By Robbin Laird Last month, the Australian government announced its new defense strategy and force development plan for the decade ahead. It represents both continuity and change from the 2016 strategy, but clearly expresses a recognition of the new strategic environment within which Australia finds itself. It also expresses both…
By Robbin Laird During my recent visit to Jax Navy, I had a chance to talk with several members of the maritime reconnaissance patrol community about Triton. A particularly insightful discussion was with Joseph Opp, currently the Northrop Grumman Director/Site Lead for Triton at Jacksonville Navy Air Station, who has…
By Alisha Welch The software in the FMSims was upgraded to align with the latest Operational Flight Program. The four F-35A Full Mission Simulators (FMSims) currently operational at RAAF Base Williamtown have been successfully upgraded by local experts to support the continued build-up of pilot training at No. 3 Squadron…
By Robbin Laird During my visit to the maritime patrol reconnaissance community during the week of June 14, 2020, I had a chance to meet with the leadership of the HSM Weapons School, Atlantic based at Mayport. According to the US Navy’s description of the HSM Weapons School, Atlantic: To…
By Robbin Laird For some, the shift from using kill web instead of the kill chain is a variant of wordsmithing. But it is not. I have worked on fifth generation aircraft since the mid-2000s and certainly understood what an impact a data rich aircraft flying as a fleet would…
As I have argued earlier, the Triton is bringing a whole new layer to the kill web for fleet operations. Operating at high altitude, the Triton is delivering area wide ISR data for dynamic targeting. Indeed, one way to look at the way ahead for the integrated distributed force is…
By Robbin Laird Kill webs rely on networks, wave forms, connectivity, distributed C2 and platforms which can leverage all of the former. Platforms are the time-space entities which enable the force; integrability allows a distributed force to deliver the desired combat effect. At Jax Navy, the P-8 operators are trained…
By Robbin Laird As we work through force structure change to deal with the new strategic environment, terms like C2, ISR and training are being changed significantly. New concepts of operations are being shaped, with modifications of existing platforms to play new roles and responsibilities, and new platforms being designed…
