UK F-35s Coming to RAF Marham in June 2018

05/17/2018
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…

A Norwegian Perspective on Cross Border Training North

05/17/2018
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…

Standing Up the F-35 at Ørland Airbase: Preparing IOC and Working Towards F-35 2.0

05/16/2018
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…

USMC Makes Significant Change to The Ground Combat Element

05/15/2018
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…

Japan Approves New Ocean Policy With a Core Focus on Maritime Secuirty

05/15/2018
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…

The Visit of the Finnish Defense Minister to Washington

05/13/2018
We have been focusing on the strengthening of Nordic defense cooperation as well as the deepening role of both the United States and the UK in that effort as well. Visits to Finland, Denmark, the UK and Norway over the past few months have generated a number of interviews about…