F-35B Gun Pod in Flight

05/29/2017
05/21/2017: The Marine Corps Made history by shooting the F-35B's gun pod in flight for the first time on May 15th, 2017. As Tom Demerly wrote in The Aviationist about the gun pod: The U.S. Marine Corps Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter has completed the test firing of…

15th MEU Prepares for Deployment

05/28/2017
05/28/2017: The workup for deployment by a Marine Expeditionary Unit is a phased process of preparation. The 15th MEU will be the first operational MEU deployed on the USS America, so the ability to use its new capabilities is part of the combat preparation effort. [maxgallery id="97666"] These photos credited to…

Exercise Jeanne D’Arc 2017

05/28/2017
05/28/2017: U.S. Marines and Sailors assigned to India Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, forward deployed to the 3rd Marine Division, as part of the forward Unit Deployed Program, have joined the amphibious forces of Japan, France, and the United Kingdom to execute Jeanne D’ Arc, an annual French led exercise…

General James Holmes: ACC Commander

05/28/2017
05/28/2017: Gen. James M. “Mike” Holmes is commander of Air Combat Command (ACC) at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, where he oversees 94,000 military and civilian personnel at 34 wings that operate more than 1300 aircraft spread among 19 bases and 70 operating locations worldwide. As the commander, Holmes is responsible for…

Australian Amphibious Ships Face Propulsion Challenge

05/21/2017
05/21/2017: According to several sources, Australia’s largest warships have experienced a propulsion system problem at sea and the Navy and its contractors are working to fix the problem. Australian naval engineers are investigating the problems in the propulsion systems of two Spanish-built warships. The Royal Australian Navy’s US$1.5 billion worth HMAS…

New Australian Naval Shipbuilding Program

05/21/2017
05/21/2017: According to text and a video released by the Australian Department of Defence: Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Malcolm Turnbull, Minister for Defence, Senator the Honourable Marise Payne and Minister for Defence Industry, the Honourable Christopher Pyne MP, announced the release of the Naval Shipbuilding Plan at the…

Naval Shipbuilding Plan

05/21/2017
05/20/2017:   According to a video and text released by the Australian Department of Defence: The Naval Shipbuilding Plan released on 16 May 2017 outlines the Government’s vision for the Australian naval shipbuilding enterprise and the significant investment required in coming decades. The Australian Government is laying the foundations for an…

Marines Participate in Helo Raid from Mistral

05/21/2017
05/21/2017: U.S. Marines and Sailors forward deployed to the 3rd Marine Division, as part of the forward Unit Deployment Program, participate in a vertical assault off a British MK3 Merlin helicopter on the Island of Tinian, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, British MK3 Merlin helicopter May 16, 2017. Marines and…