Six Aircraft Fly From Afghanistan To Greece
The Marine Corps completed an aviation first, April 8, by flying
MV-22B Ospreys on the aircraft's longest movement to date. Six
Ospreys with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 returned to the
26th Marine Expeditionary Unit after a trek from Camp Bastion,
Afghanistan, to Souda Bay, Greece, with the assistance of a pair of
KC-130J Hercules from 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) who
provided transport and aerial refueling support.
Ospreys Refueling
"As far as aerial refueling missions are concerned, this was a
Marine Corps and Naval aviation first," said Capt. Ben Grant, the
executive officer for the Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron
252 detachment currently deployed in support of operations in
Afghanistan. "Never before has an MV-22 movement been conducted
this far or on this scale. On this mission, the MV-22s travelled in
excess of over 2,800 miles from Camp Bastion to Souda Bay, using
aerial refueling provided by KC-130Js. We transited three
continents over land and water, three combatant commands' areas of
responsibility, and did it with no major issues."
The mission was conducted to return VMM-266 Marines, cargo and
aircraft to the USS Kearsarge and the 26th MEU, which had been
tasked to the Mediterranean region in support of operations in
Libya. "This mission validated a capability that should ultimately
be seen as routine," said Grant. "We affirmed the ability of the
MV-22 to be long-range deployed with KC-130J support."
Grant said the mission was conducted over two separate movements
consisting of two Hercules and three Ospreys. During both
movements, the KC-130Js not only refueled the MV-22Bs, but also
transported more than 50,000 pounds of VMM-266's essential cargo,
maintenance and support equipment. Nearly 100 Marines also made the
journey so they could join the rest of the 26th MEU, and prepare
for their return to the U.S. "Our weather radar, familiarity with
international flying, cargo capacity, communications and
navigational abilities, and ability to aerial refuel the MV-22
makes us a combat multiplier for them, ensuring their success,"
Grant said of the KC-130J's abilities.
File Photo
Grant said the mission went well, a result of not only planning,
but the Marines' ability to adapt to the situation. "Though we had
prepared for a myriad of contingencies, none arose that required us
to alter our timelines or routing," said Grant. "While each
movement encountered expected and unexpected friction that had to
be immediately addressed, each was handled superbly by the KC-130J
and MV-22 Marines. Everyone involved worked as a team of
professionals."
Grant said while the mission was the first of its type at this
scale, he believes more missions of this nature will occur in the
future. He said he sees movement like this becoming as routine for
the Osprey as they are for other Marine Corps aircraft including
F/A-18 Hornets, AV-8B Harriers and CH-53E Super Stallions.
Grant credited the mission's success to KC-130J and MV-22
maintenance and support Marines, cooperation from the United
Kingdom's Royal Air Force, which aided with ramp space and air
traffic control and support from other Marine units, like
meteorological service. He also said many Marines throughout the
region, other military services, and U.S. government agencies
worked behind the scenes to ensure smooth coordination. "As
Marines, we are not just warriors from the sea. We are warriors,
from anywhere to anywhere on the globe," said Grant who also serves
as a KC-130J weapons and tactics instructor. "This mission got the
MV-22s on their way home. The next mission may be to get them to
the fight, or from one fight to another."