Featured Article

06/14/2025
We have a growing experience with drone warfare and its impacts. The best way to understand their impact is how they have already re-shaped combined arms operations. Notably when combined with payload revolution and fifth generation warfare operations, as seen in the recent Israeli operation in Iran, drones are becoming a key part of the evolution of combined arms. Analysis of the Ukraine-Russia war, Houthi drone campaigns, and Israeli precision operations provides insights with regard…
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Integration of Air Defense Command Elements onboard the USS Gerald R. Ford

11/25/2020By MC1 Jeff Troutman Off the Coast of Virginia, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and its embarked Carrier Air Wing 8 are conducting the first-ever fully integrated… Read more »

The Way Ahead for the Large Deck Carrier: The Perspective of Rear Admiral Meier, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic

11/23/2020By Robbin Laird The day before we flew to the USS Gerald R. Ford, I sat down with Rear Admiral Meier, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic, in his… Read more »

EMALS Launch USS Gerald R. Ford, November 17, 2020

11/19/2020This launch sequence was viewed onboard the USS Gerald R. Ford at sea November 17, 2020. It also features the in-deck launch control officer. Read more »

Landing with the New Advanced Arresting Gear: USS Gerald R. Ford, November 17, 2020

11/19/2020In this slideshow and video, a US Navy fighter jet lands onboard the USS Gerald R. Ford during the cyclical operations training cycle as seen on a visit… Read more »

Visiting the USS Gerald R. Ford: November 17, 2020

11/18/2020By Robbin Laird On November 17, 2020, a small number of journalists, most from the local Norfolk based media, flew from Norfolk Air Station to the USS Gerald… Read more »

RAAF Builds Out New Facilities to Support F-35 Force

11/04/2020RAAF Base Williamtown is home to the tactical fighter element of the Air Combat Group and the Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) element of Surveillance and Response… Read more »

The Next Phase of the F-35 Global Enterprise: USS America Works Integration with Japanese F-35s

11/01/2020The F-35 fleet emerging in the Pacific is the 21st century version of the US Navy’s World War II “big blue blanket.” With the Japanese expanding their F-35… Read more »

Building Blocks on the USS Ford: Reshaping the Flight Deck and Ops Tempo

10/23/2020By Robbin Laird In the last article on the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), I looked at one key building block which enhances both the ops tempo… Read more »

The UK Defence Strategy: “Integrated Operating Concept”

10/21/2020The UK is clearly in a period of significant strategic change. The twin impacts of COVID-19 and BREXIT are enough to assure that. With the significant impact of… Read more »