2013-09-26 By Robbin Laird The United States is no longer a superpower. It is clearly a significant global power. The period where the Soviet Union collapsed and left the US in a lopsided leadership position was a clear anomaly. This period is in the rear view mirror. Some asserted during…
2013-09-26 Although the F-35B is a new aircraft, and new skills are being learned, the USMC is clearly harvesting experience where relevant to shaping the combat approach of the new aircraft. In a discussion with a combat-hardened Marine who is a weapons loader for the Harrier, the shaping of the approach…
2013-09-25 One of the issues Secretary Wynne was briefed on and given a hands on look was Maintenance of Low Observable characteristics approach being shaped at the 33rd FW. USAF maintainers showed the Secretary how they were addressing the effort and rolling out the LO maintenance capability. The LO maintainers…
09/24/2013: An interview of U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Cody Hill, native of Rome, Ga., and an AV-8B Harrier airframe mechanic assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 266 (Reinforced). 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), on the flight deck of the USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), at sea, July 20, 2013. The…
2013-09-23 By Ed Timperlake John Boyd in his lecture (which I sat through twice) had a sine qua non building block for his work: the F-86 versus Mig-15 exchange rate kills by his beloved F-86 in "MIG Ally. " The exchange rate was approximately 10 to 1. Lessons learned at…
2013-09-22 Brazil is the 6th largest economy in the world. It is also a leader of a significant group of developing nations which is called the BRIC nations. This term refers to the developing countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The NSA spy scandal has clearly hurt U.S. national security interests.…
09/21/2013: A RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) is launched from the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) during a missile firing exercise. Boxer is underway off the coast of Southern California conducting a composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX). RAM is the fruit of a very successful US-German arms collaboration…
2013-09-21 With the changing strategic situation in Asia, the government of the Philippines is reworking its relationship with the U.S. military. According to sources in Manila, a key consideration is the mobility, which the evolving USMC brings to the stage. As this source noted: “The Marines can move rapidly with the…
