Shaping 21st Century Operational Capabilities: Enabling the Assault Force with Dynamic Situational Awareness

06/21/2014
2014-06-21 In a recent presentation at the Air Force Association, Col. Michael Orr, the CO of VMX-22, provided a look at how the USMC is shaping its combat cloud approach for the MAGTF. At the heart of the approach is working the following challenge: “We are working to push increased…

F-35 Testing Update, May 2014

05/31/2014
2014-05-31 According to a story published on Aerospace Manufacturing and Design, the F-35 has achieved three major flight test milestones on the same day. Edwards Air Force Base, California, and Naval Air Systems Command, Maryland – In three separate flight tests on May 27, 2014, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft demonstrated air-to-air…

Air Combat Operations 2025 and Beyond: The Williams Foundation Seminar

05/24/2014
2014-05-14 In March 2014, the Sir Richard Willliams Foundation held a one-day seminar examining the future of air combat. Senior RAAF personnel, MOD personnel, two USMC aviators and the head of the Joint Strike Fighter program were among the presenters. The report addressed the overall impact of fifth generation aircraft…

The Return of Russia and the Challenge to European Defense: The Italian Contribution

05/14/2014
2014-05-14 By Robbin Laird Since the reunification of Germany and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the defense of Europe has been largely a politically managed affair.  The business at hand was shoring up the European Union and NATO arrangements to deal with the new situation, and to expand East as…

The GCE Drives USMC Aviation Innovation: Major Cuomo of the Infantry Officer Course Discusses the IOC’s Team Perspective

05/12/2014
2014-05-12 by Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake One of the reasons the USMC is in a key position to shape the future of military aviation is simply because of the growing interactivity between ground and air operations.  The Rover revolution and the revolution in air precision dropping are but two…

Re-shaping Ground Force Insertion: The USMC Leverages Tilt-rotor Technology To Continue to Innovate

05/07/2014
2014-05-07  by Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake The evolution of USMC concepts of operations under the influence of the proliferation of the numbers and experience with the Osprey has been significant. It is clearly to be anticipated that a similar experience will unfold, as the F-35B becomes part of the…

F-16 Pilots Train Alongside F-35 Pilots

04/25/2014
04/25/2014: F-16 pilots with the 419th and 388th Fighter Wings from Hill Air Force Base, Utah conducted air-to-air combat training alongside the F-35 Lightning II at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. This is the first time Hill F-16 pilots have trained along side the fifth generation F-35.  Hill AFB was…