2015-10-28 By Robbin Laird During my visit to Europe in October 2015, I had the chance to visit with senior RAF officers and to discuss RAF operations as well as the double transition with Typhoon modernization as well as the introduction of the F-35. For the RAF, it is really…
2015-11-02 By Ed Timperlake and Robbin Laird Fifty years ago, 1965, in Bancroft Hall at the United States Naval Academy, Plebes (freshmen) were required when making a very loud announcement to a gathering of fellow Midshipman to began with the alert-“attention world, attention world.” It was a time when some…
2015-11-02 F-35 test pilot Maj Charles “Flak” Trickey fires the first aerial gun test burst of the GAU-22/A 25mm gun from F-35A aircraft AF-2. The video shows the aerial gun test, which will provide operational F-35A pilots the ability to engage air-to-ground or air-to-air weapon targets, in addition to beyond…
2015-11-02 The Russian intervention in Syria represents strategic change for the region. Now Russia is backing the sovereign government of Syria, and any U.S. actions in the North of Syria would now come into conflict with both normal UN practice and possible Russian retaliation. In other words, the Russians are…
2015-10-31 Until now, Marine Corps pilots flying the F-35B have been second tour pilots. That is, they are pilots with flying backgrounds and with combat experience. Now the Warlords at Beaufort Air Station have their first tour pilot coming to fly the F-35B. We will now see what Lt. General "Dog"…
2015-10-31 October 23rd 2015 was a historic day for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) following the first combat refueling by a RAAF KC-30 Multirole Tanker Transport aircraft using its new-technology computerized refueling boom. The flying boom system allows for faster transfer of fuel than the hose-and-drogue system and will…
2015-10-30 The KC-30A has become a key element of the Australian expeditionary force. And the plane is a key enabler of Plan Jericho where the Royal Australian Air Force is focused upon shaping innovative 21st century concepts of operations. One of those changes is battlespace awareness and moving the tanker to the…
2015-10-28 By Robbin Laird It was announced yesterday that Northrop Grumman won the initial new bomber contract. It should be noted that this is the second major contract Northrop Grumman has won against Boeing. The first was the tanker contract where they were partnered with Airbus to deliver a next…
