An AIM-120A advanced medium-range air-to-air missile is secured aboard an AV-8B Harrier with Marine Attack Squadron 223 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Aug. 7, 2014. VMA-223 conducted the first East Coast Harrier squadron AMRAAM firing exercise off the coast of Oceana, Va., to help the squadron enhance its mission readiness. While the primary mission of VMA-223 is air-to-ground attack support for the Marine Air-Ground Task Force from the sea or land, the squadron's AV-8B pilots train to engage airborne enemies beyond visual range with radar guided air-to-air missiles.