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In the wide open spaces of Australia's Northern Territory lies a small 3,500 foot dirt runway where KC-130 Hercules pilots, from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, conduct Assault Landing Zone training for Exercise Southern Frontier, Sept. 8. In addition to providing refueling assistance to fixed-wing aircraft, the Sumos' pilots use these fly-bys to hone their skills while Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 172 visually spot the landings on the ground and radio the results back to the pilot so adjustments can be made. "This training is valuable because you're not always going to have a perfectly paved road to land on," said Sgt. Julien L. Russell, MWSS-172 expeditionary airfield systems technician. "This is what they use in Iraq every day. "When you're in combat you don't have time to mess up."

080906-m-4680h-012.jpg Photo By: Sgt. David J. Hercher

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Assault landing zone training beneficial to Marines

Sep 8, 2006

In the wide open spaces of Australia's Northern Territory lies a small 3,500 foot dirt runway where KC-130 Hercules pilots, from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, conduct Assault Landing Zone training for Exercise Southern Frontier, Sept. 8. In addition to providing refueling assistance to fixed-wing aircraft, the Sumos' pilots use these fly-bys to hone their skills while Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 172 visually spot the landings on the ground and radio the results back to the pilot so adjustments can be made. "This training is valuable because you're not always going to have a perfectly paved road to land on," said Sgt. Julien L. Russell, MWSS-172 expeditionary airfield systems technician. "This is what they use in Iraq every day. "When you're in combat you don't have time to mess up."

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