Page 60 - North Atlantic and Nordic Defense

North European and North Atlantic Defense: The Challenges Return

The Aussies and the Dutch are standing up their F-35s at about the same time, and cross learning between the
Aussies and the F-35 European enterprise is clearly already underway based on my interviews in Australia as
well.

In short, the UK is leading the way in shaping a new infrastructure for a 21st century air combat force and
with its operational footprint at RAF Lakenheath, the USAF is well positioned to interact with this dynamic of
change.

With the RAF and the USAF setting up four squadrons of F-35s between them at two nearby RAF bases, there
is a clear opportunity to shape a common sustainment solution.

And the impact of so doing could be significant on the North Sea neighbors, namely, the Danes the
Norwegians and the Dutch. This is clearly a key way ahead in building out NATO capabilities going forward,
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which provides a 21 century example of burden sharing which delivers relevant capabilities.
This piece was first published by Breaking Defense

https://breakingdefense.com/2017/05/allies-and-21st-century-weapons-the-f-35-comes-to-europe/

Allies and 21 Century Weapons: The Maritime Domain Strike Enterprise
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2017-07-19 Recently, the UK, Norway and the US signed an agreement to work together on ASW in the
North Atlantic, which will leverage the joint acquisition of the P-8 aircraft.

This agreement and the evolution of the aircraft is yet another example of the US and its allies standing up at
the same time an evolving defense capability in which allies are clearly key partners in shaping the evolution
of a core combat capability.

To lay down a foundation for a 21st century approach, the US Navy is pairing its P-8s with a new large
unmanned aircraft, and working an integrated approach between the two. In a very narrow sense, the P-8
and Triton are “replacing” the P-3.

But the additional ISR and C2 enterprise being put in place to operate the combined P-8 and Triton
capability is a much broader capability than the classic P-3. Much like the Osprey transformed the USMC
prior to flying the F-35, the P-8/Triton team is doing the same for the US Navy as the F-35 comes to the
carrier air wing.

The team at Navy Jax is building a common Maritime Domain Awareness and Maritime Combat Culture and
treats the platforms as partner applications of the evolving combat theory. The partnership is both technology
synergistic and also aircrew are moving between the Triton and P-8.

The P-8s is part of a cluster of airplanes which have emerged defining the way ahead for combat airpower
which are software upgradeable: the Australian Wedgetail, the global F-35, and the Advanced Hawkeye, all
have the same dynamic modernization potential to which will be involved in all combat challenges of maritime
operations.

It is about shaping a combat learning cycle in which software can be upgraded as the user groups shape real
time what core needs they see to rapidly deal with the reactive enemy.

Second Line of Defense

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