AIRCRAFT
OF THE
US
MARINE
CORPS
EA-6B Prowler
A lone marine tactical electronic
warfare squadron operates
six Grumman EA-6Bs. VMAQ-3
‘Moon Dogs’ was the third
squadron to stand down when
it was deactivated on May 11,- The Prowler’s nal phase-
out will occur at the end of FY
2019, when VMAQ-2 deactivates.
The Prowler is capable of
jamming enemy radars and
communications via its AN/
ALQ-99 tactical jamming system
(TJS) and the AN/USQ-113
radio countermeasures set. It
can also carry AGM-88 HARM
missiles, which allow the Prowler
to destroy emitting radar
stations. Furthermore, the AN/
ALQ-218 airborne electronic
attack suite makes the ICAP III
version capable of geo-locatingelectronic emitters and precisely
identifying and pinpointing the
location of enemy radar sites
for the more e ective use of
HARM missiles.
The EA-6B is powered by
two Pratt & Whitney J52-P-408
turbojet engines. It rst entered
service with the marines in 1977.
Squadron Location Aircraft Command Tail code
VMAQ-2 ‘Death Jesters’
(see note 1)MCAS Cherry Point,
North Carolina EA-6B (ICAP III) MAG-14 CY
1 VMAQ-2 will be deactivated at the end of FY 2019.UC-12B/F/W Huron
Assigned to the operational
support airlift (OSA) mission, the US
Marine Corps’ UC-12s are assigned
to air stations located Stateside
and in Japan. Those aircraft on the
strength of the active component
are operated by the base
headquarters and headquarters
squadron (H&HS), whereas the
Marine Corps Reserve aircraft are
assigned to a marine transport
detachment (VMR Det).The King Airs support the
MAGTF commander by providing
time-sensitive transport of high-
priority passengers and cargo and
other critical air logistic support
between and within theaters of
war during expeditionary, joint or
combined operations.
The OSA eet includes four
UC-12Fs, two UC-12Ms that are
based on the Beechcraft King Air 200
series and seven newer King Air 350twin turboprops that are operated
under the designation UC-12W. The
corps initially acquired six UC-12Ws
that were purchased in 2008
and achieved initial operational
capability (IOC) in 2010. A seventh
was delivered in the fall of 2016 and
an eighth is on order. Four additional
aircraft will ultimately replace the
older UC-12F/Ms by FY 2026.
Already equipped with the
AN/AAR-57 common missile
warning system and AN/ALE-47
countermeasures dispenser
system, the UC-12Ws are receiving
upgraded aviation survivability
equipment (ASE) that includes athird countermeasures dispenser.
The aircraft are also being tted with
night vision-compatible cockpits
and external lighting and wide-
area augmentation system (WAAS)
navigation equipment.
Powered by two Pratt & Whitney
Canada PT6 turboprops, the
UC-12F/M variants can carry up
to seven passengers or 1,500lb
(680kg) of cargo 700nm (1,296km).
Up to eight passengers or 2,500lb
(1,134kg) of cargo can be carried
on the UC-12Ws, which feature
extended range fuel tanks that
increase their range from 1,500 to
2,400nm (2,778 to 4,445km).Squadron Location Aircraft Command Tail code
VMR Belle Chasse NAS JRB New Orleans, Louisiana UC-12W MAG-49 EZ
H&HS ‘Swamp Foxes’
(see note 1)MCAS Beaufort,
South Carolina UC-12M MCI-E 5B
H&HS MCAS Futenma, Japan UC-12W MCI-P (5F)
H&HS MCAS Iwakuni, Japan UC-12W MCI-P (5G)
H&HS MCAS Miramar, California UC-12W MCI-W (5T)
H&HS (see note 2) MCAS New River, North Carolina UC-12F MCI-E 5D
H&HS (see note 3) MCAS Yuma, Arizona UC-12F MCI-W (5Y)
1 H&HS MCAS Beaufort to transition to UC-12W in FY25.
2 H&HS MCAS New River to transition to UC-12W in mid-FY19.
3 H&HS MCAS Yuma to transition to UC-12W in FY26.A UC-12W assigned to a headquarters and
headquarters squadron (H&HS) ight. Joe G. WalkerAB Air Base
AFB Air Force Base
ANGB Air National Guard Base
AOD Air Operations Department
AP Airport
CFLSW Commander Fleet Logistic Support Wing
CIRPAS Center for Interdisciplinary Remotely Piloted Aircraft Studies
CACCLW Commander, Airborne Command and Control Logistics Wing
CHSMSWL Commander, Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing Atlantic
CHSMSWP Commander, Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing Paci c
CHSCWL Commander, Helicopter Sea Combat Wing AtlanticABBREVIATIONS
An EA-6B Prowler of VMAQ-2
‘Death Jesters’. Jamie Hunter(^88) AIR POWER REVIEW
US NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIR POWER YEARBOOK 2018
86-99 Marine Tables C.indd 88 01/06/2018 14:05