2015-09-26 “In June 2005 the Squadron officially moved to its home base at RAF Coningsby and by July it was teaching new pilots for 17(R) Squadron on a formal course. Bucking the trend of recent squadron disbandments, 29(R) Squadron officially ‘stood up’ for operational service on 4 November 2005. This…
2015-09-24 By Robbin Laird The USMC is as integrated a force as exits as a 21st century combat force. They use their KC-130Js in a very flexible role supporting their air-ground-sea combat team. They have seen a major transformation with the coming of the Osprey, whereby they are the paired…
09/26/2015: U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force—Crisis Response—Central Command, prepare and launch F/A-18s for night strike missions in Southwest Asia, July 15, 2015. The pilots of VMFA-232 fly a combination of kinetic strike missions, close air support and reconnaissance sorties supporting USSCENTCOM…
2015-09-20 By Robbin Laird In 2008, the USAF selected the Airbus A300MRTT tanker. It was a clear winner from the standpoint of what the USAF wanted from a tanker. But politics and the anomalies of the US acquisition process intruded and the next Administration picked a Boeing tanker, one which…
2015-09-25 The Danes are holding a 10-day Arctic exercise to train to support emergency operations. In an article published by the Danish Ministry of Defence on September 9, 2015, details were provided concerning the exercise. The purpose of the exercise is to train the Arctic Command in Nuuk to work…
2015-09-18 By Robbin Laird The Army has so hijacked the concept of jointness that the broader transformation of jointness being shaped by the evolution of the amphibious forces has escaped attention as precisely what it is – the transformation of joint capabilities. In broad terms, amphibious operations has shifted from…
09/24/2015: U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force—Crisis Response—Central Command, prepare and launch F/A-18s for strike missions in Southwest Asia, June 30 – July 8, 2015. The pilots of VMFA-232 fly a combination of kinetic strike missions, close air support and reconnaissance sorties…
09/23/2015: The inaugural bilateral maritime exercise between India and Australia, AUSINDEX15, was held in Visakhapatnam, India between 12 - 20 Sep 2015. Three Royal Australian Navy platforms and a Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C made the passage to India for the exercise. HMA Ships Sirius and Arunta and submarine Sheean…