"WHOA!"
Marine Wing Support
Squadron 171's expeditionary airfield operations section performed
their first expeditionary aircraft arrestment Monday during the
first phase of the Thailand Incremental Training Program here.
About a dozen Marines spent an entire day setting up the M-31
deployable arresting gear which had to meet strict specifications
in order to safely stop a Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 332 F/A-18
Hornet, according to Chief Warrant Officer Todd Tarker, MWSS-171,
expeditionary airfield operations and crash fire and rescue officer
in charge here.
The M-31 is a medium to long range arrestment device that allows
aircraft to stop on shorter runways by the way of a 90-foot-long
cable stretched across the runway. During landing, a Hornet's tail
hook grabs the wire bringing the aircraft to an abrupt halt -
similar to landing on an aircraft carrier. Once the aircraft is
stopped, recovery Marines retract the cable and prepare for the
next landing aircraft.
"It takes about 90 seconds from the time the aircraft hits the
deck to the time the gear is ready for another trap," said Cpl.
Charles Maddox, MWSS-171, expeditionary airfield operations
Marine.
From draft and survey Marines to utilities Marines, successfully
performing this mission required teamwork from everyone involved,
said Tarker. However, thanks to a previous site survey here, the
Marines were prepared to set the gear in place.
The force of the landing jet is so great, that recovery Marines
have to anchor the gear to the ground. Using a jackhammer and four
foot long cruciform stakes, Marines slowly and deliberately
attached the M-31 firmly into the earth's crust. Setting up the
gear is time consuming and hard work in Thailand's 90 degree
weather, but despite a little sweat, Tarker said he is proud of
what his Marines have done.
The F/A-18 Hornet pilot who took part in the first deployed
arrestment was the Moonlighter's Capt. Clint Weber.
"(Marine Wing Support Squadron 171) did a great job," Weber
said. "This was a successful demonstration of setting up the
equipment in remote location thus allowing us to sustain operations
on shorter runways."
The arresting gear also comes equipped with a Fresnel Lens that
helps pilots to land on the gear at night. Called "Flying the
meatball," Tarker explained the pilots' term for the colorful
lights that let them know if they are on target for a safe and
successful arrestment.
Tarker said another highlight is that the gear can be set up in
almost any location. "You can take this system and essentially put
it on a dirt road and the gear should stop the aircraft."
An advantage to testing the gear in a deployed situation, Tarker
said, is that Marines in the air and on the ground gain confidence
in each other and understand that in a hostile situation this gear
can and will be put to use. The Marines are scheduled to continue
using the arresting gear with at least three arrestments per day
throughout the week.
Currently the Royal Thai air force F-16's that are participating
in this bilateral training program will not be landing using the
M-31 arresting gear. The training program kicked off last week and
is scheduled to last until the end of November. [ANN Thanks USMC
Cpl. Robert W. Wynkoop]