ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE BASE TINDAL, Australia -- Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 212 deployed here, Aug. 8, for what hopes to be another successful deployment to exercise Southern Frontier.
Like years passed, VMFA-212, with the aid of various supporting units, plans to make use of various bombing sites and training capabilities not available to them at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.
The Lancers come prepared with their usual chariot, the two seat F/A-18D, but also bring a few single seat F/A-18Cs’ to participate in the exercise. Despite having two planes to work on, maintenance and ordnance Marines stand ready to keep the birds flying and bombs dropping.
“The focus of Southern Frontier is on air-to-ground exercises (dropping live ordnance),” said Lt. Col. Mark E. Hall, VMFA-212 commanding officer. “Our daily operations will run day and night to include forward air control. We will also have KC-130’s supporting us in aerial refueling exercises.”
According to Hall, Australia not only offers favorable bombing ranges and training scenarios, but also great hosts who are very gracious and hospitable.
“The Australians are great people and I am looking forward, as I am sure most of the Marines are, to seeing the sites and enjoying the culture,” he said.
The Lancers have a wide range of units supporting the exercise to include Marine Aircraft Group 12 Headquarters, Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12, Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533, Aircraft Rescue Firefighters, Air Traffic Control, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, out of MCAS Futenma, Okinawa and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112, a reserve squadron out of Fort Worth, Texas.
“Having a composite squadron like this makes it a very unique exercise and a great training environment,” said Hall, who is making his first deployment to Australia as the Lancers commanding officer. “The Marines are all very excited and ready to get to work.”
Another Marine making his first trip to Tindal said training with various units will only strengthen abilities for everyone involved.
“This sort of training is very beneficial to our overall competencies because we are combining two different types of squadrons as well as working with our allies, the Aussies,” said Lance Cpl. Chivaz Whipple, VMFA(AW)-533 aviation operations specialist. “I am also looking forward to exploring the outback and learning about the Australian culture.”
Whipple and his fellow Marines will have plenty of time for both as Southern Frontier is set to run into the middle of September.
“I’m ready to get to work and get this exercise underway,” said Whipple.