2017-07-08 By Robbin Laird Recently, I had a chance to return to RAF Lossiemouth to discuss with the Typhoon squadrons the way ahead. A key element of that way ahead is the full integration with the legacy weapons on Tornado and preparing the way for new weapons and approaches to…
2017-07-03 By Robbin Laird During my visit to RAF Lossiemouth, I had a chance to catch up with the Typhoon operational force at the base. This was an especially good time to do so as the RAF’s Typhoons have been engaged in a significant expeditionary operational tempo, ranging from Operation…
2017-06-30 By Robbin Laird During my March 2017 visit to RAF Lossiemouth, I had a chance to talk with two Typhoon squadrons, namely II(AC) and 6 Squadron. The squadrons have been busy in the past few months with various global engagements. In the words, of the station commander at RAF…
2017-06-29 During a visit to Norway earlier this year, the Norwegian Deputy Minister of Defense underscored the importance of allies building new missile capabilities for the F-35 as a coalition aircraft. In the discussion with Mr. Øystein BØ, the State Secretary and Deputy Defense Minister at the Norwegian Ministry of Defense,…
2017-06-29 By Robbin Laird During my visit to RAF Lossiemouth in March 2017, I got an update on the evolving experience of the Typhoon as an expeditionary force. My discussion with the Squadron Leader for II(AC) Squadron, Martin Pert, highlighted the evolving experience of II(AC) Squadron with the aircraft. Most…
2017-06-28 By Robbin Laird During my visit to RAF Lossiemouth in March 2017, I had a chance to talk with Wing Commander Billy Cooper, the boss of 6 Squadron. His father had served in 6 Squadron after World War II, so there is real passion and commitment to the squadron…
2017-06-28 Second Line of Defense has visited the Queen Elizabeth while it was being built in Scotland as well as various F-35B facilitates in the US and the UK preparing for the integration of the fifth generation aircraft with a new generation carrier. Now for the first time, the new…
2017-06-18 Recently, the RAAF just completed sortie 1000 in its Middle East mission. It has done so with a 93% dispatch rate and has provided approximately 10% of all coalition fuel in the overall coalition air operations. They have done this by flying one aircraft! As the USAF is still…