Marines with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) prepare for the commencement of phase two of Winter Fury-21, a large-scale, joint force exercise that ensures the Marines of 3rd MAW are prepared, equipped, and trained to win any high-end, future fight.
“This Winter Fury, 3rd MAW is refining our Command and Control processes,” said Capt. Sarah Shoemaker, an exercise planner with 3rd MAW. “This will help us come up with our tactics, techniques, and procedures when it comes to real-world tactical command and control and deployment of our aircraft.”
Phase two of Winter Fury 21 will commence February 16 and will employ all of the aircraft in the 3rd MAW inventory, to include F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, AH-1Z Vipers, UH-1Y Venoms, F/A-18 Hornets, CH-53E Super Stallions, MV-22B Ospreys, and KC-130J Hercules aircraft.
During phase two, 3rd MAW will establish forward arming and refueling points and distributed command and control centers and conduct day and night flight operations with the F-35B Lightning II, as well as troop and equipment transport, that prepares 3rd MAW for future missions and operating in the maritime environment.
Winter Fury 21 is an opportunity for 3rd MAW’s aviation combat element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force to conduct interoperability training that prepares Marines to counter any threats in the contested maritime environments today that require leveraging the complementary capabilities of the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy as a combined power.
For questions regarding this release, please contact the 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations Office at 3rdmawmedia@usmc.mil.
3rd MAW continues to "Fix, Fly, and Fight" as the Marine Corps' largest aircraft wing and remains combat-ready, deployable on short notice, and lethal when called into action.