MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Marine Aircraft Group 12 and its F/A-18 squadrons participated in a combat-search-and-rescue exercise here to improve overall readiness Dec. 3.
The SAREX was part of the Wolmi-Do Fury exercise, which is designed to enhance the air interdiction and area air defense capabilities of MAG-12.
Maj. Greg Hoffman, MAG- 12 assistant operations officer and exercise coordinator, said the SAREX scenario evaluated MAG-12’s search and rescue capabilities and gave them a better understanding of the equipment involved.
“There’s an academic portion to any type of instruction, and then there’s the practical application,” said Hoffman. “(The SAREX) was the practical application piece.”
During the scenario, the enemy shot down a Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 225 aircraft conducting close air support operations. The pilot and weapons systems officer ejected from the aircraft landing five miles behind enemy lines. Both the pilot and WSO obtained injuries during their parachute landing.
Their mission, during the scenario, was to make contact with search and rescue assets and navigate to safety while evading enemy components. Search and rescue assets included two VMFA(AW)-225 F/A-18s flying overhead searching for their downed comrades.
The two F/A-18s were participating in a separate scenario before they were unexpectedly called to conduct the search and rescue. The F/A-18s were tasked to make contact with the downed pilot and WSO and provide initial guidance to the ground recovery forces.
“Just like in a real world scenario, they were executing one mission and they got pulled off from that mission to provide support for the downed air crew,” said Capt. Jon VonSeggern, VMFA(AW)-225 WSO. “That’s how it would happen in the real world. It was just good training all around.”
While the participating F/A-18s gained invaluable search and rescue training, the downed pilot and WSO gained experience on the survivor evader locator radios. They tested the radio in a variety of different ways to gain a better understanding of its capabilities.
“We carry those radios as our survivor radio, but how often do we get to break it out and test and use it?” said VonSeggern.
The SAREX lasted most of the day and tested several facets involved.
Lt. Austin Latour, MAG-12 air medical safety officer, helped plan the ground side training of the search and rescue scenario with the downed pilot and WSO.
Latour said he considered the mission a success with minimal setbacks.
“(The SAREX) helped build confidence in the radio they were using today,” said Latour. “Going through the procedures of a search and rescue was a big confidence builder too. We were able to identify anything that could be changed or be done better.”
Wolmi-Do Fury is an annual exercise to prepare MAG-12 for its capstone exercise Foal Eagle. Wolmi-Do Fury ended Saturday.