Day in the Life of an F-35A Maintainer 

11/05/2018
The F-35A Joint Strike Fighter is the most advanced, affordable fifth generation multi-role stealth fighter to meet Australia’s need to defeat emerging threats well into the future.  The F-35A is truly next-generation due to its stealth capability, advanced sensors, data fusion and its ability to share information with other aircraft,…

The RAAF Explains the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter  

11/02/2018
The F-35A Joint Strike Fighter is the most advanced, affordable fifth generation multi-role stealth fighter to meet Australia’s need to defeat emerging threats well into the future.  The F-35A is truly next-generation due to its stealth capability, advanced sensors, data fusion and its ability to share information with other aircraft,…

Evolving the F-16 for Expeditionary Operations: A Danish Perspective on Shaping a Multi-Mission Aircraft

10/30/2018
By Robbin Laird During my visit to Denmark in October 2018, I had a chance to visit Fighter Wing Skrydstrup and my host for the day was “SON” Pedersen a 727 Fighter Squadron F-16 pilot and Electronic Warfare Office. He has around 1600 flight hours on the F-16 with 400…

The Royal Danish Air Force Works the Transition

10/28/2018
By Robbin Laird During my recent visit to Denmark, I had the chance to visit the Royal Danish Air Force fighter base at Skrydstrup. Squadron 727 and Squadron 730 are both located there and are currently flying F-16s but getting ready for a transition to the F-35. According to the…

RAAF F-35 Engineering Officer Is Awarded US Meritorious Service Medal

10/28/2018
By Andrew McLaughlin The RAAF’s first F-35A engineering officer, SQNLDR Nathan Draper, has been recognised by the US with the awarding of a Meritorious Service Medal for his significant contribution to the establishment and sustainment of the Australian training, maintenance and engineering effort at Luke AFB in Arizona. Now a…

Belgium Picks the F-35: President Macron Responds

10/27/2018
Belgium is a key member of the European Participating Air Forces (EPAF) group which has flown F-16s for three decades. Denmark, Belgium, Norway, the Netherlands and Portugal are the members of the EPAF. In a recent visit to Denmark, a key leader of the Royal Danish Air Force explained the importance…

HMS Queen Elizabeth Concludes Initial F-35B Integration Tests

10/26/2018
Second Line of Defense has followed the UK thinking, construction, and initial trials and preparation for operations by the new UK carrier, the HMS Queen Elizabeth throughout its life to date. The carrier will have a major impact on UK defense and how the forces will evolve over the next…

5th Gen Enablement and the Evolution of Airpower: The Perspective of Major General Anders Rex

10/25/2018
By Robbin Laird During my most recent visit to Denmark, I had a chance to visit Royal Danish Air Force bases in the Jutland area. This provided an opportunity to discuss the transition from an F-16 to an F-35 force as well as other changes involving connectivity and decision-making systems…