VMFA-121 at Red Beach

12/16/2016
12/16/2016: We have recently interviewed the CO of VMFA-121 in Yuma in early December 2016 and will shortly publish his interview.  This story published last December highlights a milestone along the way for the squadron as it prepares for its deployment to Japan in 2017. An F-35B Lightning II from Marine Fighter…

USMC About USS America: The Future is Now

12/09/2016
2016-12-09 : PACIFIC OCEAN (NOV. 17, 2016) The F-35 Lightning II Pax River Integrated Test Force (ITF) wrapped up its third and final developmental test phase (DT-III) of the F-35B Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant aboard amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) on November 17. The Pax River…

Marine Corps Proof of Concept Demo

11/23/2016
11/23/2016: Twelve F-35B Lightning II's embarked on USS America (LHA 6) November 19, 2016. The demonstration is the first shipboard Marine Corps F-35B integration demonstration alongside other Marine Corps Air Combat Element assets. With over 22,500 flight hours logged, the F-35B is the most versatile aircraft in the skies today.…

Australia’s Maritime Task Group arrives in Pearl Harbor for RIMPAC 16

07/09/2016
07/09/2016: The Australian Defence Force is deploying three ships, three aircraft and more than 1650 personnel to take part in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2016 off the coast of Hawaii and California. The multinational activity held from 30 June to 4 August 2016 is the world’s largest maritime exercise…

Arrival of New Aussie Amphibious Ship in Pearl Harbor

07/07/2016
07/07/2016: Task Group 659.1, including HMA Ships Canberra, Warramunga, Ballarat and HMNZS Te Kaha arrive in Pearl Harbour, Hawaii for the commencement of the world’s largest maritime warfare exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2016. The Australian Defence Force is deploying three ships, three aircraft and more than 1,650 personnel to…

Training for Expeditionary Ops

07/05/2016
07/05/2016: Bulk Fuel Specialist Marines and Marine aviation crew chiefs with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163 (Reinforced), 11th MEU fuel aircraft at a Forward Armament and Refueling Point (FARP) aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., May 11, 2016.  The mission of a FARP is to provide fuel and ordnance necessary…

The Venom in an Aerial Gunnery Refinement Exercise

05/25/2016
05/25/2016: U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom’s assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) conduct an Aerial Gunnery Refinement exercise during Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 2-16 at Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range, Calif., March 30, 2016. WTI is a seven week training event hosted by MAWTS-1 cadre…

Exercising the Refueling of Helos in the Battlespace

05/08/2016
05/08/2016: U.S. Marines participating in Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course (WTI) 2-16 conduct a static refuel on landing Zone Bull at Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range, Calif., March 26, 2016. WTI is a seven week event hosted by MAWTS-1. MAWTS-1 provides standardized tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications…