Rebuilding the Afghan Air Force: The Role of the Cessna

02/15/2018
02/15/18: About half of the entire sortie count tallied by the Afghan Air Force in 2016 came on the wings of 24 nondescript, single-engine Cessnas that are constantly taking off and landing on airstrips across the country.

 The Cessna 208, a resilient and easy to maintain light airlifter, has “turned…

USMC Stands Up First MEF Support Battallion

02/12/2018
2/12/18: The first Marine Expeditionary Force Support Battalion in the Marine Corps was activated during a ceremony at Camp Lejeune, N.C., Feb. 9, 2018. The new battalion, part of the II MEF Information Group, is designed to provide and coordinate combat-service support as well as security and administrative services to…

USS America Completes First Deployment

02/11/2018
2/11/18: The amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) prepares to transit underneath the Coronado Bridge as during its return to homeport in San Diego from its maiden deployment Feb 2, 2018. [maxgallery id="104143"] The America, part of the America Amphibious Ready Group, with embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is…

TRAP Mission

02/10/2018
02/10/2018: Marines with Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, conduct Tactical Recovery of Aircraft Personnel training at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Dec. 14, 2017. TRAP is a vital capability for the 31st MEU and allows the Aviation Combat Element to tactfully recover aircraft and put…

Perth Forum on Counter Terrorism

02/10/2018
2/10/18: The inaugural Sub-Regional Defence Ministers’ Meeting on Counter-Terrorism was held in Perth, between 1 and 2 February 2018. The Perth Meeting is a new forum, which brings together ministers from Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation in our region. Minister for Defence,…