2017-02-12 By Robbin Laird Last week, I attended an airpower conference sponsored by the Norwegian Air Force and held in Trondheim, Norway. The title of the conference was about the shaping of a fifth generation air force, but in reality the conference focused on multi-domain integration and defense transformation in the…
2017-01-28 The Norwegian Air Force is to have a new Chief of Staff. According to a story published on the Norwegian Ministry of Defence website on January 27, 2017, Brigadier General Tonje Skinnarland was appointed Major General and Chief of the Royal Norwegian Air Force today (CRNORAF). “Skinnarland is an…
2017-02-03 With all the global discussion about Trump and allies, a key development seems to have been missed -- the reinforcement of the US-Japanese relationship and the arrival of new capabilities for the extended defense of Japan and of U.S. Pacific allies. First, the F-35Bs arrived at Iwakuni earlier this…
2017-01-28 The fifth generation evolution of the USAF is being highlighted as F-35s from Hill and F-22s from Langley are key integrated elements for Red Flag 2017-1. Both are key parts of shaping new capabilities in the contested battlespace and are working with the RAF and the RAAF in incorporating cyber and…
2017-01-28 Red Flag 2017-1 is providing an opportunity to shape concepts of operations for integrated 4th-5th generation combat capabilities to prevail in a contested airspace. Significant ISR and cyber tools are being engaged in the exercise along with new USAF fifth generation capabilities -- both F-35 and F-22 -- along…
2017-01-30 The USMC is the only tiltrotar-enabled assault force in the world. The USS America has been built to facilitate this capability and will be augmented as the F-35B is added to the Ospreys, and helicopters already operating from the ship and as unmanned vehicles become a regular operational element…
2017-01-22 In an unprecedented situation, three senior positions are held by senior Marine Corps officers, one current and two former. President Donald J. Trump and newly appointed Secretary of Defense James Mattis watch as parade participants march past the White House reviewing stand during the 58th Presidential Inauguration Parade in…
2017-01-27 Last year, in a visit to Norway, the UK Minister of Defence signed an agreement with Norway in the wake of Norway’s decision to procure the P-8. As we have written elsewhere about the P-8, it is a 21st century maritime domain awareness strike capability. https://sldinfo.com/the-arrival-of-a-maritime-domain-awareness-strike-capability-the-impact-of-the-p-8triton-dyad/ According to a story…
