From: cbishop@zeus
Subject: Re: Marine Air squadrons deploy with carriers
Organization: GE Aerospace, Burlington, Mass
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 17:46:43 GMT


From cbishop@zeus

In article <Bz9FAo.751@law7.DaytonOH.NCR.COM>, gawne@stsci.edu writes:
> 
> From gawne@stsci.edu
> 
> As you may have seen in recent Navy News postings, several Marine
> squadrons are going to be integrated into US Navy carrier air wings.
> Since there are a few folks out there who might wish to make more of
> this than it really is, I thought I'd set the record straight.
> 
> VMFA-314 (F/A-18C fliers) has been assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln
> (CVN 72) as part of the Lincoln's Carrier Air Group (CAG).  VMFA-312,
> also a F/A-18 squadron, has been assigned to USS Theodore Roosevelt for
> similar duties.
> 
> Additionally, VMFA-431 out of Beaufort SC is slated to become a carrier
> squadron in FY-95 along with VMAQ-1, the Marine Corps' only EA-6B Prowler
> squadron.
> 
> Quoting the December Marine Corps Gazette, "The concept of putting Marine
> air squadrons aboard aircraft carriers is nothing new."
> 

I was stationed as an enlisted man in VMA(AW)-121 from 1976-1979 and have
tried to follow them as much as I could.  If anyone gathers any news
regarding their future, please do post it.

Chuck

The following was pulled from Naval Aviation News January-February 1990

USMC Phasing Out A-6E for F/A-18D

    The Marine Corps has begun its phaseout of the Grumman A-6E INTRUDER
all-weather attack aircraft, with VMA(AW)-121 being the first A-6 squadron
to commence transition to the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D HORNET.

    The decision to transfer the Marine A-6s to the Navy is intended to
alleviate a shortage of A-6s in the fleet caused by wing fatigue and the need
to re-wing many of the aircraft. The Marine transition to the two-seat,
all-weather F/A-18D will also accelerate reaching the goal of reducing the
variety of different types of aircraft in the Marine Corps and thus
reducing the associated operating costs and training costs.

    The F/A-18D will assume the missions of four aircraft types presently
in the Marine Corps inventory.  The two-seat HORNETS will not only
replace the A-6E in the all-weather attack role, but will also replace
the RF-4B PHANTOM II in the photoreconnaissance mission and the
OA-4M and TA-4F SKYHAWK in the forward air control and tactical air
control missions.

    One Marine A-6E squadron per fiscal year will be transitioned to the
F/A-18D and will be redesignated as Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack
Squadrons (VMFA(AW)) upon transition. (See Table 1)  In addition to the
five A-6E squadrons that will transition, a sixth squadron, VMFA(AW)-225
will stand up at MCAS, El Toro, Calif., as the Marine RF-4B photo-
reconnaisance unit, VMFP-3m stands down VMFA(AS)-225 will be a reactivation
of a Marine A-6 squadron, (VMA(AW)-225, that was deactivated on June 15,
1975.

    The squadrons of Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 11 at El toro will all
transition first while the A-6 units at MCAS, Cherry Point, N.C., 
participate in the Unit Deployment Plan rotation to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan.
when the MAG-11 units have all completed trnsition, their F/A-18Ds will
assume the Iwakuni rotation as the MAG-14 squadrons at Cherry Point
enter the transition cycle. VMFAT-101 at El Toro is the unit conducting
the transitions.

    The A-6 has served with the Marines since 1964, flying combat missions
over Southeast Asia during the Vietnam war from bases at Da Nang and
Chu Lai in South Vietnam and Nam Phong, Thailand.  One unit VMS(AW)-224
flew strikes from CORAL SEA in 1972 as part of Carrier Air Wing 15,
as well as participating in the successful mining of Haiphong harbor.
In recent years, Marine A-6 squadrons have deployed regularly aboard 
several carriers.

                            USMC A-6E - F/A-18D
                              Transition Plan
                                 Table 1

                *Unit                           Transition Year

                MAG-11 El Toro
                VMA(AW)-121                     FY-90
                VMA(AW)-242                     FY-91
                **VMA(AW)-225                   FY-92

                MAG-14 Cherry Point
                VMA(AW)-224                     FY-93
                VMA(AW)-332                     FY-94
                VMA(AW)-533                     FY-95


* All squadrons will be redesignated VMFA(AW) upon transition
** Unit will reactivate as VMFP-3 stands down

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