ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale of Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft to the Indonesian government, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a release. If concluded, Indonesia would be the third nation to procure the…
Marine Corps Activates Second F-35B Fleet Replacement Squadron
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Marine Corps has activated a second fleet replacement squadron to train aviators to fly its F-35B Lightning II strike fighters. Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 502 (VMFAT-502) was activated on June 26 at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort,…
Navy Orders 2 MQ-9 Reaper UAVs for Marine Corps
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Naval Air Systems Command has ordered two MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles for the Marine Corps. The Naval Air Systems Command ordered the two Reapers from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI), of Poway, California, with…
Last Carrier Deployment for Marine Corps Legacy F/A-18 Hornets Underway
ARLINGTON, Va. — When the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz deployed last week for a major deployment in the Pacific Ocean, it was carrying a bit of history. On board as a unit of Carrier Air Wing 17 was Marine Fighter…
BAE to Install Infrared Countermeasures on Marine KC-130J Aircraft
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Marine Corps’ KC-130J Super Hercules tanker/transport aircraft is getting an infrared countermeasures system at last. The U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s Aircraft Prototyping Systems Division has awarded BAE Systems a prime position on…
MCSC, ONR and CD&I Collaborating to Inform Armored Vehicle’s Path
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) is working toward the next phase of replacing the legacy Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) with a modern Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV), the command said in a release. Armored reconnaissance was the…
Marine Cyber Official: ‘Our Networks Are Resilient’ in COVID-19 Environment
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Marine Corps’ cyber networks are being defended and upgraded even as the COVID-19 pandemic forces ad hoc adaptation in their operation, a senior Marine Corps official said. “Our networks are good, and they are operating at a good capacity…
Marine Corps CH-53K Passes Air Refueling Tests
NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The CH-53K King Stallion aced an air-to-air refueling test this week, successfully demonstrating long-range logistics support capabilities for the U.S. Marine Corps, Naval Air Systems Command said in a release. The 4.5-hour test was accomplished over the…
Marines Grapple with Maintaining Readiness Amid COVID-19 Restrictions
ARLINGTON, Va. — Restrictions imposed by the battle against the coronavirus are presenting the U.S. Marine Corps with an array of new challenges — from maintaining grooming standards to how, when and where America’s force in readiness can train safely…
Marine Force Design 2030: Reduce Tube Artillery, Increase Rockets, Missiles
ARLINGTON, Virginia — The Marine Corps commandant has issued his plans for a major redesign of the Marine Corps’ force structure by 2030, with substantial reductions in some venerable weapon systems and increases in new systems. For example, traditional tube…