2014-03-30 By Robbin Laird Ferra engineering is an international company based in Australia, which engages in the design, manufacture and delivery of advanced aerospace/defense components and systems for a number of well-known manufacturers. The company is an Australian based supplier for the F-35 as a global program, and as such,…
2014-03-31 Michael W. Wynne, 21st Secretary, United States Air Force The Crimean crisis and the PRC pushing out in the Pacific are two reminders that the world is not of our own making. The defense of Europe and Pacific defense require capabilities to deter and prevail, where global reach and…
2014-03-27 By Robbin Laird During my visit to Australia in early March, I had a chance to talk with some of the F-35 suppliers in Australia. When one frames this subject, the term “suppliers” to a nation’s F-35 program suggests a legacy approach, whereby one is assembling an aircraft in…
2014-03-23 During the Williams Foundation seminar held in March 11, 2014 in Canberra, the RAAF’s exchange pilot who became a proficient F-22 pilot, RAAF Fighter Pilot Matthew Harper, explained what it was like to become a 5th generation pilot. Not surprisingly, Harper has an impressive background. He has over 2000 hours flying…
2014-03-23 From a story on Australian 9 News National: In a report released on Monday, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute says it makes most sense for the federal government to commit to spending between $8 billion and $10 billion on 58 of the fighters, which are expected to enter service…
2014-03-22 Excerpted from news.com.au March 22, 2014 BACK in the late 1960s the aircraft chosen as the nation’s key strike weapon into the new millennium — the F-111 swing-wing fighter/bomber — was derided as the “flying Opera House’’ or the “widow maker” due to cost blowouts, delivery delays and serious…
2014-03-21 Recently, the Williams Foundation in Australia held a seminar in Canberra on the future of air combat. In particular, the seminar focused on the impact of fifth generation technologies and was built around a central set of presentations by operators of the impact of fifth generation aircraft on the evolution…
2014-03-21 by Robbin Laird After The Williams Foundation seminar, I sat down to discuss with one of the organizers of the seminar, Vice Air Marshall (Retired) John Blackburn his take on the questions, which posed to the seminar and how he thought those answers, were generated. The core questions, which…
