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OKINAWA, Japan - Nearly two dozen Marines from the Marine Air Support Squadron 2, Marine Air Control Group 18, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, recently participated in the Lava Viper 2011 exercise here.
MASS-2’s role during the exercise was to provide airspace control and coordination in support of 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III MEF, during their pre-deployment training.
“Typically, a Marine Air Support Squadron operates a fully capable Direct Air Support Center, but only fundamental capabilities were needed for this exercise,” said 2nd Lt. Adam Groenhout, air support control officer, Air Control Company, MASS-2. “The mission was limited to airspace deconfliction and coordination, without any need for the robust capabilities associated with a full DASC.”
The detachment of Marines also served as the link between the air and ground components of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force by facilitating Close Air Support missions and the flow of intelligence between the two elements.
This year’s exercise also provided MASS-2 an important opportunity to integrate the StrikeLink software into air to ground communications for the first time.
The target location, designation, and hand-off system,or TLDHS, loaded with the StrikeLink software is used to quickly acquire targets and can precisely determine operator or target location and transmit secure data to multiple supporting arms elements, according to 1st Lt. Scott Yamamoto, the exercise’s DASC officer-in-charge.
Strikelink “has outstanding potential because controllers can pass detailed information to the pilots with a click of a button, rather than waste time reading it off as they check in.”
The Marines’ time in Hawaii consisted of more than just gaining experience within their respective Military Occupational Specialties.
They were also afforded the opportunity to get hands on training and fire the .50 caliber Special Application Scoped Rifle, the 81 mm mortar, and the 155 mm M777 howitzer.
The chance to work with some of the best Marine Corps tools was “a lot of fun” according to Lance Cpl. Adrian Holguin, air support operator, Air Support Company, MASS-2. He appreciated the fact that he, “got to do something most Marines in his MOS do not get to do.”
After training with these infantry Marines, Holguin was reminded that “Marines are truly all on the same team.”
| Date Taken: | 03.04.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.04.2011 02:30 |
| Story ID: | 66454 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 179 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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