• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

VMAQ-4 Seahawks take flight over the deserts of the Southwest

Marine Corps News

Release Date: 8/21/2003

Story by Cpl. Nathaniel C. LeBlanc

Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.(August 14, 2003) -- The Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4 Seahawks launched into this year's Exercise Red Flag at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada Aug. 3.

The Seahawk Marines will conduct two weeks of training in the multi-national exercise to enhance their air combat support abilities.

Exercise Red Flag is designed to train service members, both in the air and on the ground, in a mirrored combat environment.

The key missions of the exercise are to build a joint coalition team that can integrate as a combat force and also employ lethal aerospace power at anytime and anywhere.

The VMAQ-4 squadron will be integrated with Canadian, German, British, and Israeli squadrons, as well as the United States Air Force. Throughout the exercise, they will perform role-playing combat scenarios to better develop the aircrews' skills in the EA-6B Prowler.

"We'll be working with the other participating squadrons in combined missions, delivering strike packages and providing them with electronic support," said Lt. Col. Marc Magram, commanding officer of VMAQ-4. "Throughout the exercise there will be a lot of air-to-air play. A lot of dynamics will be involved with this exercise. There will be many 'red air' opponents that we're going up against. Some missions will involve the Isreali F-16s or the Canadian F/A-18s to fight and clear the way, allowing our Prowlers to move in and carry out the mission."

As part of the Red Flag combat scenarios, the joint coalition forces act as the 'blue air' forces who combat against the role-playing hostiles, the 'red air' forces.

"We'll also perform air-to-air refueling and night flights with our training here," he added.

Along with the air crew training at Red Flag, the exercise also gives the squadron's ground crew the opportunity to develop their efficiency and skills as a team in a simulated combat environment.

"The working atmosphere here simulates what they would experience in today's conflicts," said Gunnery Sgt. Jeffery Bradley, quality assurance chief with VMAQ-4. "They're working in a desert environment that has extreme weather conditions with temperatures reaching up to 120 degrees. They've also learned to adapt to small working spaces and keeping up with the combat operational tempo. Although, the op tempo is higher than usual, the Marines still keep in mind that this is training and safety can't be sacrificed in order to complete a mission."

With a mission-accomplishment mindset and keeping safety first, the Seahawk Marines work day and night to keep the squadron's Prowlers in the exercise and in the fight.

"We put a lot of heart and dedication into those jets, knowing that everything is operational," said Cpl. Jefferson Ospina, power line mechanic and plane captain with VMAQ-4. "During this exercise we'll accomplish the mission regardless of a harsh environment and operational tempo, and ensure that the aircrew returns safely after every flight."