2014-12-04 By Robbin Laird The Royal Australian Air Force is in the throes of significant modernization. As I wrote during my visit earlier this year to Australia about the process of change: The Aussies entered the 21st century with an aging Air Force. The silver lining in that difficult position…
12/10/2014: Amphibious assault vehicles, attached to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, approach the well deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5). Peleliu at the time was the lead ship in the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group and along with the embarked 31st MEU conducted joint forces exercises in…
12/10/2014:U.S. Navy Sailors from Expeditionary Strike Group Three, USS Anchorage (LPD23), USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52) Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Eight, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group One, Fleet Combat Camera Pacific, and Fleet Weather Center San Diego are in the Pacific Ocean supporting the Orion Crew Module recovery operations. USS Anchorage (LPD 23) is currently…
12/10/2014: An F/A-18A Hornet, from the Aircraft Research and Development Unit, transits over Woomera Test Range after the JDAM-ER trial. From a Ferra Engineering press release in March 2013: Ferra Engineering has received a contract for the production and delivery of a new extended range (ER) wing kit for the…
12/09/2014: Australia’s Air Task Group (ATG) consisting of six RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets, an E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft and a KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft continue to support Operation OKRA with missions in Iraq. The ATG comprises around 400 RAAF personnel who have deployed to the…
12/09/2014: Australia’s Air Task Group (ATG) consisting of six RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets, an E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft and a KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft continue to support Operation OKRA with missions in Iraq. The ATG comprises around 400 RAAF personnel who have deployed to the…
12/08/2014: A landing craft utility (LCU) from Naval Beach Unit (NBU) 7 navigates at sunset while returning to the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) after conducting a scheduled beach raid exercise. Peleliu is the lead ship in the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group (#PELARG14) seen conducting joint forces exercises…
2014-11-27 By Robbin Laird It is often stated that Western powers will not operate alone in future air operations. But to say this, and to do this effectively are two very different issues. At the European Air Group at High Wycombe, seven key European Air Forces have set up an…