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Norway, NORDEFCO and Shaping a Way Ahead with the Nordics

05/22/2018
By Robbin Laird As Norway looks to its defense transformation and working out ways to work more effectively with its allies in extended defense and deterrence, it faces change in Europe associated with significant dynamics of change in Europe from Brexit to Catalonia. At the same time, the US is…

Shaping a 21st Century Air Base at Ørland: Visiting the 132 Air Wing

05/22/2018
By Robbin Laird I have had the opportunity to visit F-35 bases since the standup of the first one at Eglin Air Force base. And this year, I have visited Williamtown, RAF Marham, Ørland, and MCAS Yuma. In each case, changes have been made to accommodate the coming of the…

Sustainable Combat Capabilities: The Case of the CH-53K

05/22/2018
A key element of building 21st century air systems is building in sustainability as part of the design. 21st century air systems are digital systems, built around software upgradeability. The digital capabilities of the aircraft are a key part of building out a more sustainable combat system. The CH-53K was…

The Seventh Moscow Conference on International Security: Moscow Sends a Message

05/22/2018
By Richard Weitz Last month, defense.info attended the seventh annual Moscow Conference on International Security (MCIS-2018), which the Russian government has strived to establish as the Moscow equivalent of the Munich, Shangri-La, and other regional security conferences. Although the conference has yet to reach that level of influence, it does…

Woomera Test Range 

05/22/2018
During the period 14-20 April 2018, 110th Field Battery, 16th Air Land Regiment, conducted Exercise REMAGEN BRIDGE (Ex RB18) – an all arms air defence (AAAD) and advanced missile live fire exercise at Woomera Test Range, South Australia.  The main effort was the inoculation of RBS-70 operators regarding the effects…

VFA-147 Transitions to the F-35

05/21/2018
On April 18, the U.S. Navy’s Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-147 ‘Argonauts,’ completed its first F-35C flight at Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, Calif. The inaugural flight supports the squadron’s transition from the F/A-18E Super Hornet to the F-35C, marking a significant step forward in the integration of the F-35C weapons…

Paras Train

05/21/2018
U.S. Army Rangers from 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment and the Italian Army 4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment (Rangers), conduct a multinational airborne operation, Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, April 27, 2018.  Rangers from both countries trained together for10 days, as part of the Joint Warfighting Assessment 18, to enhance their future…