2016-08-01 By Robbin Laird I have had the chance to visit with the pilots and crews of four new or modified new air systems used by the U.S. and the allies in current Middle Eastern operations. Each of these platforms has provided capabilities important to the effort and foreshadows the…
2016-07-22 When we recently visited the Air Combat Command, we were informed that at RIAT 2016, a session with four pilots had been held at RIAT 2016, which provided a perspective from the squadron pilot’s perspective. The pilots came from the USAF, the USMC, the RAF, and the Norwegian Air…
2016-07-19 By Richard Weitz Last week, the U.S. Defense Department announced that, following months of assessment by a Republic of Korea (ROK)-U.S. Joint Working Group, the U.S. Forces Korea command would station a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in the ROK. According to the announcement, “The THAAD deployment will…
2016-07-16 By Garth McLennan Great Britain’s vote to leave the European Union on June 23 unleashed a wave of uncertainty across the continent and the world. But if anything in the still-forming post-Brexit order can be taken to the bank, it is that the Obama Administration will look to Germany to…
2016-07-09 After an extensive competition, the Australian government downselected the French firm DCNS to build a new class of advanced conventional submarines. In a press release from the Australian government dated April 26, 206, the Australian government announced the decision and underscored that “The decision was driven by DCNS’s ability to…
2016-07-11 The P-8/Triton dyad is introducing a new maritime domain awareness strike capability to the fleet and to the joint and coalition forces. In our latest Special Report, we look at the emergence of this capability in the US, and Australian forces and the P-8 in the Indian, and UK forces. On May…
2016-07-07 By Robbin Laird When I visited Williamtown Air Base in Australia last March, I was given a tour to the bed down of the F-35 at the airbase and the shaping really of a fifth generation infrastructure for the evolution of the Royal Australian Air Force. The challenge put…
2016-07-14 By Robbin Laird The P-8, which is a Maritime Domain Awareness Strike capability, is coming to RAF Lossiemouth. This is part of the transition for the base becoming a 21st century air base positioned in the North of the United Kingdom and positioned in a key area for the…