1st MAW News

Marines from 1st MAW participate in Yama Sakura 79

OKINAWA, Japan – U.S. Marines from Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing participated in Yama Sakura 79 with Marines from 3D Marine Expeditionary Brigade as well as soldiers from Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, Dec. 9 to Dec. 14, 2020 at Camp Courtney, Okinawa, Japan.

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U.S. Marines with 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), perform COVID-19 prevention measures during Exercise Driven Thermite 21 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 19, 2020. This exercise ensures that 1st MAW personnel are ready to plan and execute air operations in the Indo-Pacific by operating in a simulated environment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Tess Lobossiere) - U.S. Marines with 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), perform COVID-19 prevention measures during Exercise Driven Thermite 21 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 19, 2020. This exercise ensures that 1st MAW personnel are ready to plan and execute air operations in the Indo-Pacific by operating in a simulated environment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Tess Lobossiere)

COVID Mitigation During Driven Thermite 21

OKINAWA, Japan – In mid-November hundreds of Okinawa, Iwakuni and Hawaii-based U.S. Marines with 1st Marine Aircraft Wing assembled for exercise Driven Thermite 21, a Wing level Command Post Exercise to validate the Aviation Combat Element Battle Staff’s ability to plan and execute aviation operations within the Indo-Pacific Command.

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1st MAW Tests Battle Staff During Exercise Driven Thermite

OKINAWA, Japan –Hundreds of Okinawa-based U.S. Marines with 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) kicked-off Driven Thermite 21, a Wing level Command Post Exercise to validate the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) Battle Staff’s ability to plan and execute aviation operations within Indo-Pacific Command.

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Second F-35B Squadron Officially Established In Indo-Pacific Region With The Redesignation Of VMFA-242

IWAKUNI, Japan. -- On October 16, 2020 Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 12 re-designated Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242 as part of the Marine Corps’ ongoing transition process from legacy F/A-18 Hornet aircraft to the newer 5th generation F-35B Lightning II.

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Operation Lightning Strike

The operation consisted of Marines with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines and 3rd Marine Division, taken to a landing zone by MV-22 Ospreys and CH-53E Super Stallions to engage and destroy a notional enemy. MWSS-172’s role was to provide the Forward Arming and Refueling Point to expand the combat radius and allow aviation ground support closer to the objective.

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Search and Rescue: U.S. and Japanese Forces Work Together

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan- U.S. Marines and Japanese Airmen participated in a combined search and rescue exercise at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, June 29, 2020. Service members with Marine Aircraft Group 12, Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force honed their skills to improve overall coordination between units in the event of a real-world search and rescue event.

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