The 2014 Miramar Air Show: The End of the CH-46 Era and the Beginning of the F-35B Transformation

10/15/2014
10/12/2014: F-35 Lightning II with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 performing at the 2014 Miramar Air Show aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Oct. 4. The show was noteworthy for marking both the end of an era and a beginning. The CH-46 flew at the air show at…

The USS America visits the Americas: Stopping by Uruguay

08/16/2014
08/15/2014: A tiltrotor MV-22 Osprey, assigned to the Argonauts of Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron (VMX) 22, transporting distinguished visitors and guests from Uruguay prepares to land aboard future amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6). America is currently traveling through the U.S. Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet…

Osprey Performs Aerial Demo During Singapore Airshow

02/14/2014
02/14/2014: An MV-22B Osprey performs in the aerial demonstration portion of the Singapore International Airshow 2014 Feb. 11 at the Changi Exhibition Center in Singapore. The video concludes with a view on the next phase of innovation in USMC aviation, the F-35B.  Credit:III Marine Expeditionary Force / Marine Corps Installations…

F-35B Hot Pit Refueling

09/09/2013
09/08/2013: This past May, the Marines practiced hot pit refueling at Eglin.  This is a technique to generate more combat capability through a ramp up of sortie generation rates. One might note the seamless engagement of a UK pilot in the exercise.  Hot pit refueling is a procedure usually performed…

Marines Showcase the F-35B in MCAS Beaufort’s Future

08/27/2013
08/26/2013: On 20 August 2013, Marine Aircraft Group 31 hosted a showcase of the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, SC. During the event, MajGen Robert Hedelund, Second Marine Aircraft Wing Commanding General, addressed government dignitaries and the local media.  Credit:Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort- Combat…

F-35B Hot Refuel at MCAS Miramar

08/26/2013
08/26/2013: Two U.S. Marine F-35B Lightning II jets with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121, Marine Air Group 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), conduct a training flight from Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, Ariz. to MCAS Miramar, San Diego, Calif., Aug. 7, 2013 for a hot pit refuel.…

Shaping a New Approach to Combat Learning: The Role of the F-35

11/30/2012
2012-11-30 by Robbin Laird Ed Timperlake has pioneered work on how to understand the entire approach to re-thinking what the new generation of combat air is really all about.  To capture the difference between his generation of aircraft and the F-35, Timperlake has focused on what he calls the Z-axis and…