2016-06-26 Second Line of Defense attended the Airbus Defence and Space Trade Media Brief held in Munich Germany on June 20 and 21st 2016. We will be reporting on a number of the presentations and the launch discussion of the new H Force weapons system by Airbus Helicopters. In this first…
2016-06-13 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake The P-8 is a new plane unlike the P-3. That brings clear advantages compared to the P-3 at the end of its service life. In one of our discussions at Jax Navy, one of P-3 operators made the point that they were spending…
2016-06-06 A look at the new CH-53K is provided in a set of interviews with the USMC. The article is based on interviews with: Colonel Paul Fortunato, Branch Head, Weapons Requirements (APW-1) Colonel Hank Vanderborght, Program Manager, PMA-261/H-53 Heavy Lift Helicopters Major Thomas Trimble, Heavy Lift Requirements (APW-51), Department of…
2016-05-21 The F-35 has already worked with the Aussie A330MRTT known as the KC-30A at Edwards. Now the RAF has flown its Voyager to Pax River to work with the F-35B as well. Both the F-35 and the KC-30A are being bought and operated by multiple allied air forces, and…
2016-05-12 By Robbin Laird During my visit to the United Kingdom in May 2016, I had a chance to meet with Air Commodore Harvey Smyth and members of the RAF Lightning Force team. Air Commodore Smyth was the Tornado Force commander and has been involved with the F-35 program throughout…
2016-05-12 By Robbin Laird I returned to the European Air Group on April 27, 2016 to participate in their latest working group session of 4th/5th generation aircraft integration. Here the continued focus is upon how the coming of the F-35 is part of the reshaping of European airpower and enabling…
2016-04-30 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake After our day with the F-35 Developmental Test Team at Edwards AFB, we met with the KC-30A team at Edwards. The team was continuing the effort to clear the tanker boom with an ever-growing number of receiver aircraft. The team we met with had…
2016-05-02 We earlier posted some photos of Australians working in Australia to support its mission in Anarctica. Now according to a report from the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the Japanese have come to help the Aussies when their own icebreaker well "broke down." Since the Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis grounded…
