In a press conference held by the Japanese Defense Minister, he provided an update on the standup of Japanese F-35s in Japan. I will provide a report on the additional deployment of F-35A aircraft to the Misawa Air Base. The concrete schedule of the additional deployment of Air Self-Defense Force…
We recently visited RAF Marham and will report on that visit along with visits to RAF Coningsby and Portsmouth as well. On May 16, 2018, the UK Ministry of Defence announced the imminent arrival of the first jets for the Dambusters squadron. Gavin Williamson confirmed the imminent arrival of the…
By Robbin Laird During a visit to Bodø Airbase on April 25, 2018, I had a chance to discuss Norwegian Air Force training with the Finns and the Swedes as they expand their cooperation to provide for enhanced regional defense. Major Trond Ertsgaard, Senior Operational Planner and fighter pilot from…
A key dynamic associated with the strategic shift to higher intensity operations is working airbase defense as well as mobile basing options. With regard to Norway, the new main operating base for F-35s will be at Orland Air Station in central Norway. The Norwegians, along with the US and the…
By Robbin Laird During my visit to Ørland Airbase, I had a chance to talk with Brigadier General Aage Longva, Vice Chief of the Norwegian Air Force, whose last post was Wing Commander at Ørland Airbase as well as with Lt. Col. Eirik Guldvog, XO/COS 132 Wing Commander. Those interviews…
By Robbin Laird The strategic shift is a crucial one for the liberal democracies. That strategic shift is from a primary focus on counter insurgency and stability operations to operating in a contested environment with high tempo and high intensity combat systems as a primary tool set. It is about…
It is clear that with the strategic shift from the primacy of counter insurgency missions to operations in a contested environment, significant changes can be expected from the ground maneuver forces. For the Marines, changes are induced as well by the air combat capabilities already in the Corps and being…
With the dynamics of change underway in the Pacific, Japan has been changing its defense and security policies to provide for more focus and capability to deal with threats and challenges in the region. The latest element of the change is the new Japanese ocean policy. According to an article…
