By Robbin Laird On November 17, 2020, a small number of journalists, most from the local Norfolk based media, flew from Norfolk Air Station to the USS Gerald R. Ford at sea, less than 100 miles off of the Virginia cost. We flew on the venerable C-2 Greyhound, but this…
RAAF Base Williamtown is home to the tactical fighter element of the Air Combat Group and the Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) element of Surveillance and Response Group. RAAF Base Williamtown is at the centre of a multimillion-dollar infrastructure modernisation and upgrade program in order to better support the…
The F-35 fleet emerging in the Pacific is the 21st century version of the US Navy's World War II "big blue blanket." With the Japanese expanding their F-35 fleet and adding the B to its As, training with the USS America is a natural evolution of the collaborative effort. As…
By Robbin Laird In the last article on the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), I looked at one key building block which enhances both the ops tempo of the strike package on the USS Gerald R. Ford as well the flexibility of the weapons packages which can be moved…
The UK is clearly in a period of significant strategic change. The twin impacts of COVID-19 and BREXIT are enough to assure that. With the significant impact of the new aircraft carrier driving significant change with regard to air-sea integration, an evolution we have spent considerable time engaged in with…
By Robbin Laird In this September 23, 2020 story published by 3rd Marie Aircraft Wing, the historic deployment of USMC F-35Bs onboard the UK’s largest warship ever built by the UK was highlighted. PORTSMOUTH, England -- Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 embarked 10 F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters onboard…
By Robbin Laird On Friday, October 9, 2020, I had a chance to visit the USS Ford and to get an update on the progress of this formidable warship. Earlier, Ed Timperlake and I have visited the USS Ford in 2015 and discussed the next generation large deck carrier with…
The Royal Australian Air Force deployed C-27J Spartan aircraft and personnel from RAAF Base Amberley to participate in Exercise Ready Spartan Prove (RSP) in Townsville Queensland from 10 – 18 September 2020. No. 35 Squadron and No. 383 Squadron operated at austere airfields in a simulated uncertain security environment to…
