MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, Okinawa, Japan -- U.S. Marines with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 462 and Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 172, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), established a forward arming and refueling point (FARP) on Yonaguni Island, Japan, Oct. 27 during Joint Exercise 07 alongside the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF). The operation bolstered U.S. Marine and JGSDF bilateral interoperability and demonstrated 1st MAW’s ability to support shared objectives anywhere within the first island chain.
This is the first time a FARP has been established on Yonaguni and is a testament to the alliance’s commitment to readiness. FARPs are designed to provide refueling and refitting to rotary or fixed-wing assets, expanding the reach and capacity of aircraft during operations in forward environments. In the Indo-Pacific region, FARPs give commanders the ability to project power and conduct expeditionary operations, such as supporting the Japan Self-Defense Forces in natural disasters or other contingencies.
“No U.S. Marine CH-53E has ever before landed that far southwest in Japan, nor has a FARP ever been established there. This evolution not only validated that MAG-36’s organic heavy-lift assault support helicopters, in support of its adjacent units and our JGDSF partners, can generate tempo anywhere the commander should choose, but also served as a huge leap forward in our relations between the U.S. Marines and the JGSDF,” said Maj. Patrick X. Kelly, executive officer of HMH-462. “The Yonaguni FARP not only highlighted the confidence the JGSDF and United States Marine Corps have in each other’s capabilities, but also increased the interoperability of the services, strengthened their combined capabilities and demonstrated a common commitment to strategic objectives.”
HMH-462 transported MWSS-172 Marines and FARP equipment from Okinawa, Japan, to Camp Yonaguni, Japan, using en route air-to-air refueling with a KC-130J. Upon landing at Camp Yonaguni, MWSS-172 Marines quickly set up a FARP using the Tactical Aviation Ground Refueling System (TAGRS). After demonstrating the FARP's functionality by refueling HMH-462’s CH-53Es, the FARP was dismantled, and the MWSS-172 Marines were extracted back to Okinawa.
"FARPs significantly extend MAG-36's operational reach," said Col. Lee W. Hemming, commanding officer of MAG-36. "Our ability to rapidly establish and disassemble these sites in austere environments enhances our capacity to respond to, and support, disaster relief and other critical operations throughout the region – particularly in conjunction with our Japanese Self-Defense Forces partners. This collaborative FARP capability underscores our commitment to regional security and humanitarian assistance."
The combined execution of FARP operations between the U.S. and Japanese Self-Defense Force is invaluable to both nations, reinforcing decades of combined training, shared relationships and mutual trust. This successful FARP operation on Yonaguni exemplifies III Marine Expeditionary Force's unwavering commitment to maintaining peak readiness and capability to rapidly respond to any crisis or conflict in the Indo-Pacific.