MH-60R ‘Romeo’ helicopter may not be a stealth platform, but it has become a globally used platform by the US Navy and U.S. allies and has done so in barely noticed fashion. Globally is a key aspect of a platform, even with different systems onboard common platforms, common logistics and…
By Robbin Laird NATO and the European Union are the two European alliances which provide multi-lateral responses to crises within Europe. Clearly, a health care driven crisis such as the coronavirus crisis falls largely in the province of the individual European nations and the shared sovereignty which is delegated to…
By Pierre Tran Paris – Armed forces minister Florence Parly denied April 17 media reports the captain of the Charles de Gaulle had asked for an early return to base to limit the spread of coronavirus on board the aircraft carrier. “It has been said the captain wanted to break…
By Pierre Tran Paris – Around a third of the sailors on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier have shown infection by coronavirus, with one sailor placed under intensive care in a Toulon military hospital, the armed forces ministry said April 15 in a statement. The navy chief of staff,…
A key aspect of how the Royal Australian Navy is working integration across the fleet and shaping a way ahead for the ADF as an integrated distributed combat force is shaping commonality across its combat systems. As Vice Admiral (Retired) Tim Barrett has highlighted about the approach: “We see new…
This special report brings together in one publication our recent pieces published on Second Line of Defense and Defense.info, since the coronavirus crisis became a significant crisis management challenge. We cover a number of topics, indicated in the Table of Contents for the Report: For the PDF version of…
By Robbin Laird On February 7, 2020, the US Navy officially received its first CMV-22B Osprey, the replacement for its venerable C-2 Greyhound aircraft. I attended the ceremony held at Amarillo, Texas and had a chance to talk with a number of the participants before and after the ceremony. Having…
By Robbin Laird My recent discussions with Major Thomas Duff and Mr. Michael Manifor, HQMC Aviation, APW-53, Attack and Utility Helicopter Coordinators, about the Viper maritime attack helicopter provided insights into how this asset is evolving as the MAGTF itself is being reshaped for its broader spectrum missions beyond the…
