the next two years, with VMFA(AW)-225
‘Vikings’ following closely on their heels.
That’s the plan right now. Then there’s
our facilities. We’ve broken ground on
the rst new F-35 hangar at Miramar and
we’ve started expanding the ight line. As
they build those new facilities they’ll start
tearing down some of the old hangars. It’s
all part of upgrading to the new capability.’
The MV-22B Osprey is an example of
a more mature transition. ‘The MV-22 is
nearly complete on this coast; we have
all the airplanes,’ says Wise. ‘We have ve
squadrons here at Miramar and two at
Camp Pendleton.’ The HMLA squadrons in
the wing have also now fully transitioned
to the UH-1Y and the AH-1Z, with
Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training
Squadron (HMLAT) 303 sending o the
last 3rd MAW AH-1W on its nal ight on
February 6, 2018, as it headed for Davis-
Monthan AFB’s Aerospace Maintenance
and Regeneration Group in Arizona.
‘The CH-53K King Stallion is also on
our horizon,’ Wise adds. The replacement
for the venerable CH-53E may be a
way o for the Miramar squadrons, but
deployment cycles and transition plans
are well in train. On the unmanned
front, the wing is almost complete in its
wholesale move from the RQ-7 Shadow
to the RQ-21 Blackjack.Above: The west
coast Cobra
contingent
is now solely
composed of
AH-1Zs.
Right top to
bottom: A VMM-
163 MV-22B
lifts o at MCAS
Miramar.
Three KC-130Js
of VMGR-
352 ‘Raiders’
conducted a
ceremonial
formation
ight for the
squadron’s 75th
anniversary on
March 30. USMC/
LCpl Clare J.
McIntire3RD MARINE AIR WING^53US NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIR POWER YEARBOOK 2018
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