Integration of Air Defense Command Elements onboard the USS Gerald R. Ford

11/25/2020
By MC1 Jeff Troutman Off the Coast of Virginia, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and its embarked Carrier Air Wing 8 are conducting the first-ever fully integrated carrier strike group operations for a Ford-class carrier, under the leadership and operational control of Carrier Strike Group 12. The operation also…

The Way Ahead for the Large Deck Carrier: The Perspective of Rear Admiral Meier, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic

11/23/2020
By Robbin Laird The day before we flew to the USS Gerald R. Ford, I sat down with Rear Admiral Meier, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic, in his Norfolk office, to discuss the way ahead for Naval Air Force, and the next generation large deck carrier. I would call it…

The Next Phase of the F-35 Global Enterprise: USS America Works Integration with Japanese F-35s

11/01/2020
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…