Photo By Cpl. Deanne Hurla | A few F/A-18Cs belonging to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (All-Weather) 225 sit on...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. - Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 225, also known as the Vikings, returned from training at Avon Park Air Force Range, Fla., Aug. 26.
VMFA(AW)-225, along with many other rotary and fixed wing agencies, practiced engaging in close air support of ground troops as well as honing their communication skills between the Joint Tactical Air Controllers and Forward Air Controller Airborne pilots from Aug. 1 to 26.
Maj. Jared Cagle, the assistant operations officer for VMFA(AW)-225 and a Greenleaf, Idaho, native, explained that simulated airfields and urban complexes at the range create the training environment. In the scenarios, a friendly unit on the ground would set up an outpost or convoy that would take an improvised explosive device hit, or would be fired at by mortars, or a sniper in a portion of the urban area.
The unit would then call indirect fire to suppress the threat while bringing in dismounted vehicles simultaneously with the overhead attacks, explained Cagle.
The ground units were able to drive through and be a mobile scenario, he explained.
"We had laser guided bombs, simulated laser training rounds and simulated GPS guided weapons, so it was a communications drill," he said. "We had multiple targets being engaged at the same time to allow that ground unit to pull up do their part, so communication was crucial."
Everything during the training was challenging, explained Capt. Richard Sterling Norton, a pilot with VMFA-225 and Santa Cruz, Calif., native.
"The biggest challenge during the training was dealing with the real world changes during the different scenarios," said Norton. "We would be briefed on a very specific plan of what is supposed to happen during the mission - and it doesn't always go exactly as planned. Maybe some asset checks on station early or late and we don't expect it, and the hardest part was being flexible and figuring out how to deal with those problems.
"It is definitely one of the busiest things I've ever done," said Norton. "We had to integrate all we learned and effectively employ everything together in a way that will maximize fire power on the target area and deconflict it from friendly units."
“We were in unfamiliar territory: there were target setups and ranges we were not used to so it was more realistic training for deployment,” said Cagle.
Though the squadron is not scheduled to be deployed any time soon, the training ensures they uphold Marine Corps standards to be ready at a moment’s notice.
| Date Taken: | 08.26.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 09.09.2011 15:53 |
| Story ID: | 76779 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 115 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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