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The United States Marine Corps (USMC) celebrates its 250th anniversary today, a milestone with a rich history behind it.
The Marines are known for being the first to fight wherever the United States launches an operation. Their combat record is filled with many pages of valor and heroism on land, at sea, and in the air, as their soldiers have demonstrated in numerous wars.
The Marine Corps Aviation (USMCA) was founded on May 22, 1912. Today, the USMC's air power surpasses that of many air forces, and its power projection capabilities are far greater than most of them thanks to the US Navy's ships. It currently consists of four Aircraft Wings with their main bases in Okinawa (Japan), Cherry Point (North Carolina), Miramar (California), and New Orleans (Louisiana). Let's review some of its aircraft here.
Today the F-35 is the USMC's most modern fighter jet. The Marines are scheduled to receive 280 F-35Bs (short takeoff and vertical landing) to operate from LHDs, and 140 F-35Cs to operate from CATOBAR aircraft carriers. The USMC currently has 18 F-35 squadrons, 11 of which are fleet squadrons.
The USMC still has 186 F/A-18 Hornets of the A and C versions (single-seat) and 46 of the B and D versions (two-seat). Known as "Legacy Hornets" to distinguish them from the Super Hornets used by the Navy, they are being replaced by F-35Cs. The USMC's Legacy Hornets are distributed among 5 squadrons, 4 of which are fleet squadrons and 1 training squadron.
The USMC now has only one active Harrier II Plus squadron, VMA-223 "Bulldogs," with about 20 aircraft. Its aircraft are scheduled to be retired from service in 2026. These aircraft are being replaced by the F-35B.
The USMC expects to receive 14 MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles. They are divided into 3 squadrons, 2 of them for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition, and the third for training.
The USMC has 159 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters. They are the latest version in a long line of attack helicopters that began in the 1960s with the AH-1 Cobra. They are distributed among 9 squadrons, 8 of which are fleet squadrons and 1 training squadron.
The USMC has 160 UH-1Y Venom transport helicopters, the latest version of the famous UH-1 Huey from the 1960s. They are divided into 9 squadrons, 8 of them fleet squadrons and 1 training squadron.
The USMC has 64 KC-130 Super Hercules tanker aircraft, which are used to support the Marine Corps' aircraft fleet. They are distributed among 5 refueling and transport squadrons.
The USMC currently operates 140 CH-53E Super Stallion heavy helicopters. This model is being replaced by the new CH-53K King Stallion, of which the USMC expects to receive 191 units. The USMC's CH-53Es are operated by seven squadrons, six of which are fleet squadrons and one is a training squadron. In addition, there is already one active CH-53K squadron.
The USMC currently operates 289 MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, dedicated to transport duties. These aircraft are operated by 18 squadrons, 17 of which are fleet squadrons and 1 training squadron.
The USMC uses 12 F-5E Tiger IIs as aggressor aircraft for fighter pilot training. They are divided into two squadrons: VMFT-401 "Snipers" from Yuma, Arizona, and VMFT-402 "Grim Reapers" from Beaufort, South Carolina.
The USMCA has several aircraft dedicated to transport duties. The most famous are the VH-3D Sea King presidential helicopters operated by the HMX-1 squadron from Quantico, Virginia. These helicopters regularly fly to the White House to transport the President of the United States. The HMX-1 still has seven of these helicopters in active service.
The SH-3D presidential helicopters of HMX-1 are being replaced by VH-92A Patriots. The USMC plans to operate 23 of these helicopters for presidential transport.
The only variant of the famous UH-60 Black Hawk used by the USMC is the VH-60N White Hawk executive transport helicopter. Six of these helicopters are operated by HMX-1, as are the other aircraft dedicated to presidential transport.
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Photos: U.S. Marine Corps / Naval Air Systems Command.
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