USS WASP F-35B Ship Integration (4)

05/30/2015
05/30/2015: On May 26, 2015, several journalists flew to the USS WASP aboard an Osprey from the Pentagon to the ship, which was operating off of the North Carolina coast. In addition to viewing the ops of the F-35B aboard the ship, there was opportunity to talk with the crew…

USS WASP F-35B Ship Integration (3)

05/29/2015
05/29/2015: On May 26, 2015, several journalists flew to the USS WASP aboard an Osprey from the Pentagon to the ship, which was operating off of the North Carolina coast. In addition to viewing the ops of the F-35B aboard the ship, there was opportunity to talk with the crew…

USS WASP F-35B Ship Integration (2)

05/28/2015
05/27/2015: On May 26, 2015, several journalists flew to the USS WASP aboard an Osprey from the Pentagon to the ship, which was operating off of the North Carolina coast. In addition to viewing the ops of the F-35B aboard the ship, there was opportunity to talk with the crew…

USS WASP F-35B Ship Integration (1)

05/27/2015
05/27/2015: On May 26, 2015, several journalists flew to the USS WASP aboard an Osprey from the Pentagon to the ship, which was operating off of the North Carolina coast. In addition to viewing the ops of the F-35B aboard the ship, there was opportunity to talk with the crew…

Visiting HMS Queen Elizabeth

05/09/2015
05/09/2015: At the end of March 2015, Second Line of Defense visited HMS Queen Elizabeth in Scotland.  These photos were shot during the visit by the RN/RAF team and are credited to them. [maxgallery id="118173"] The first photo shows the ski jump on the flight deck for the F-35B.  The…

Looking Back: USMC Ospreys and Harriers Aboard the HMS Illustrious

03/27/2015
03/25/2015: By Robbin Laird In 2007, the HMS Illustrious was the first non-US ship on which an Osprey was to land. I had the opportunity to be aboard one of those Ospreys and land on the ship and observe Marines working with the Royal Navy and operating their Harriers off of the…

First Italian F-35 Rolls Out from Cameria FACO

03/16/2015
03/15/2015: CAMERI, ITALY, March 12, 2015 According to a press release issued at the time of the roll out, the importance of the follout of the first F-35A from the Cameri facility. History was achieved today when the first Italian F-35A Lightning II rolled out of the Final Assembly and…

Visiting the F-35 Final Assembly Line, Fort Worth

03/01/2015
02/26/2015: By Robbin Laird I had not visited the Final Assembly Line or FAL in Fort Worth since late 2012. Much has changed as the line has matured, and a line stood up in Cameri, Italy and one being built in Japan. The first Italian FACO F-35 rollout will happen…