By Pierre Tran Paris - The wars in Ukraine and Gaza have not fueled fresh sales of the Rafale, Eric Trappier, executive chairman of Dassault Aviation, prime contractor for the French-built fighter jet, said Dec. 5. “These two crises are very hard, very sad, (but) there has been no impact,”…
By Robbin Laird This report focuses on MAWTS-1 in 2023. In 2023, I interviewed the CO of MAWTS-1, Col Eric Purcell, in April and then visited the command in November after the second WTI of the year. This provided a chance to discuss how MAWTS-1 had progressed in working enhanced…
By Robbin Laird Each of the services is seeking ways to distribute their force for survivability and presence, but at the same time working through a joint lens to enhance lethality. But the elephant in the room is sustainability, maintainability, and broader considerations of logistics support. When visiting PACFLEET and…
By Robbin Laird C3 is the key tissue allowing for the shaping of a distributed force which can be integrated to create the desired combat effect. During my November 2023 visit to MAWTS-1, I discussed the way ahead in this crucial area with Major Christopher Werner, the C3Department Head. Werner…
U.S. Marine CH-53E Super Stallion and a CH-53K King Stallion helicopters assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, perform external lifts during Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 1-24 at Yuma Auxiliary Army Airfield 2, Arizona, Oct. 3, 2023. WTI is an advanced, graduate-level course for selected pilots…
By Robbin Laird With the coming of maritime autonomous systems, we are reminded once again about the importance of understanding what a technology does and does not do for an organization. If you keep the structure of the organization the same, you simply wait for the technology to be useful…
By Robbin Laird During my visit to MAWTS-1 in November 2023, I had a chance to talk with Maj Scott Mahaffey, the Department Head for the Ground Combat Department. Maj Mahaffey has been at MAWTS for three years but prior to that has had a number of deployments, including Afghanistan,…
U.S. Marine MV-22B Osprey and KC-130J Hercules aircrafts, assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, participate in Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 1-24, at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, Oct. 11, 2023. WTI is an advanced, graduate-level course for selected pilots and enlisted aircrew providing standardized advanced tactical…
