Norway Gets Ready to Receive Its First F-35s in Country

11/02/2017
2017-10-29 Norway, like Denmark and the UK, is looking forward to the coming and integrative impact of the F-35 on its national and regional defense capabilities. As Major General Tonje Skinnarland. the Norwegian Chief of Staff, put it in an interview earlier this year: “It is not just about adding…

Firing HIMARS at Sea: A Case Study in the Evolution of the MAGTF

11/01/2017
10/25/2017: U.S. Marines with Battery R, 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division launch a rocket from a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) off the USS Anchorage (LPD-23) during Exercise Dawn Blitz, Oct. 22, 2017. Dawn Blitz 17 allows the amphibious force to integrate the F-35B Lightning II and…

Dealing with Russian Challenges in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic: A New Special Report

11/01/2017
2017-10-20 By Robbin Laird The Nordics are responding to what they see as a new situation in their region. The Arctic opening expands the range significantly of the challenge in what might be called the Nordic Security Zone (NSZNS) and the use of military power in Europe and beyond by…

ATK and Building Composite Parts for the F-35

10/28/2017
2017-10-28 Earlier this Fall, it was announced by Northrop Grumman that they intended to acquire Orbital ATK. It was noted at the time by Doug Cameron writing in the Wall Street Journal that: Northrop’s proposed $7.8 billion acquisition of Orbital, announced Monday, would help Northrop to produce and launch large and…

VMFA 211 Distributed STOVL Ops with F-35Bs

10/26/2017
10/26/2017: U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 conduct a hot load exercise in support of Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course (WTI) 2-17 at Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz., April 13, 2017. [maxgallery id="101800"] Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) conducted the first independent Distributed STOVL Operation (DSO)…

F-35B Hot Loading

10/26/2017
10/26/2017: In a story published by the USMC on September 21, 2017, a recent F-35B hot loading exercise during the WTI course was discussed and highlighted. By Pfc. Ethan Pumphret MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. – Hot-loading is when an aircraft lands and has ordnance loaded while the engine is still…

F-35B Operating from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni (2)

10/24/2017
10/24/2017: F-35B Lightning II aircraft with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 depart Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 20, 2017. MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, YAMAGUCHI, JAPAN 10.20.2017 Video by Staff Sgt. William Faffler Marine Corps Air Station Iwakun  

F-35B Operating from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni

10/23/2017
10/23/2017: F-35B Lightning II aircraft with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 depart Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 20, 2017. MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, YAMAGUCHI, JAPAN 10.20.2017 Video by Staff Sgt. William Faffler Marine Corps Air Station Iwakun