08/19/2011 We have interviewed several F-35 pilots. Most recently, we sat down with pilots at Pax River. Comments from these pilots focused on easy of operations, and the ability of the pilot to operate as a deployed decision-maker. Among the pilots we have interviewed, Lt. Col. Fred “Tinman” Schenk underscored…
By Dr. Richard Weitz 08/27/2011 - Until a few years ago, the Russian military aviation sector, like many other Russian defense firms, simply struggled to keep Soviet-era weapons platforms operational through upgrades of their computers or ordinance. The Russian military-industrial complex rarely produced any new sophisticated weapons systems. When it…
08/27/2011 By Richard Weitz Although the insurgents look to have secured control of Tripoli, Muammar el-Qaddafi’s threat to the international community has not ended. Dangers still persist from the dictator’s dabbling in weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. British Foreign Secretary William Hague has said that the…
[caption id="attachment_23125" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Italian Carrier Guiseppe Garibaldi Credit: Italian Navy[/caption] 08/27/2011 The Libyan operation has highlighted the use of maritime bases for conducting air operations. In a recent interview with Col. Mark Desens, the Commanding officer of 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit involved in the initial Libyan operations, the…
08/27/2011 by Robbin Laird The hurricane pounding the East Coast is a reminder of the reliance Americans have on the USCG for search, rescue and safety in extreme circumstances. But it is time to pay the USCG back for such centrality to the American way of life. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/post-report-hurricane-irene-hits-north-carolina/2011/08/27/gIQA0XKniJ_video.html The entire…
08/26/2011 by Ed Timperlake For at least a generation of Midshipman at the Naval Academy the famous “ATP-1 Alpha” was a blessing and a curse. It was the Allied Tactical Publication that captured the flag signals and Morse code that allowed NATO to execute formations with essentially a single uniform…
By Vince Martinez 08/23/2011 - As the shipbuilding industry prepares for an uncertain future, the looming closure of the Avondale Shipyard near New Orleans expected sometime in 2013 is a clear reminder of the impacts of the downturned economy and a future of fiscal uncertainty. Such corporate decisions are the…
By Richard Weitz 08/23/2011 Despite the heavy involvement of India in the T-50 project, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) is now the main buyer of Russian-made aircraft. After its surprising ineffectiveness in the 2008 Georgia War, the Ministry plans to revitalize the Russian Air Force by raising the level…
