Visiting the 33rd Fighter Wing: An Overview and Update on the F-35 Program

09/29/2013
2013-09-29  By Robbin Laird On September 4th Secretary Wynne visited the 33rd Fighter Wing for an update on the F-35 program as seen from the training facility.  Ed Timperlake and I accompanied him and added some meetings of our own, notably with maintainers and USMC squadron leaders. https://www.sldinfo.com/secretary-wynne-visits-the-33rd-fighter-wing/ We have…

Privatization to Execute Anti-Piracy Efforts: The Case of Benin

09/28/2013
2013-09-28 By DefenceWeb US private maritime security company AdvanFort has revealed that Benin’s government has given it permission to conduct anti-piracy operations off that country’s coast, protecting both domestic and foreign vessels. In a press release issued on Tuesday, AdvanFort President and COO William H Watson stated that, “It is…

Visiting the Ready Room of VMFAT501: Leveraging Combat Experience to Prepare the F-35B for Deployment

09/26/2013
2013-09-26 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake During the visit of Secretary Wynne to the 33rd Fighter Wing, we accompanied him on the visit and added some meetings of our own. Among the most notable of those additional meetings was an opportunity to sit down with two USMC leaders in the…

African Ship Joins the Australian Fleet Review: A Former USCG Cutter Continues Its Service Life

09/26/2013
2013-09-26 by Kim Helfrich Editor’s Note: In another way to understand the 1,000 Ship Navy, this article discusses the role of a Nigerian ship globally which comes from the transfer of a former USCG cutter.  NNS Thunder, Africa’s only representative in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) international fleet review, has ported…

Shaping the Weapons Approach for the F-35B: Leveraging the Harrier Experience

09/25/2013
2013-09-26 Although the F-35B is a new aircraft, and new skills are being learned, the USMC is clearly harvesting experience where relevant to shaping the combat approach of the new aircraft.  In a discussion with a combat-hardened Marine who is a weapons loader for the Harrier, the shaping of the approach…