Structure of Marine Aviation

[Coota0]

Can anyone give me an overview of the organization of Marine aviation?

[USMCRET6391]

The Basic Unit is, of course the Squadron.

Squadrons are organized into Marine Air Groups that include Command and Support elements, they used to be called Headquarters and Maintenance Squadrons (H&MS-11 for instance in MAG-11) but I think they are called something else now.

The groups are organized around aircraft type: fixed wing, rotary wing and the VMGRs (assigned to Marine Wing Support Groups) which are C-130 outfits that provide troop and cargo transport plus inflight refueling capability. I cannot give you much info on how the groups are organized internally since that changed after I retired.

Groups are organized into Marine Air Wings; 1st MAW, 2nd MAW, 3rd MAW and 4th MAW.

The number of Sqds in a group varies by aircraft type and location. As does the Number of Groups in a Wing. The 1st MAW is (or used to be) located in MCAS Iwakuni Japan with elements throught out Westpac and one Group at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. 2nd Wing is headquartered at MCAS Cherry Point NC with elements at MCAS Beaufort SC and MCAS(H) New River at MCB Camp Lejuene. 3rd Wing is located at MCAS Miramar CA with elements at , MCAS Yuma AZ, MCB Camp Pendleton and MCB 29 Palms, both in CA. The 4th MAW is the reserve component with sqds and groups scattered throughout the country.

Marine Sqds are also deployed aboard Carriers, in which case they are part of a Carrier Air Group although they remain elements of their various Groups and Wings.

These are the basics, things change when you start talking about MEUs and MEBs as they can contain both fixed and rotary wing squadrons and their support elements depending on their assigned mission.

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Did a little more reasearch this morning and found that the 1st MAW is now headquarterd at Futenma, Okinawa.

How many cobras are in a squadron?
Actually, how many on average of each unit are in a helicopter squadron? or fixed wing?

Actually, how many on average of each unit are in a helicopter squadron?

or fixed wing.

[USMCRET6391]

The number of A/C in a squadron is dictated by the mission. As a general rule there are 12-14 A/C in a unit. The training units will have more. When I was in the F-4 training squadron for the East Coast (VMFAT-201) in the late 1960s the unit had 33 A/C when I left.