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Striking Hawk

A detachment of 1,100 Marines attached to Marine Aircraft Group-14 visited the Yuma Marine Corps Air Station to take part in Exercise Striking Hawk '03. The exercise tests the concept of offensive air support and simulates all the nuts and bolts of an air combat element during a Marine Expeditionary Brigade. Striking Hawk was conceptualized by Maj. Gen. John G. Castellaw, commander of the 2nd Marine Air Wing, and began on 17 August 2003.

More than eight different squadrons participated in the exercise, including Marine Attack Squadrons-231 and 542, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron-167, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-261, Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron-2, Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons-115 and 533, Marine Wing Support Support Squadron-273 and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron's-14, 26 and 31. The Marines had seven different plane model series, including AV-8B Harriers, F-18 Hornets, KC-130 Hercules, UH-1N Helicopters and CH-46 Sea Knight Helicopters.

During the exercise, the Marines performed close-air support, helicopter escorts and strike coordination and reconnaissance on the live-fire ranges around Yuma and El Centro. he Yuma and El Centro areas provide for more high-explosive ordnance training. There is no (ideal) place on the east coast to drop live ordnance.

The intent is to recoup some of the training we didn't get from (Combined Arms Exercise) and exercises of that nature. The units lost a lot of training opportunities in the rear because everyone went and fought the war. MAG-14 officials did not have much time to plan since they had just returned from support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During their month-long stay, the pilots of MAG-14 skulked the skies of Yuma, training their steely eyes like hawks for targets around the live fire ranges. However, MAG-14 had to pack its sea bag and depart to allow the use of the live-fire ranges to other aviators from around the Corps for the upcoming Weapons and Tactics Instructor course, but the training conducted will go a long way toward future operations.