11th RS conducts joint training with Marines

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Alice Moore
  • 432d Wing Public Affairs
CREECH AFB Nev. (ACCNS) --  Members of the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron here teamed up with Marines from Marine Attack Squadron 513 for a joint training exercise at Creech AFB Oct. 24 to Nov. 7. 

The Marine unit, based out of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, fly the AV-8B Harrier. The unit chose Creech for the realistic training opportunity. The training focused on conducting joint Unmanned Aircraft System operations, Strike, Coordination and Reconnaissance (SCAR) and Close Air Support (CAS) operations. 

"Creech is very similar in elevation and dimension to bases in Afghanistan," said Marine Lt. Col. Marcus Annibale, VMA-513 commanding officer. "We also had the opportunity to train Marines in close air support as well as conduct combined operations with the Predators, which is similar to our operations in Afghanistan." 

The 11th RS provided Formal Training Unit student pilots and sensor operators for the exercise. 

"The exercise provided the FTU students with realistic training opportunities by integrating the Harriers into our daily training scenarios for CAS (Close Air Support) and ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) training," said Maj. Robert Forino, 11th RS assistant director of operations. 

More than 100 Marines from a variety of specialties to include pilots, ordnance, avionics, power-plants, airframes, life support technicians and communications are participated in the exercise. 

"Training here has been a good experience," said Marine Sgt. Scott Chromy, VMA-513 ordinance technician. "We have some new Marines assigned to this unit and I think the training is helpful to them, plus it helps all of us work better together as a team." 

Major Fornio said normally the FTU has to simulate the communications with other aircraft. He said the training was a great opportunity for the students who will end up flying combat missions in similar situations. 

"We worked with the Marines here and practiced our radio communications and real world deconfliction outside of a training simulation, which we don't normally get to do," Major Forino said. "This training is important because when the students leave here, they will being flying combat missions almost immediately." 

Maj. Kain Anderson, a Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) instructor, accompanied the VMA-513 "Nightmares" on their Creech AFB deployment. MAWTS-1 is the Marine equivalent to the Air Force's Fighter Weapons School. A Harrier instructor at MAWTS-1, Major Anderson is also a Forward Air Controller (FAC). 

Major Anderson acted as the liaison between the 11th RS and VMA-513 while both squadrons practiced Close Air Support training. 

"The Predators conducted multiple buddy lase profiles, hosting laser guided bombs and missiles dropped by the Nightmares," Major Anderson said. 

Predators also acted as observers for Major Anderson, providing a visual picture of the targets with their ROVER video downlink capability. This enabled Major Anderson to conduct Type II beyond visual range control, dropping bombs on targets that he could not see without the Predator's video link. 

"This deployment allowed me to practice integration with UAS in a way that I could not have done with organic Marine assets," he said. "I will take these lessons learned back to our school and use them to refine the Marine Corps' UAS integration techniques." 

The 11th RS was also able to send some personnel out in the field with the FAC to observe FAC operations on the ground to include actual laser guided munitions deliveries while integrating use of the ROVER system. 

"This enhanced the UAS community's knowledge of what capabilities and limitations troops on the ground have when coordinating attacks with airborne assets in CAS scenarios," Major Forino said. "This was a rare training opportunity for us, which will allow us to more accurately replicate the FAC role during student training as well as provide more accurate instruction on the topic."

Lieutenant Colonel Annibale said the exercise has given his unit a unique opportunity to truly train as they fight. The Predator crews the Marines are training with at Creech are the same crews who they will work with flying missions overseas.

The colonel was also impressed with the overall hospitality given to the Marines here.

"The Air Force has bent over backwards to support us," Lieutenant Colonel Annibale said. "We've received real enthusiastic support from the 11th RS and the 432d Wing."