RAAF Base Williamtown hosted one of the world’s largest cargo aircraft, an Antonov An-124 on Wednesday 2 May, and Thursday 3 May to deliver F-35A training equipment. The equipment – an F-35 Weapons Load Trainer (WLT) and Ejection Seat Maintenance Trainer (ESMT), unloaded and installed in the Australian F-35 Integrated…
F-35B Lightning II pilots with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit perform flight operations aboard the USS Wasp (LHD-1) during Certification Exercise, April 13, 2018. The 31st MEU and Amphibious Squadron 11 conduct Certification Exercise as the final evaluation in a series of training exercises which ensures readiness for crisis response…
Marines with Combat Logistic Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, are now capable of “‘‘additive manufacturing,’“ also known as 3-D printing. This innovative process uses 3-D printing software to break down a digital model into layers that can be reproduced by the printer. The printer then builds the model from…
By Robbin Laird During my most recent visit to Australia, I had a chance to discuss the way ahead for the newly established Air Warfare Centre with its dynamic director, Air Commodore Joe “Vinny” Iervasi. The Air Warfare Centre was launched as part of the Plan Jericho initiative at the…
Robbin Laird During a visit to Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Williamtown in March 2018, Murielle Delaporte and I had the chance to talk with the new commander of the Air Combat Group, Air Commodore Kitcher. RAAF Williamtown is undergoing significant infrastructure modernization as it prepares for the F-35A…
Recently, Australia more than doubled its F-35A fleet when Lockheed Martin delivered three F-35As (AU3, AU4 and AU5) to the Royal Australian Air Force team stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, USA. These are Australia's first Block 3F Lightning II 'Mission Ready' jets which are being used to train…
F-35B Lighting IIs assigned to the "Avengers" of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 participate in a Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training (SWATT) exercise and Maj. Chris Brandt, F-35B pilot assigned to VMFA 211, conducts an interview on the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) in the Pacific…
Lance Cpl. Taryn Escott, Marine Corps Forces Central Command AFB MACDILL, Fla. -- The F-35B Lightning II aircraft arrived at U.S. Central Command on MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., April 4, 2018. The purpose of the two-day visit was to inform CENTCOM senior leadership on the capabilities and limitations of…
