Happy Birthday 2nd MAW Celebrating 100 Years of Marine Aviation Vol. 69, No. 27 www.cherrypoint.marines.mil July 7, 2011 Wing Operations Center offers Force in readiness critical training opportunities CPL. BRIAN ADAM JONES MCAS CHERRY POINT The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing’s recent large force exercise, Exercise MAILED FIST 1-11, breathed life into a brand new tool that leaders say will redefi ne the way 2nd MAW conducts training and local operations. The Wing Operations Center, a windowless room with rows of work stations, a panel of large, wall-mounted monitors and, sometimes, an air of excited anticipation, offers a command and control nucleus for wing activity during major operational events. From the WOC, dozens of attentive Marines monitor occasionally hec- tic and elaborate missions and training events, keeping a close eye on everything from radar and weather patterns to video feeds and maps. “It’s a place where we can move the chess pieces across the operational spectrum,” said Lt. Col. Martin J. Forrest IV, the current operations offi cer for 2nd MAW. Forrest clearly sees the opportunities provided by the WOC. “It will allow us to train and execute large-force exercises much more realistically,” he said. Lt. Col. Matthew R. McGath, who served as the senior watch offi cer for the WOC during MAILED FIST, said that several times during the exercise, the existence of the WOC offered unique perspective or training opportunities that otherwise would have been lost. “The WOC allows coordination. It’s a big situational awareness tool and the wing’s current operations will really use it more often,” McGath CPL. R.J. DRIVER A bulk fuel technician Marine from Marine Wing Support Squadron 273 taxis in an MV-22B said. Osprey upon landing at Vidalia Regional Airport in Vidalia, Ga., in support of Exercise Forrest said having the WOC available for training exercises allows of- MAILED FIST 1-11 June 23. 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing units from MCAS Cherry Point, New fi cers to learn how a command and control environment operates. River and Beaufort participated in a large force exercise June 13-24 to polish the 2nd “For many of the young offi cers here, this is their fi rst exposure to a MAW’s ability to serve as the aviation force in readiness for all aspects of Marine Corps tactical air command center,” said Forrest. “This place will increase their operations by streamlining integration amongst 2nd MAW units. confi dence and understanding while allowing them to gel as a team and learn to execute command and control.” Prowlers serve MAW for more than 30 years LANCE CPL. SCOTT L. TOMASZYCKI MCAS CHERRY POINT Communications can win or lose wars. During World War II, American code breakers broke the Japanese naval codes, gaining enough intelligence to contribute to the victory in the Battle of Midway. In the European theater, code breakers deciphered the German’s Enigma code, leading to a fl awlessly executed deception campaign culminating in the successful landing at Normandy. With new methods of communication developing all the time, the United States military had every intention of attacking enemy communications effectively while maintaining proper communications internally. A proper platform for electronic warfare had to be mobile and transmit from a high location. The newly invented jet fi t the bill, and Marine squadrons would take the job. “It started in Vietnam with Lt. Gen. Philip D. Shutler, who was one of the programmers at D.C. Aviation and they found a need for jamming aircraft to support the bombers going into Vietnam from surface-to-air threats,” said Col. Philip J. Zimmerman, commanding offi cer of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and Prowler electronic countermeasures offi cer. “So they took an A-6 and modifi ed it, becoming the EA-6A with receivers and jamming pods on it. They found it to become effective, and it grew into a program of its own. The EA-6B was developed in the early 70s and from there they started fi elding it.” In 1978, the EA-6B Prowler became the electronic warfare platform of the Marine Corps. With the Prowler, the Marine Corps hoped to pass beyond just jamming enemy radar and gain control over the “electromagnetic spectrum,” or the medium through which modern militaries communicate. OFFICIAL MARINE CORPS PHOTO “The Prowlers essentially work in the electromagnetic spectrum, and within that realm, The EA-6B was developed from the EA-6A Intruder and has been flying for more there is a wide variety of things that we can touch, infl uence or manage the battlefi eld in than 30 years in the Marine Corps. The main role it was built for was countering some way, shape or form,” said Maj. Roderick D. Capili, the executive offi cer of Marine enemy radar installations to prevent effective anti-aircraft fire or fighter coordination Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 2. “We can’t say specifi cally what we do, but a against American aircraft. lot of it involves hindering the enemy’s abilities to conduct a cohesive war front. We disrupt their ability to organize and disrupt their ability to be effective with command The age of the aircraft, however, may soon be catching up to it. and control functions on the battlefi eld.” “The Prowler has been in existence in the Marine Corps since at least the mid-70s,” On every deployment, VMAQ squadrons would take on this role during multiple said Capili. “We’re celebrating 36 years of the EA-6B in the Marine Corps July 1, training operations and several combat deployments, including the fi rst and second Persian Gulf Wars and the war in Afghanistan. See PROWLER page A7 Israeli Air Force looks at MV-22 capabilities SPECIAL TO THE WINDSOCK visit with Marines of Marine Medium MCAS NEW RIVER PUBLIC AFFAIRS Tiltrotor Training Squadron 204 For the second time in two months, gaining an overall familiarization a team from the Israeli Air Force of the Osprey and examining its visited 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing capabilities related to reducing the units at Marine Corps Air Station New risks to pilots, aircrews and passengers River to evaluate the Marine Corps’ on the battlefi eld. The overall intent MV-22 Osprey, and aircraft that the of the visit was to learn about MV- Israelis, according to some reports, 22 systems and performance, and see as a possible platform for search to become “well oriented” with the and rescue operations, and for covert aircraft. special operations. “In order to be prepared for our The fi rst IAF visit, May 16-26, was June visit, we had to get some basic LANCE CPL. SCOTT L. TOMASZYCKI conducted by Lt. Col. Nimrod Golan, knowledge and basic skills, which is Lt. Col. Paul A. Rosenbloom, left, salutes the national ensign during the pass and a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot, what ‘204 gave us,” said Golan. “We review, which marked the end of Marine Wing Support Squadron 271’s change of and Lt. Col. Avi Carmeli, a CH-53 were exposed for the fi rst time to this command ceremony outside the squadron’s engineer facility June 30. Lt. Col. Paul D. Sea Stallion helicopter pilot and Navy technology called tiltrotor, and not Baker relinquished command of MWSS-271 to Rosenbloom. graduate test pilot, both with the just exposed academically ... it was an Israeli Air Force. That was followed amazing experience.” June 13-23 by a seven-man team led Their second visit, with Marine Rosenbloom takes helm of 271 by Golan and Carmeli. Tiltrotor Test and Evaluation LANCE CPL. SCOTT L. TOMASZYCKI squadrons in the wing as they support more “An invitation came from the Squadron 22 and Marine Medium MCAS CHERRY POINT than 30 operations, maintained readiness for Marines to the Israeli Air Force Tiltrotor Squadron 365, “... was The Workhorse of the Wing, Marine Wing deployment, and successfully supported 2nd to explore this aircraft and though the core of the whole evaluation Support Squadron 271, received a new Marine Aircraft Wing daily requirements,” currently, there is no procurement process,” said Golan, as the Israelis commanding offi cer June 30 outside the said Maj. Gen. Jon M. Davis, commanding process on the table, we were very looked more deeply into the aircraft’s squadron’s engineer facility. general of 2nd MAW, in a statement for Baker. happy to follow this invitation,” said capabilities and maintenance process. Lt. Col. Paul D. Baker relinquished “You took the majority of your squadron and Golan. “We are looking at the aircraft, “We conducted a variety of fl ights in command to Lt. Col. Paul A. Rosenbloom formed a special-purpose Marine Air-Ground trying to understand how the Osprey order to operationally evaluate the after 18 months of command. Baker took over Task Force and deployed to South America can contribute to our operational aircraft. We got the tools the last time the squadron while it was deployed in Iraq in for military-to-military exchanges that would requirements and also have an we were here,” said Golan. “Now we 2010 and saw the squadron through the end benefi t the armed forces for years to come. understanding of its implementation. are fl ying to learn to operate.” of its combat deployment and a deployment Under your command, Marine Wing Support In addition, this is a great opportunity After spending time in simulators, to South America to support humanitarian Squadron 271 has truly been the Workhorse to enhance our relationship and the visitors experienced the full efforts. cooperation with the Marines.” “You expertly managed one of the largest See LEADER page A7 The Israeli pilots spent their fi rst See ISRAELI page A7 A2 July 7, 2011 The Windsock Legal: Celebrating 100 years of Be aware of phishing CAPT.