Aviation Specials - July 2018

Headquartered at MCAS Yuma in

Arizona, MAWTS-1 hosts the weapons

and tactics instructor (WTI) course

twice a year, with graduates going

on to serve as their unit’s instructors.

MAWTS-1’s CH-53 division — which uses

the callsign ‘Metal’ — effectively trains

the trainers for the HMH squadrons,

teaching ‘Echo’ pilots and aircrews the

latest tactics to keep the units operating

at the cutting edge of marine heavy-lift

assault support capabilities.

Warhorse

Maj Andrew Baxter, a CH-53E instructor

in MAWTS-1’s assault support

department, outlined what the Super

Stallion brings to the Marine Air-Ground

Task Force (MAGTF). ‘It’s really the only

heavy-lift asset as far as helicopters go.

The advantage is that, obviously, a fixed-

Low over the

Arizona desert,

this -53 prepares

to take fuel

from a

KC-130J tanker

just prior to

sunset during a

WTI long-range

raid mission.

When US Marines need heavy lift support, they rely

on the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion. The Yearbook

meets those who uphold the highest standards in

CH-53E operations — the members of Marine Aviation

Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1).

REPORT AND PHOTOS Joe Copalman

H

AVING BEEN IN Marine

Corps service since 1981,

the Sikorsky CH-53E, or

‘Echo’ as it is universally

known as within the USMC

Super Stallion community,

currently equips 10 marine heavy

helicopter (HMH) units, including one

that specializes in training and one that

has reserve status. The squadron that

has the most significant impact on m

marine CH-53 operations, however, has

no aircraft assigned. Marine Aviation

Weapons and Tactics Squadron One

(MAWTS-1) is the service’s center of

aviation excellence, where tactics,

techniques and procedures (TTPs) for

every type/model/series aircraft in

the USMC’s inventory are developed,

refined, and revised.

HEAVY

ME TA L

US NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIR POWER YEARBOOK 2018

(^28) UNIT REPORT
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