a lot of switch-outs because of wear and
tear and it meant we were having to
regularly replace them, and they were in
short supply. Our maintainers said they
thought that they could fix it in-house.
They demonstrated their fix, we went
it off to the JPO [Joint Program Office],
who analyzed it and approved it. So
there’s a huge saving right there thanks
to our enterprising young sergeants.’Looking ahead
Readiness and personnel retention
are high up the list of priorities for
most squadron commanders these
days. ‘We’re very healthy in terms of
the number of maintainers we have
in the F-35 program,’ says Vaughn,
while acknowledging that this has
proved to be something of a drain on
the other communities, and that pilot
numbers and overall manning levels
remain ‘critically low’. Overall manning
demographics on Harrier and Hornet
units are even lower in comparison, even
while these aircraft remain relevant and
are regularly on the road. A 16-aircraft
F-35 squadron footprint is slightly larger
than that of a comparable AV-8B unit.
Despite a handful of field service
representatives from Lockheed Martin
and Pratt & Whitney, everything is done
in-house. ‘We like to pride ourselves on
being the nation’s expeditionary force
in readiness — able to pick up and go
with very little warning. The reason why
contract maintenance won’t work for usis that sometimes I’ll need them to work
weekends, I’ll need them to work long
days if that’s what the mission requires.
We need flexibility and we don’t have
that with contract labor.’
Where contracted services may help
squadrons like VMFA-211 is Red Air. Most
fighter squadrons are talking about the
need for contracted aggressors, and it’s
keenly felt at Yuma, despite having a co-
located adversary unit. ‘It’s challenging
to generate the level of Red Air the jet
requires,’ says Vaughn. ‘VMFT-401 doesa great job, they have to do a lot to
stress us, and they’re always trying to
come up with something new, but we
normally handle it. BVR is where the
adversary requirement is the highest,
and contracted Red Air needs to, and
is starting to, bring forward a more
sophisticated adversary with a radar a
jammer — that’s what we really need.
We simply require large numbers of
adversaries to challenge us.’
Going into 2018, the ‘Avengers’
are going to deploy with a Marine
Expeditionary Unit. It’s a big milestone
for the squadron, and details are
currently being finalized. Time away
from home always focuses the mind on
manning concerns, and the best ways
to retain quality individuals — a healthy
work-life balance is essential. While
being deployed is a drain on personal
lives, it’s a time to hone professional
careers and concentrate on the mission
at hand. With so much at stake, it’s
important that squadrons like VMFA-211
have the right team in place. It’s also
important to understand and appreciate
the ethos and heritage that helps forge
a squadron like this — one that is at
the leading edge of one of the greatest
revolutions in Marine Corps tactical
aviation.Acknowledgements: The author wishes
to thank Lt Col Chad Vaughn, Capt
Gabriel Adibe, 1st Lt Casey Littesy
and all at VMFA-211 ‘Avengers’ and
VMGR-352 ‘Raiders’.Above: The Yuma
ranges and
aggressor assets
in the area are
high on the list
to enhance F-35
training.
Below: The
Marine Corps
doesn’t consider
an F-35B fully
serviceable
until its low
observable-
coating is fully
restored.
Richard CollensUNIT REPORT | VMFA-211
http://www.combataircraft.net January 201848
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