T
HE US MARINE Corps is
the smallest of the four
military branches of the
Department of Defense
and a component of
the Department of the
Navy. Referred to as America’s
‘crisis response force’ and an
‘expeditionary force in readiness’,
the Fleet Marine Force was
established in November 1775
as the Continental Marines. It
was initially tasked to conduct
ship-to-ship ghting, provideshipboard security and serve as a
landing force.
The corps is equipped with the
organic capabilities for integrated
air, ground and logistics support
for rapidly deployable Marine
Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTFs).
Marine aviation provides the
combined arms task forces
with the ability to ‘conduct air
operations, project combat power
and contribute to battlespace
dominance in support of the
MAGTF’s mission.’
The MAGTF includes three
marine expeditionary forces
(MEFs) and their associated marine
expeditionary brigades (MEBs),
which include marine regiments,
marine aircraft groups (MAGs) and
combat logistics regiments. Marine
aviation assets within the MAGTF
are assigned to the Aviation Combat
Element (ACE).
Special purpose marine air-
ground task forces (SPMAGTFs)
are formed to accomplish speci c
missions, with elements of a
MAGTF on a smaller scale. These
organizations currently include
the SPMAGTF — Crisis Response
— Africa (SPMAGTF-CR-AF) at
Morón Air Base, Spain and its
Central Command equivalent
(SPMAGTF-CR-CC) in Bahrain.1st Marine Aircraft
Wing (1st MAW)
Headquartered at MCB Camp
Foster, Okinawa, Japan, the 1st
MAW is tasked as the aviation
combat element (ACE) for the III
Marine Expeditionary Force (III
MEF). It is responsible for three
MAGs and currently has nine
permanently assigned ying
squadrons. Additionally, Stateside
squadrons and detachments
from the 2nd and 3rd MAW are
rotationally assigned to MAG-12
and MAG-36, in support of
the 1st MAW unit deployment
program (UDP).
Marine Aircraft Groups
MAG-12 MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
MAG-24 MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
MAG-36 MCAS Futenma, Japan2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW)
The 2nd MAW is headquartered at
MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina,
and serves as the ACE for the II
MEF. It is responsible for four MAGs
that control 26 ying squadrons
including four eet replacement
squadrons (FRS) and a newly
activated marine unmanned aerial
vehicle training detachment. The
wing’s squadrons and detachments
are tasked to support deployments
with the 22nd, 24th and 26th MEU
(Special Operations Capable) or
the 2nd MEB as well as the 1stMAW’s UDP in Japan. Its units also
conduct deployments in support of
Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground
Task Force-Crisis Response-Central
Command (SPMAGTF-CR-CC)
and its African equivalent
(SPMAGTF-CR-AF) as required.
At present, one marine ghter
attack squadron (VMFA) from
MAG-31 is tasked to deploy
as part of Carrier Air Wing
Seventeen (CVW-17) in support
of naval aviation’s tactical aircraft
integration plan.
Marine Aircraft Groups
MAG-14 MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina
MAG-26 MCAS New River, North Carolina
MAG-29 MCAS New River, North Carolina
MAG-31 MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina
Fleet replacement squadrons
VMAT-203 MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina AV/TAV-8B
VMMT-204 MCAS New River, North Carolina MV-22B
HMHT-302 MCAS New River, North Carolina CH-53E
VMFAT-501 MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina F-35B
VMUT MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina RQ-21AAIR POWER REVIEW
An in-depth look at the units, bases and
aircraft that comprise US Marine Corps air
power in 2018.REPORT Tom Kaminski
Sea-based marine expeditionary
units (MEU) are forward-deployed
aboard US Navy amphibious vessels
as part of an Amphibious Ready
Group (ARG) and are considered to
be SP-MAGTFs. The ACE assigned to
each of the seven MEUs is formed
around reinforced marine medium
tilt-rotor squadrons (VMMs). Their
assets include MV-22B medium-
lift tilt-rotors, CH-53E heavy-lift
helicopters, AH-1W or AH-1Z
helicopter gunships, UH-1Y utility
helicopters, RQ-21A unmanned
aircraft and AV-8Bs or F-35Bs that
are detached from other squadrons.
Marine aviation units are
organized under three active
component (AC) MAWs and a
reserve component (RC) MAW.
Marine aviation is currently
responsible for nearly 1,300 aircraft.Fleet
modernization
Transition of the tactical aircraft
(TACAIR) eet to the Joint Strike
Fighter is now picking up pace
and the Lightning II is on track to
reach its full program of record
operational capability with Block
3F software during 2018. The full
conversion from F/A-18 and AV-8 to
F-35 will be completed in 2031. The
last original Hercules squadron will
begin its transition to the KC-130J
in early 2019 and will complete
the process in early 2020. The
KC-130J will achieve FOC in 2026
when both reserve squadrons have
received their full complements of
12 aircraft.
While all of the USMC’s medium-
lift squadrons have receivedAn F/A-18C Hornet assigned to VMFA-312
‘Checkerboards’ on the ight deck of the
aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt
(CVN 71). US Navy/MCS3C Spencer RobertsUS NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIR POWER YEARBOOK 2018
(^86) AIR POWER REVIEW
86-99 Marine Tables C.indd 86 01/06/2018 14:04