Japanese Defense Minister visits MCAS Iwakuni

Posted on | by Caroline Teames
12/02/2015

12/02/2015: Gen Nakatani, Japanese Defense Minister, tours Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152 facilities during a visit to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 2, 2015.

As part of the growing U.S. – Japan relationship, this visit provided Nakatani an opportunity to connect with station officials and view pertinent installation facilities that aid in the Marine Corps’ mission success.

Station officials welcomed Nakatani before touring VMGR-152 and the air traffic control tower.

Credit:Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni:12/2/15

 

 

Osprey Embark with Philippine Marines

Posted on | by Caroline Teames
12/01/2015

12/01/2015: U.S. Marines with 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade and service members with the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force embark onto an MV-22B Osprey in Palawan, Philippines, during Amphibious Landing Exercise 2015 (PHIBLEX 15), Oct. 09.

PHIBLEX 15 is an annual, bilateral training exercise conducted in order to strengthen our interoperability and working relationships across a wide range of military operations from disaster relief to complex expeditionary operations.

 Credit:III Marine Expeditionary Force Combat Camera:10/9/15

 

 

US, Filippino Forces conduct Amphibious Raid

Posted on | by Caroline Teames
11/28/2015

11/28/2015: U.S. Marines with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion and Philippine Marines, with 64th Force Reconnaissance Company, Marine Special Operation Forces Group, work together to conduct an Amphibious Raid during Amphibious Landing Exercise 2015 (PHIBLEX 15) at Ternate, Philippines, Oct. 08.

PHIBLEX 15 is an annual, bilateral training exercise conducted by U.S. Marine and Navy Forces with the Armed Forces of the Philippines in order to strengthen our interoperability and working relationships across the range of military operations from disaster relief, to complex expeditionary operations.  

Credit:III Marine Expeditionary Force Combat Camera:10/8/15

 

 

Visiting a Key Naval Carrier Supplier: The VCNO in Wisconsin

Posted on | by Caroline Teames
11/25/2015

11/25/2015: Adm. Michelle Howard, vice chief of naval operations, toured the Milwaukee Valve plant in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, Nov. 20. Milwaukee Valve Company is the Navy’s largest supplier of shipboard valves.

‘I was reading an article on all the great work that’s done up here and said ‘If I’m ever in Wisconsin, I want to see where these valves are made,” said Howard. ‘You wouldn’t believe that a land locked state in the middle of the country would have such a strong tie to the Navy.’

Milwaukee Valve Company has been in partnership with the Navy since the 1960s and provides close to 12,000 valves for each individual aircraft carrier.

Howard said that she wanted to emphasize to the employees how important their job was to keeping ships at sea so they can continue to defend the nation.

‘We’re extremely proud to have Adm. Howard visit us today,’ said Rick Giannini, CEO of the Milwaukee Valve Company. ‘The Marine and Navy business is an extremely important part of what we do so we are pleased that she wanted to come see what we do.’

Giannini is also the chairman of the Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base Coalition (ACIBC). The coalition represents approximately 400 businesses that supply components and services for U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.

ACIBC seeks to preserve the strength of the aircraft carrier force and promote the value of the Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base as a vital part of the nation’s overall defense structure.

‘The shipbuilding industry is alive and well and we need support from our congressional members to keep building ships to support the defense of this great country,” said Giannini.

http://defencebriefing.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=413869

Credit:Defense Media Activity – Navy:11/20/15

 

Assault Support Tactics: MAWTS-1

Posted on | by Caroline Teames

11/25/2015: U.S. Marines assigned to 1st Transportation Support Battalion, 1st Combat Logistics Regiment conduct external lifts of M777 Howitzers and High Mobility Multi-wheeled Vehicles utilizing CH-53E Super Stallions assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) during Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course (WTI) 1-16 at Landing Zone Bull, Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range, Calif., Oct. 12, 2015.

WTI is a seven week event hosted by MAWTS-1 cadre. MAWTS-1 provides standardized tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics

Credit:Marine Corps Air Station Yuma Combat Camera:10/12/15

 

 

RAAF E-7A Wedgetail Longest Combat Flight to Date

Posted on | by Caroline Teames
11/23/2015

11/23/2015: A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning, control and surveillance aircraft set a new record by flying a 17.1 hour operational mission over Iraq and Syria. 

Along with a RAAF KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport and six F/A-18A Hornets, the Australian aircraft participate in close air support and precision strike operations, air-to-air refueling and airborne command and control in Iraq and Syria as part of the international coalition formed to disrupt and degrade the Daesh threat.

Credit: Australian MoD:11/18/15

The Wedgetail program went from “troubled” to trailblazing by starting with a significant and decisive decision.

An operational baseline was established after which the plane was put in the hands of the warfighters for training and preparing for operations.

A demand driven software development process, rather than hundreds of testers and bureaucratic overseers, can lead to the right kind of change in the rapid manner required for 21st century combat operations.

 

USAF Video of the Australian KC-30A in the Middle East

Posted on | by Caroline Teames

11/23/2015: In this recent video from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, the KC-30A is seen on the ramp being maintained.

Credit:

The KC-30A is a clear maintenance success as highlighted in an interview with Air Vice Marshal Warren McDonald.

The RAAF has deployed a single KC-30A to the Middle East operation but that single aircraft has delivered close to 30 million pounds of fuel since its arrival in late Fall 2014. The aircraft has only needed a small technical footprint, some 10 technicians to deliver a mission success rate of around 95%.

“When you introduce a new platform like the KC-30A, you need to make sure you are not doing so under a legacy mindset. You need to test your mindset in real operations and then draw your conclusions as to the best way to maintain that aircraft. Once tested and verified you then need to shift your older maintenance approach to a new one, and subsequently reshape your workforce. This does not happen right away; it is a process that will take five to seven years see fully mature.

Nothing in the personnel space happens quickly, particularly when you must adapt to such a change. The technical workforce changes we see happening in the KC-30A will be seen in the workforces of any capability we introduce, the P-8A and F-35 are other examples.

In other words, we need to reshape our workforce to optimize the new capabilities that we are introducing, so that we aren’t stuck with a legacy of the past. It’s not that we don’t value our maintenance personnel, they are key to our success on any operation.

However, we must acknowledge the significant advances in engineering that have occurred, and therefore reshape the balance of air maintenance personnel inside air force.”

http://sldinfo.wpstage.net/the-impact-of-new-platforms-on-the-way-ahead-air-vice-marshal-warren-mcdonald-focuses-on-shaping-air-force-transformation/

11/18/15

It has been suggested by the current PACAAF Commander that the USAF might seek to base USAF tankers in Australia as well.

It would have been nice if the USAF had the same aircraft as Australia as will be the case with the F-35 to get sustainment cost savings and efficiencies built into a global fleet.

USS Kearsarge Embarked Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier Strikes ISIL

Posted on | by Caroline Teames

11/23/2015: ARABIAN GULF (Nov. 19, 2015)

An AV-8B Harrier assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26th MEU), launches from the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) to conduct their first missions over Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

Kearsarge is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet, supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, the effort to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL; maritime security operations; and regional theater security cooperation efforts.

 Credit: Navy Media Content Services:11/19/15

The Kearsarge and Harriers operating off of it are no strangers to the region.

The synergy of ship, strike aircraft, and Ospreys played a significant role in Odyssey Dawn.

http://sldinfo.wpstage.net/the-role-of-the-osprey-in-operation-odyssey-dawn/

http://sldinfo.wpstage.net/the-libyan-operation-comparing-the-french-and-usmc-experiences/

http://sldinfo.wpstage.net/the-amphibious-ready-group-arg-and-libya/

And it was from the Kearsarge that the TRAP mission to save the downed USAF pilot in Libya was launched as well.

http://sldinfo.wpstage.net/looking-back-on-the-libyan-trap-mission-battle-hardened-marines-drive-innovation/