Recently, the UK Ministry of Defence announced its new strategy to accelerate the development of uncrewed systems for its armed forces and to generate products for export as well. In a 22 February 2024 press release by the UK MoD, this new strategy was introduced as follows: A new strategy…
What involves 90,000 forces, more than 50 naval assets, 80 air platforms and more than 1,100 combat vehicles? Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024 – NATO’s biggest in decades, aimed at reinforcing the defence of Europe. February 2, 2024 Natochannel
By Robbin Laird In my last article, I highlighted a third way one can discuss autonomous systems working with manned air systems. This third way would focus upon crafting combat clusters which work in a combined arms operation involving a manned air system with autonomous maritime systems especially working as…
Sailors, assigned to U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella, and airmen, assigned to 446th Airlift Wing, joined their Italian counterparts to execute a mass casualty drill on Naval Air Station Sigonella, May 12. NAS Sigonella's strategic location enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to deploy and respond as required to ensure…
U.S. Marines with 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, unload tactical vehicles onto a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III assigned to the 14th Airlift Squadron, 437th Airlift Wing, during a strategic mobility exercise, as part of Service Level Training Exercise 2-24 at Camp…
By Robbin Laird Generally, when autonomous systems are discussed in relation to manned systems, the focus is upon teaming. Images of the Australian Loyal Wingman come to mind whereby the autonomous system is seen as a slaved system to a manned aircraft, hence the term teaming. A key capability of…
U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, conduct a live-fire day and night deliberate ground attack on Range 410A as part of Service Level Training Exercise 2-24 at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Jan. 25, 2024. Range 410A challenges platoons to perform a…
By Robbin Laird Improving sustainment has been an ongoing major effort throughout the evolution of the tiltrotor enterprise. The Nacelle Improvement program (NI) is a major milestone in this effort. When discussing sustainment, an important metric is the mission-capable rate (MC). That rate - expressed as a percentage of total…
