Marine Aircraft Group 40
Encyclopedia
Marine Aircraft Group 40 is a composite United States Marine Corps
aviation unit that is based in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
and currently deployed to Afghanistan
. They served as the aviation combat element
for 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade which was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom from spring 2009 through April 4, 2010 when they were relieved by the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd)
. The group is currently composed of two CH-53 squadrons, one light attack helicopter squadron, one AV-8B Harrier II
squadron, one MV-22 Osprey squadron, one KC-130 tactical aerial refueling squadron, one unmanned aerial vehicle squadron and an aviation logistics squadron.
and West Germany
in September/October 1990. When Iraq
invaded Kuwait
in August 1990 the MAG was designated as the aviation combat element of the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade. They began immediately deploying to the Persian Gulf
. The group remained in the Persian Gulf as part of the Amphibious Task Force. During this time the group aviation assets included 20 AV-8Bs, 24 CH-46s, 14 CH-53s, 6 UH-1Ns, and 15 AH-1s.
and will return to MCAS Cherry Point.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
aviation unit that is based in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, USA, in the eastern part of the state...
and currently deployed to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. They served as the aviation combat element
Aviation combat element
In the United States Marine Corps, the aviation combat element or air combat element is the air arm of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force . It provides rotary-wing, tiltrotor, and fixed-wing aircraft, support equipment, pilots, maintenance personnel, as well as command and control assets to the...
for 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade which was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom from spring 2009 through April 4, 2010 when they were relieved by the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd)
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 3d Marine Aircraft Wing is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and provides the aviation combat element for I Marine Expeditionary Force...
. The group is currently composed of two CH-53 squadrons, one light attack helicopter squadron, one AV-8B Harrier II
AV-8B Harrier II
The McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II is a second-generation vertical/short takeoff and landing ground-attack aircraft. An Anglo-American development of the British Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the Harrier II is the final member of the Harrier family that started with the Hawker Siddeley P.1127 in...
squadron, one MV-22 Osprey squadron, one KC-130 tactical aerial refueling squadron, one unmanned aerial vehicle squadron and an aviation logistics squadron.
Gulf War
MAG-40 was originally stood up to support Exercise Teamwork and Exercise Bold Guard in NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
in September/October 1990. When Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
invaded Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
in August 1990 the MAG was designated as the aviation combat element of the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade. They began immediately deploying to the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. The group remained in the Persian Gulf as part of the Amphibious Task Force. During this time the group aviation assets included 20 AV-8Bs, 24 CH-46s, 14 CH-53s, 6 UH-1Ns, and 15 AH-1s.
Afghanistan
MAG-40 was reactivated as a composite aircraft group which serves as the headquarters for all Marine aviation units in Afghanistan beginning in the spring/summer of 2009. The group was located at an airfield in southern Afghanistan and is made up of 50 to 100 aircraft. During their time in Afghanistan, aircraft from the group flew just under 38,000 flight hours and moved over 141,000 passengers. They were relieved on April 4, 2010 by the 3rd Marine Aircraft WIng (Fwd)3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 3d Marine Aircraft Wing is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and provides the aviation combat element for I Marine Expeditionary Force...
and will return to MCAS Cherry Point.
See also
- United States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....
- List of United States Marine Corps aircraft groups
- List of United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons