German Platform Decisions: Selecting an Airborne SIGINT Platform

08/17/2020
By Robbin Laird After Germany retired its specially modified signals intelligence Atlantique maritime patrol aircraft, there was a clear gap in the capabilities of Germany to provide for either national or NATO capabilities in this area. This was done in the immediate post-Cold War environment where the United States and…

Ospreys to the US Navy: CMV-22B to the Amphibious Transport Dock Ship USS York

08/16/2020
An MV-22B Osprey, attached to the Blackjacks of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two One (HX-21), is spend working with the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21), July 20, 2020. New York is operating in Atlantic Ocean in support of Naval operations to maintain maritime stability and…

Australian Defence Industry and the F-35 Global Enterprise

08/16/2020
By Sophie Pearse A Melbourne-based Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) component supplier has used a government grant to boost its production. A.W. Bell is leading the way in global defence competitiveness by investing in a ground-breaking system at its Dandenong South casting facility. The company has transformed its casting operation through an “Industry 4.0 Smart Factory”,…

German Platform Decisions: CH-53K versus the Chinook

08/14/2020
By Robbin Laird As I suggested in the lead article in this series on how to evaluate platform choices in the context of evolving needs and concepts of operations, too often, a simple platform versus platform presentation is made which confuses rather than clarifies what the tactical and strategic implications…

Seahawk, Fire Scout and Shaping a Way Ahead for the Kill Web Force

08/13/2020
By Robbin Laird During my visit to Jax Navy and Mayport, I had a chance to meet with the leaders of the Seahawk squadron at Mayport and will highlight those discussions in future articles. But also had the opportunity to talk via teleconference with CDR Gregory Knutson, the CO of the…

The Osprey and Lessons Learned by the USMC: Implications for Indonesia

08/12/2020
By Robbin Laird I have followed the coming of the Osprey to the USMC since 2007 and our team has visited several global geographical locations where Marines operate the Osprey. Observations of how the Osprey has impacted Marine Corps operations can be identified which clearly are relevant to the Indonesian…

Maritime Integration Exercise in Pacific: USAF and US Navy Working Joint Con-Ops

08/12/2020
By Staff Sgt. Hailey Haux, Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs  JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AFNS) A B-52 Stratofortress bomber from the 96th Bomb Squadron, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, took off from its home station and participated in a maritime integration exercise with the USS Nimitz and the USS…

Next Steps for Poseidon Facility at RAF Lossiemouth

08/11/2020
A recent story published by the UK Ministry of Defence on July 23, 2020 provided an update on the build out of the P-8 base in the UK. DE&S, the MOD’s procurement arm, will take control of the £100 million strategic facility at RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland. Clocking in at over…