Confronting the Challenge of Peer Competitors: Insights from Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space 2018 Exposition

04/11/2018
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…

The Air Combat Group in Transition: The Perspective of Air Commodore Kitcher

04/11/2018
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…

The Surveillance and Response Group Working to Enhance the Situational Awareness and Decision Making Capabilities of the RAAF

04/08/2018
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…

Working the Integrated Fires Mission at Fort Sill

04/04/2018
Fort Sill, Oklahoma The Second Line of Defense team is currently visiting Fort Sill to learn about the evolving approach to the Army's Air Defense mission. In February, an article published by Fort Sill highlighted the evolving mission set encompassed by the focus on integrated fires, reflecting the drive to…

An Australian Update on the F-35 and the RAAF Getting Ready for Its Incorporation Into the Force

03/31/2018
During our visit to Australia in March 2018, we had a chance to get an update on the next round of modernization of the RAAF which is driven by the F-35, the operation of the Growler and the incorporation of the new robotic boom into the KC-30A as well as…