Photo By Staff Sgt. Nicole Zurbrugg | An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 122 taxis to the...... read more read more
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Trained, qualified and ready, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 wrapped up their last flights of Exercise Pitch Black 2016 at Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, Aug. 18, 2016.
The F/A -18C Hornet squadron conducted large force close air support, air interdiction, armed reconnaissance, and strike coordination and reconnaissance missions during Pitch Black.
“We were also able to perform offensive and defensive counter air, strike and direct targeting missions in both day and night, high intensity scenarios during Pitch Black,” said Lt. Col. Derek M. Brannon, commanding officer of VMFA-122. “From the planning evolutions to actual execution, the squadron benefited from the professional and well executed RAAF exercise.”
Throughout the exercise, the participating squadrons took turns providing both “red air” and “blue air” roles. Red air role players, or the threat aircraft, act as training aids to assist blue air, or allies, in overcoming the threat. While this exploited each nation’s strengths and weaknesses, the main goal was to provide practice and experience for each pilot.
Brannon said the exercise allowed Marine Aircraft Group 12 and VMFA-122 to gain a high level training readiness by taking advantage of the integrated large force events.
“I view this as the culminating training exercise combining all we have accomplished both in Iwakuni, Korea and Okinawa,” said Maj. Matthew Halbert, operations officer for VMFA-122. “Pitch Black gave our junior and senior pilots the opportunity to rehash all the training goals and requirements in air-to-air and air-to-ground techniques in a different environment with multiple countries. We also took advantage of the opportunity to gain vital qualifications.”
During this exercise, VMFA-122 requested two fighter attack instructor certifications. Pilots earned these accreditations by delivering mission briefing labs, talking the instructor through everything they know about tactics and maneuvers, and then executing the operations during Pitch Black missions.
Maj. Anthony Koehl, F/A-18 instructor pilot at Marine Aviation and Weapons Tactics Squadron One, joined VMFA-122 during Pitch Black for fleet support and certification qualifications.
“Upon certification, that pilot is an instructor in close air support, armed reconnaissance, airborne interdiction, basic fighter maneuvers and section engaged maneuvering,” said Koehl. “BFM is one versus one fighting and section engaged maneuvering is two versus two. After receiving the FAI certification, the pilots can now instruct and train new pilots on basic maneuvers and tactics, allowing the squadron to maintain a readiness level needed to support the Pacific region and future operations.”
Pitch Black provided the squadron an opportunity to develop and validate operational concepts for conducting sustained contingency and combat operations around the world.
“We normally get to fly large force exercises in the U.S. and although there is training value to that, the little things that language barriers and aircraft differences bring out become very important and open the eyes of my pilots,” said Brannon. “It makes you go back to the basics of simple deconfliction and flight administration procedures, while gaining an immense amount of experience.”
| Date Taken: | 08.19.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 08.22.2016 20:40 |
| Story ID: | 207900 |
| Location: | RAAF TINDAL, NORTHERN TERRITORY, AU |
| Web Views: | 312 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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