F-35B Lightning II aircraft attached to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 conduct flight operations on the flight deck aboard amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7), April 2. VMFA-211 is embarked aboard Tripoli as part of the U.S. Marine Corps' Lightning carrier concept demonstration. The Lightning carrier concept demonstration…
U.S. Marines along with coalition service members, foreign and domestic, all assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One participated in Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 1-24 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, Sept. 10, through Oct. 29, 2023. WTI is an advanced, graduate-level course for selected…
By Robbin Laird I wrote a chapter in the 2018 book entitled, One Nation Under Drones, which focused on the experience of the USMC with UAVs to date. I wrote this piece as the Marines were shifting from the primary focus on the land wars and to an enhanced focus…
US Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 flying F-35B Lightning II's conduct routine operations aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth while she conducts a double replenishment with RFA Tidespring and HNLMS Evertsen in the South China Sea on 29 July, 2021. VMFA-211 is attached to the United Kingdom's Carrier Strike Group…
As we prepare our interviews from the MAWTS-1 visit in November 2023, which includes one with a Marine Corps officer that deployed on the new British carrier, we looked back at her deployment. MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. – (December 8, 2021) With the arrival of aircraft from Marine…
By Robbin Laird From my first visit to MAWTS-1 with Ed Timperlake to MAWTS-1 to my most recent visit in November 2023, I have been impressed with how focused the team is upon force integration which can be created with real forces, not power points or by wargames or what…
These photos highlight both the legacy heavy life helicopter -- the CH-53E -- and the new King Stallion, the CH-53K -- supporting training during WTI-1-24. WTI is an advanced, graduate-level course for selected pilots and enlisted aircrew providing standardized advanced tactical training and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons…
By Pierre Tran Paris - The French, German and Spanish air force teams have trimmed down a shortlist of architectures for a European Future Air Combat System to four from five, French air force major general Jean-Luc Moritz said Nov. 9. The air force officers were working in close cooperation on selecting…
