By Robbin Laird During my visit to Portsmouth, England and to RAF Marham in early May 2018, I visited senior Royal Navy and defense personnel involved in the standing up of the UK carrier strike capability. After my morning briefings with the Royal Navy with regard to preparing the carrier…
Ed Hill, Aerospace Manufacturing In this Q&A session Don Kinard, Lockheed Martin senior fellow F-35 production, discusses with Ed Hill how the defence giant is applying automation, robotics and additive manufacturing to production of the F-35 Lightning II. Q) At what stages have you introduced more automation in your aircraft construction. Is…
By Robbin Laird What was clear from my visit to MAWTS-1 and getting a chance to look at the work of the latest WTI is that the Marines are working ways to enhance the combat capability of the MAGTF but in a way that can reach back to joint assets…
By Robbin Laird Air Commodore Bradshaw was appointed as Lighting Force Commander, Royal Air Force Marham in April 2017 and he succeeded Air Commodore now Air Vice-Marshal H. Smyth. Earlier, I have had the chance to discuss the standing up of the F-35 within the RAF with Air Vice-Marshal Smyth…
By Robbin Laird During my latest visit to MAWTS-1 in May 2018, the work of the MAWTS-1 team during WTI-18-2 was the focus of attention. MAWTS-1 is working on reshaping Marine Corps approaches to moving forward from a primary focus on counter intersurgency. The strategic shift from counter-insurgency to contested…
By Robbin Laird In early May 2018, I visited RAF Marham where the RAF and the Royal Navy was getting ready to receive their F-35s which have been operating in the United States with the USMC and the US Air Force, the former at MCAS Beaufort Air Station and the…
By Robbin Laird The coming of the HMS Queen Elizabeth to the UK combat force is a trigger for significant defense transformation. Most of the analysis of the new carrier really focuses on the platform and what is necessary to get that platform operational but that is far too narrow…
By Robbin Laird During my latest visit to MAWTS-1, I had a chance to focus upon recent developments generated by the latest WTI course. Last year, I had a chance to talk with Col Wellons and LtCol Ryan Schiller, the Aviation Development, Tactics and Evaluation Department Head, about work on…
