Marine Corps Plan Second Adversary Squadron | Aviation International News

Marine Corps Plan Second Adversary Squadron

The Marines are planning to double the organic adversary force while extending Red Air training coverage to the East Coast.

F-5Ns from VMFT-401 are seen deployed to MCAS Beaufort to provide Red Air for F-35 training. Under current plans the base will have its own adversary squadron from 2024. (Photo: U.S. Marine Corps)

By David Donald • Contributor - UK

May 7, 2022

Included in the Fiscal Year 2022 Marine Corps Aviation Plan is an intention to create a second squadron to provide dissimilar air combat training for fighter units. The unit, Marine Fighter Training Squadron (VMFT) 402, will activate at MCAS Beaufort in South Carolina in 2023 to provide adversary assets for East Coast Marine squadrons, with initial operating capability slated for 2024.

The creation is part of a plan to address a perceived shortfall in U.S. Marine Corps adversary training and also modernization of the fleet, which currently employs the Northrop F-5N (single-seat) and F-5F (two-seat) Tiger II aircraft drawn from stocks acquired from the Swiss air force in the late 2000s. The single current Marine adversary unit is VMFT-401 “Snipers” at MCAS Yuma, Arizona, which began operations with leased IAI F-21A Kfirs in 1987. It transitioned to the Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II in 1989 and subsequently acquired the updated F-5N/F.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

Boeing Deals With Another 737 Max 10 Certification Delay

Complication from software change causes concern for airlines with new narrowbody on order

Boeing 737 Max 10 airliner

Airbus Makes First A350F Freighter Test Flight

First of two test aircraft flew from Toulouse for just over four hours

Airbus A350F freighter

South Korean Air Force Receives First KF-21 Fighter

Jet was first production example made by Korea Aerospace Industries

Korea Aerospace Industries KF-21

Uzbekistan Takes Delivery of First Embraer C-390

Milestone marks inaugural central Asian customer for Brazilian airframer

Grey C-390 in hangar

KlasJet Wins FAA Approval for U.S. ACMI Operations

Company targets seasonal peaks and capacity shortfalls

Boeing 737 from the rear, on the ground

Vertical Expands UK eVTOL Aircraft Manufacturing Site

Expanded facility at Cotswold Airport precedes final mass-production location

Vertical VX4 prototype being rolled into new hangar

Bye’s eFlyer 2 Electric Trainer Makes First Flight

Conforming prototype flew for about five minutes near Denver

eFlyer 2 in flight

Starfighters Space Sells Mach 2 Testing by the Sortie

Company says F-104 Starfighter jets offer a “wind tunnel in the sky”

Two Starfighters Space F-104s in flight