west central Nevada host Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon and the Fallon Range Training Complex (FRTC). Together they form the epicenter of air to air and air to ground training for the Naval Aviator. NAS Fallon is also a…
By Robbin Laird Last year, when visiting the Sikorsky West Palm Beach facility, I saw the CH-53K King Stallion being built, which is now in Europe and preparing to fly at the Berlin Air Show. Next month, the first CH-53K will arrive in New River, N.C., for the U.S. Marines…
On the occasion of the coming 100thAnniversaries of both the RAF and the RAAF, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, the Chief of Staff of the RAF addressed the Williams Foundation Seminar on the shift from the land wars to high intensity conflict and highlighted he saw the challenges and…
By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake When journalists and many policy makers discuss an area like missile defense they often do so from the perspective of catalogue shopping. What items in the catalogue are of interest? And what do they cost? This is often reflected in presenting the reporting and…
By Robbin Laird During my most recent visit to Australia, I had a chance to discuss the way ahead for the newly established Air Warfare Centre with its dynamic director, Air Commodore Joe “Vinny” Iervasi. The Air Warfare Centre was launched as part of the Plan Jericho initiative at the…
By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake We have been working the challenge of the transition from the land wars to contested operations with peer competitors for several years. Now it appears this is becoming a challenge more visible Inside the Bletway. For example, the Navy League is holding its Sea-Air-Space…
Robbin Laird During a visit to Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Williamtown in March 2018, Murielle Delaporte and I had the chance to talk with the new commander of the Air Combat Group, Air Commodore Kitcher. RAAF Williamtown is undergoing significant infrastructure modernization as it prepares for the F-35A…
By Robbin Laird During my visit with Murielle Delaporte to RAAF Williamtown in mid-March 2018, we had a chance to meet with Air Commodore (AIRCDRE) Craig Heap the Commander of the RAAF’s Surveillance and Response Group (SRG). I have had a chance twice before to talk with AIRCDRE Heap as…
