2016-07-01 By Robbin Laird At the recently held Trade Media Brief 2016 in Munich, Stephan Miegel, head of Military Aircraft Services for Airbus Defence and Space provided an overview on the company’s approach to services and support to military combat systems. At the same time, an article appeared in National…
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…
