2016-08-15 By Todd Miller For those of us who are not pilots, we can discuss landing aircraft on aircraft carriers but cannot appreciate just how difficult and fraught with disaster the operation is. Pilots returning from long, mentally exhausting missions are often faced with a night landing in stormy weather, at…
2016-08-13 By Scott C. Truver In early August, the USS Wasp (LHD 1) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG)––also comprising USS San Antonio (LPD 17) and USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41)––conducted AV-8B Harrier II and unmanned aircraft strikes against ISIL targets in Libya, to drive the terrorists from the coastal stronghold of…
2016-08-11 Making its debut in a multi-national exercise, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has deployed its KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport to RAAF Base Townsville for Exercise Pitch Black 12. Measuring 58 metres in length and with a wingspan of 60 metres, the KC-30A is a heavily modified Airbus A330…
2016-08-11 RAAF BASE DARWIN, Australia For the first time, U.S. Air Force F-16C aircraft have deployed to Exercise PITCH BLACK 16 (PB16) in partnership with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport. On July 19, a RAAF KC-30A flew non-stop with six F-16Cs from Kadena Air Base, Japan…
2016-08-11 Recently, the Marine’s premier attack helicopter landed on the HMAS Canberra during the RIMAC exercise. According to a story by Leut. Andrew Ragless and published on August 8, 2016: HMAS Canberra has been visited by one of the most potent attack helicopters in the United States Marine Corps, the AH-1 SuperCobra. Landing…
2016-08-11 According to a story by the Royal Australian Navy, the MRH-90 operating off an Australian LHD has done its first replenishment of a US Navy ship. In a story by Leut. Andrew Ragless entitled the “MRH-90 Carries Her Share of the load and published on July 28, 2016: The first…
2016-08-08 On August 5, 2016, Second Line of Defense visited Williamtown Airbase to meet with Group Captain Stuart Bellingham, Commanding Officer of No. 42 Wing (the Wedgetail squadron). When you visit the squadron what is striking is that the squadron is colocated with the System Program Office (SPO). When you…
2016-08-07 Currently, Second Line of Defense is in Australia and participating in the upcoming Williams Foundation seminar on air-sea integration. Initial interviews have been conducted at Amberley and Williamtown airbases and provide updates on the C-17, KC-30A and Wedgetail roles and evolutions within the RAAF and its global operations. Many…
