Angel Thunder 2013: Air Refueling of Helos

06/26/2013
06/26/2013: An HC-130J COMBAT KING II air refuels two HH-60G PAVE HAWKs during Exercise Angel Thunder 2013. Angel Thunder is the world's largest Personnel Recovery exercise, supporting the DoD which affirms Personnel Recovery as "One of the Highest Priorities." AT provides the most realistic PR training environment available to USAF…

Japanese and Marines During Dawn Blitz

06/26/2013
06/25/2013: 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit working alongside Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces for a PHIBRON/MEU integration exercise as well as Japanese Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) landings on San Clemente Island, West Cove, during amphibious exercise, Dawn Blitz.  Exercise Dawn Blitz 2013 is a multinational amphibious exercise off the Southern California…

Dawn Blitz Air Assault Exercise

06/26/2013
06/26/2013: Marines with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment load into MV-22 Ospreys and CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters as a part of a large-scale air assault to 29 Palms involving over 30 helicopters during exercise Dawn Blitz, June 20.  Dawn Blitz 2013 is one of a series of amphibious training events…

USS Carter Hall Flight Operations

06/20/2013
06/20/2013: USS Carter Hall flight operations In photos 1 and 2, as part of an ammunition resupply, an MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 266 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), lands on the flight deck of the USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) while at sea April 6,…

Exercise Dawn Blitz 2013: Off Loading Equipment

06/19/2013
06/18/2013: Exercise Dawn Blitz 2013: Off Loading Equipment [slidepress gallery='exercise-dawn-blitz-2013'] Credit:1st Marine Division - Combat Camera:6/14/13 In the first three photos, U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Regiment-17, 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade and U.S. Navy Sailors with Naval Beach Group-1, Expeditionary Strike Group-3, conduct Maritime Prepositioning Force training and offload equipment…

The F-35, Tanking and the Fleet

06/18/2013
06/18/2013:  By Robbin Laird In these photos provided by the 33rd Fighter Wing, F-35As are being tanked by a KC-135.  The photos were shot from the tanker during the tanking operation. Earlier this year, I wrote a piece in the Canadian journal Front Line Defence on the F-35 and tanking,…