The Next Phase for the CH-53K: Ramping Up Production

01/02/2023
By Robbin Laird In my assessment of USMC transformation over the past twenty years, I highlighted the coming of the CH-53K as part of the next phase. “As the Marines work enhanced naval integration and expanded force mobility in dealing with the evolving strategic environment, the capabilities which the CH-53K…

Remembering Back to January 2022: The F-35 Comes Closer to Russia

01/01/2023
Thursday 6 January 2022 was a historic day for the Royal Norwegian Air Force. On this day, Norway’s new F-35s officially took over the QRA mission, ending the F-16 fleet’s 42 year-long mission serving Norway and NATO. The formal transfer of authority from F-16 to F-35 took place at Evenes…

The War in Ukraine and its Impact on the Future of Naval Warfare: The USV Dimension

12/22/2022
By George Galdorisi If one story has dominated the international news for the past ten months, it is Russia’s egregious invasion of Ukraine, a war that shows no sign of abating, and which is the largest conflict in Europe in over three-quarters of a century. The breathless daily reporting has…

Digital Horizon Wraps Up: Task Force 59 Perspective

12/22/2022
According to a story written by NAVCENT Public Affairs and published on December 15, 2022: U.S. 5th Fleet concluded Digital Horizon, Dec. 15, a three-week unmanned and artificial intelligence event in Bahrain that involved 17 industry partners. The event included 15 advanced systems, 10 of which operated in the Middle…

European Fighter Decisions: FCAS Next Steps, December 2022

12/20/2022
By Pierre Tran Paris - The French arms procurement office has signed a contract worth €3.2 billion ($3.4 billion) for work on the technology demonstrator phase 1B of the European future combat air system with Airbus, Dassault Aviation, the Eumet engine joint venture, and Indra, the companies said Dec. 16…

Beyond Next Steps in the War in Ukraine: Strategic Upheaval and U.S. Interests

12/14/2022
By Robbin Laird When it comes to crisis management and war termination, the United States faces a fundamental challenge: what are our strategic objectives and how do we achieve them in a world where so much is changing? I recently discussed this challenge with my colleague Dr. Paul Bracken of…

11th MEU and Maritime Autonomous Systems Ops

12/13/2022
While we await the wrap up of Digital Horizons exercise going on currently with Task Force 59, if we look back to last year we can highlight the 11th MEU working with the MANTAS T12 maritime autonomous system. Marines assigned to the All Domain Reconnaissance Detachment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit…

Fleet Readiness Center East Prepares to Maintain the Powerful Engine of the Marine’s CH-53K

12/10/2022
In an article published by NAVAIR on December 6, 2022, the arrival of the powerful engine for the CH-53K and its first disassembly at Cherry Point, North Carolina was highlighted. Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) recently opened a new chapter in the depot’s engine program with its first disassembly of…