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…
2014-03-07 By Robbin Laird I have spent the past week in discussions with the staff of the US Pacific Air Forces or PACAF. I was able to sit down with Hawk Carlisle, the Commander PACAF towards the end of the week to pull a broader picture together from those conversations and…
03/13/2014: F-35 Lightning II Arrives at Luke AFB By Paul Giblin The Republic Mon Mar 10, 2014 11:55 PM Air Force test pilot Roderick Cregier flew several slow, low loops through the Arizona sky before landing Luke Air Force Base’s first F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter jet Monday, launching a…
2014-03-09 By Robbin Laird It is clear that the F-35 global enterprise is a unique enabler of the entire re-set of US and allied airpower. Yet this crucial and even central reality is hardly recognized in the mounds or should one say piles of commentary on the F-35 program. And indeed,…
