Aviation combat element

Aviation component of the U.S. Marine Corps' Marine Air-Ground Task Forces From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In the United States Marine Corps, the aviation combat element or air combat element (ACE) is the aviation component of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). The ACE is task organized to perform the six functions of Marine Corps aviation in support of MAGTF operations. The ACE is led by an aviation headquarters which employs rotary-wing, tiltrotor, and fixed-wing aircraft in conjunction with command and control, maintenance and engineering units. [1]

Role within the MAGTF

Summarize
Perspective

The majority of aircraft usage within the MAGTF is for close air support or transport for the ground combat element (GCE) or logistics combat element (LCE), however, other specialized missions are available. The six main functions include: assault support, anti-air warfare, offensive air support, electronic warfare, control of aircraft and missiles, and aerial reconnaissance.[2]

The aviation combat element (ACE), which contributes the air power to the MAGTF, includes all aircraft (fixed wing, helicopters, tiltrotor, and UAV) and aviation support units. The units are organized into detachments, squadrons, groups, and wings, except for low altitude air defense units, which are organized into platoons, detachments, batteries, and battalions. These units include pilots, flight officers, enlisted aircrewmen, aviation logistics (aircraft maintenance, aviation electronics, aviation ordnance, and aviation supply) and Navy aviation medical and chaplain's corps personnel, as well as ground-based air defense units, and those units necessary for command and control (management and planning for manpower, intelligence, operations and training, and logistics functions), aviation command and control (tactical air command, air defense control, air support control, and air traffic control), communications, and aviation ground support (e.g., airfield services, bulk fuels/aircraft refueling, crash rescue, engineer construction and utilities support, EOD, motor transport, ground equipment supply and maintenance, local security/law enforcement, and the wing band).

ACE Organization and size

The size of the ACE varies in proportion to the size of the MAGTF. A Marine Expeditionary Force has a Marine Aircraft Wing or MAW. A Marine Expeditionary Brigade holds a Marine Aircraft Group or MAG, reinforced with a variety of aircraft squadrons and support personnel. The various Marine Expeditionary Units command a reinforced squadron, with various types of aircraft mixed into a single unit (known as a composite squadron). Generally, MEF postings are permanent, while MEBs and MEUs rotate their ACE, GCE, and LCE twice annually. 1st and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wings are unique in that they are subordinate to III MEF and I MEF, respectively, while all other equivalent units numerical designators match the MEF to which attached.

Hierarchy of Marine Aviation units

Thumb
More information Squadron Name, Insignia ...
Squadron NameInsigniaNicknameNotes
Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 1 Thumb America's Finest [3]
Close

Marine Aircraft Group 12

Thumb
More information Squadron Name, Insignia ...
Close

Marine Aircraft Group 24

Thumb

Marine Aircraft Group 36

Thumb
More information Squadron Name, Insignia ...
Squadron NameInsigniaNicknameNotes
Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 36 Bladerunner [15]
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 Flying Tigers [16]
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 Dragons [17]
UDP squadrons from II and III MEFs
Marine Wing Support Squadron 172 Firebirds [18]
Close

Marine Air Control Group 18

Thumb
More information Squadron Name, Insignia ...
Squadron NameInsigniaNicknameNotes
1st LAAD Battalion Death from Below [19]
Marine Air Control Squadron 4 Vice Squad [20]
Marine Air Support Squadron 2 Pacific Vagabonds [21]
Marine Wing Communications Squadron 18 Warriors [22]
Close

Thumb
More information Squadron Name, Insignia ...
Squadron NameInsigniaNicknameNotes
Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2 Snake Eyes
The Deuce
[23]
Close

Marine Aircraft Group 14

Thumb

Marine Aircraft Group 26

Thumb

Marine Aircraft Group 29

Thumb

Marine Aircraft Group 31

Thumb

Marine Air Control Group 28

Thumb
More information Squadron Name, Insignia ...
Close

Thumb
More information Squadron Name, Insignia ...
Squadron NameInsigniaNickname
Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3
Close

Marine Aircraft Group 11

Thumb

Marine Aircraft Group 13

Thumb
More information Squadron Name, Insignia ...
Close

Marine Aircraft Group 16

Thumb

Marine Aircraft Group 39

Thumb

Marine Air Control Group 38

Thumb
More information Squadron Name, Insignia ...
Close

Thumb
More information Squadron Name, Insignia ...
Squadron NameInsigniaNickname
4th Marine Aircraft Wing Training Support Group
Close

Marine Aircraft Group 41

Thumb

Marine Aircraft Group 49

Thumb

Marine Air Control Group 48

Thumb
More information Squadron Name, Insignia ...
Close

See also

References

Loading related searches...

Wikiwand - on

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.