Evolving Technological Threats: The Coming of High-Speed Maneuvering Weapons

01/15/2017
2017-01-08 By Robbin Laird As Mark Lewis, the former Chief Scientist of the USAF, has warned repeatedly, high speed weapons, notably hypersonic ones, are on the way and will be part of the evolving threat environment. As he wrote in 2010: Aerospace engineering is ultimately about pushing the boundaries, and…

Shaping the Way Ahead for the Combat Insertion Force: The 15th MEU Goes to Sea with the USS America

01/14/2017
2017-01-07 By Robbin Laird A simple news release highlights the evolving USN-USMC combat team as a key step forward in shaping the combat infrastructure for the sea base which can support evolving capabilities for the assault force. According to a press release from the USMC dated January 6, 2017: The…

Marines and Expeditionary Runways

01/14/2017
2017-01-14  According to a story published on December 23, 2016 by Cpl. Aaron Henson, Marines based at Iwakuni, Japan recently exercised their capabilities to employ expeditionary runways. U.S. Marines with Marine Air Control Squadron 4 Detachment Bravo, Marine Air Traffic Control Mobile Team, conducted aircraft landing zone training at Marine…

The 11th A400M Arrives in France

01/14/2017
2017-01-14 It is a new year and a new plane has arrived at the Orléans-Bricy airbase in France on January 6, 2017. This is the 11th A400M for the French Air Force. http://www.defense.gouv.fr/air/fil-d-actualite/le-11e-a400m-se-pose-sur-le-tarmac-de-bricy As the squadron commander for the A400M noted in our 2015 interview: One of the key advantages of…

Dutch Air Force Takes Baltic Air Patrol Lead

01/14/2017
2017-01-14 ŠIAULIAI, Lithuania On 5 January 2017, NATO’s Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission entered its 43rd rotation since its beginning in 2004. After four months of leading the mission, France handed over the symbolic key to the Baltic Airspace to the Netherlands at the traditional ceremony held at Šiauliai Air Base. The…