Once again Grant is unavailable due to illness so Steve is joined by award winning aviation journalist and Principle at Communications Intelligence, an independent aviation and defence consultancy, Andrew McLaughlin.

With the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 continuing into its fourth week, we discuss the prominent role being played by the venerable Lockheed P3 Orion in the operation. Orions from Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan have been operating tirelessly as the search continues.

We also discuss the pending transition of the RAAF away from the Orion to the P8 Poseidon over the next few years, as well as an update on the progress of Australia’s first two F35 aircraft, pondering among other things the notion that the Royal Australian Navy’s new ski ramp equipped landing helicopter docks (better known in some circles as “Harrier Carriers”) might be suited to F35-B STOVL operations some day.

Andrew McLaughlin can be found at Communications Intelligence and on twitter as @comint_au