MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Being the only air station in the area with arresting gear puts a lot of pressure on the Recovery Marines here.
Recovery is solely responsible for installing, inspecting, repairing and operating arresting gear, visual landing aids, airfield AM-2 matting, and airfield lighting and markings.
Recovery is oftentimes mistaken for Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting, and while their jobs coincide with each other, they’re exceedingly different. ARFF is primarily responsible for rescuing victims involved in aircraft crashes and fighting fires but has little to no involvement in arrestments.
If a pilot needed to make an emergency or precautionary landing, recovery would be called to the scene.
“If an aircraft malfunctions and the brakes go out, or the left or right engine go out, or they’re low on fuel, the aircraft will have to make an emergency landing. It’s our job to make the arrestment,” said Lance Cpl. Robert R. Jones, aircraft recovery specialist with station Recovery.
The air station’s runway is equipped with three sets of E-28 arresting gear with three more sets scheduled to be installed in the future.
Arresting gear is a series of components used to stop an aircraft by absorbing its momentum in the case of an emergency landing or aborted takeoff. However, the gear is not effective for all aircraft.
“In order for aircraft to be caught here, they must have a tail hook,” said Jones.
Some aircraft with tail hooks include the E-2C Hawkeye, F/A-18, F-15 and F-16.
As the aircraft hits the runway, its hook catches on the cable of the arresting gear lying across the runway. The cable stretches out much like a rubber band until the aircraft comes to a halt. The cable and aircraft are then reeled back in to the original catch point. ARFF assists in pinning the landing gear and taxiing the aircraft off the runway.
An arrestment happens fast and only takes about two minutes from start to finish, said Jones.
An arrestment typically takes 4-5 Marines, but because it doesn’t happen very often, all available Recovery Marines are sent to help for training purposes.
Training classes are also held weekly for the Marines to ensure they stay proficient when practical application of the skills are unavailable.
“We have actual training classes where we make our own scenarios up,” said Staff Sgt. Carlton Broadnax, runway supervisor for Recovery. “If something did happen, say where an aircraft skids off the runway because he had a locked up brake main, we give them scenarios like that so if something does happen they’ll know what to do.”
While arresting operations are almost infallible here due to the amount of training the recovery Marines endure, it’s possible for the gear to fail if not properly maintained.
“If the gear is not maintained, which is part of our mission to do, then arrestments definitely can fail,” said Broadnax. “If the Marines aren’t doing their job here, then the arrestment will fail.”
If that happens, the aircraft won’t be able to stop. It will go right through the arrestment gear, break the tail hook, continue down the runway, and end up causing damage to the aircraft, airfield and possibly injure personnel, said Broadnax.
One thing that makes Recovery unique here is the availability of M-31 expeditionary arresting gear in addition to the E-28 gear installed on the flight line.
There aren’t many stations that have both sets of gear available, and it’s not unusual to get a Marine in the shop who is only familiar with one of the systems, said Jones.
Recovery isn’t just beneficial to the station’s air operations. It’s also important to all aircraft flying over the area.
“If we didn’t have arrestment gear here in Iwakuni, (aircraft) would have to either fly to a ship offshore, a carrier or fly to Okinawa for any type of emergency situation,” said Jones. “We’re the only air station (mainland Japan) with arrestment gear.”
So, whether it’s an emergency or just a precautionary measure, pilots can rest assured Recovery Marines here will be on the scene to bring their bird to a stop safely.