By Robbin Laird The GAO’s recent report on Osprey safety draws attention to real mishaps and genuine concerns, but its framing, methods, and omissions risk reinforcing an outdated caricature of the V‑22 rather than illuminating the actual safety problems the force faces. A more rigorous and operationally grounded assessment shows…
By Robbin Laird When the CMV-22B Osprey touched down on the deck of USS Carl Vinson in August 2021, it marked more than just another aircraft delivery. It represented a fundamental transformation in how the United States Navy supplies carrier operations. The "Titans" of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30,…
By CAPT (Ret) Christoper C. Misner, Senior Manager, Bell Strategic Pursuits The U.S. National Defense Strategy prioritizes the Indo-Pacific as a critical theater for national security. For naval and joint forces operating in that theater, an operationally limiting factor is the so-called tyranny of distance. Vast distances required to operate and…
By Robbin Laird In combat, reliability isn't just important. It's everything. Seconds count and missions hang in the balance. So it’s good news that Congress just made a $160 million investment in combat readiness with the Osprey Nacelle Improvement Program, which will keep America's most versatile aircraft in the fight.…
By Robbin Laird It may seem a strange candidate to blaze a path towards a more sustainable ready force or a "fight tonight" force but that is exactly the potential contribution of the CH-53K. You don't expect the Left Tackle of the offensive line to race down the field. But…
Recently, DVIDS. provided a story which highlights how reworking maintenance regimes can enhance the readiness of the MV-22. Frankly, this is a core theme which needs to be addressed across the ready force: how can we rework organaiatoxal and structural arrangements to enhance the readiness of the "fight tonight" force?…
By Robbin Laird I had a chance to talk with Chris Morton during the 2025 Navy League meetings held the first week of April 2025. Morton is the Aerospace and Defence Global Industry Director at IFS which is an enterprise software company. We discussed the arrival of maritime autonomous systems…
By Robbin Laird I am publishing a book later this year forcused on the paradigm shift in maritime operations. For this paradigm shift, the U.S. must get beyond a primary focus on the thirty-year shipbuilding plan. While the U.S. Navy and its allies focus on distributed capital ship operations, there…
