A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors assigned to the 3rd Wing take off from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson during Polar Force 22-4 in Anchorage, Alaska, April 7, 2022. The F-22 increases lethality against all advanced air threats by minimizing enemy capabilities to track and engage with the jet due to its…
By Pierre Tran Paris - The United Arab Emirates has paid a down payment for its order for 80 Rafale fighter jets, aircraft builder Dassault Aviation said in an April 19 statement. “Today, we received the first down payment of the contract for the acquisition of 80 Rafale by the…
By Robbin Laird When the Chancellor of Germany announced at the end of February 2022 the need for Germany to up its defense spending and to shape a new approach to defense, perhaps a new phase in German defense is underway. But overcoming the atrophy of strategic culture, and a…
F-35As assigned to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, conduct flight operations at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Feb. 23, 2022. SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, GERMANY 02.23.2022 Video by Travis Minyon
By Robbin Laird The USMC stood up its first operational unit for the CH-53K on January 15, 2022. That unit is Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461 at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, North Carolina and has been designated as the first fleet CH-53K unit. It will be…
By Robbin Laird The March 24, 2022, Williams Foundation Seminar on “Accelerating the Transition to a Networked, Integrated Force” provided perspectives of core allies of Australia which assessed the state of current affairs with regard to such a force and providing insights with regard to the way ahead. Because the…
U.S. Marines transport and receive fuel from British Royal Marines during Exercise Cold Response 2022, Elvenes Airfield, Norway, March 17, 2022. The U.S. Marines are with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 366, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing. The British Royal Marines are with the Commando Helicopter Force, Motor-Transport, and Mobility Troop Force.…
By Robbin Laird In my last piece, I highlighted the cascading effects for the German rebuild of defense going forward with the F-35 buy. This has significant implications with regard to Germany’s choice of a heavy-lift helicopter. The F-35 is built around low observability and data fusion, as well as…
