09/01/2011 by Robbin Laird Second Line of Defense sat down with Col. Laura Sampsel shortly after her departure from Eglin and retirement from the USMC. During her time at Eglin, Col. Laura Sampsel, 33rd Maintenance Group commander, was responsible for the bed-down and operational readiness of the three variants of the Joint…
By Dr. Richard Weitz 08/27/2011 - Until a few years ago, the Russian military aviation sector, like many other Russian defense firms, simply struggled to keep Soviet-era weapons platforms operational through upgrades of their computers or ordinance. The Russian military-industrial complex rarely produced any new sophisticated weapons systems. When it…
By Vince Martinez 08/23/2011 - As the shipbuilding industry prepares for an uncertain future, the looming closure of the Avondale Shipyard near New Orleans expected sometime in 2013 is a clear reminder of the impacts of the downturned economy and a future of fiscal uncertainty. Such corporate decisions are the…
08/14/2011 by Vince Martinez For years, the amphibious arm of the Navy has struggled to gain the notoriety, the advocates and the budget that the carrier side of the Navy has been able to garner. Despite this, and through the operational ingenuity of the Sailors and Marines who serve in…
The Missing Element from the “Sustainment” Debate By Dr. Robbin Laird 08/01/2011 - In the wake of the headlines about the trillion-dollar airplane, F-35 sustainment costs have been tossed into the political fray. According to a single line in an unreleased SAR report, the F-35 fleet is projected to cost…
The Impact of A New Upgrading and Sustainment Approach An Interview with Scott Ogden 08/01/2011 - A key element in understanding the Cultural Revolution associated with the 5th generation aircraft is the dramatic change in how maintenance and sustainment can be done fleet wide and in terms of global sustainment. …
An Interview with Joel Malone F-35As at Edwards AFB June 2011 (Credit: Lockheed Martin) 07/25/2011 - The shift from the F-16 to the F-35A for the USAF will provide significant capability to improve operational performance and operational tempo. In an interview with Joel Malone, the shift was discussed and analyzed.…
The View from Pax River 07/18/2011 - In mid-June, the Second Line of Defense team visited Pax River and received overviews on various aspects of the test program. One of those aspects was shaping the maintenance approach. [caption id="attachment_21442" align="alignleft" width="191" caption="Craig Paramore (Credit: SLD)"][/caption] During our visit to Pax…
