Please remember Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:44 as
Brian wrote:i know that Kandahar is also expecting some USMC assets.. (Harriers, CH-46, AH-1's and 2 KC-130J's) The Hercs already arrived.. there will be a total of 24 (USMC) aircraft stationed at this field.
Known sofar are KC-130J's
166380/BH-380 and 166381/BH-381
As well known, VMAQ-2 "Death Jesters", MAG-14, 2nd MAW, MCAS Cherry Point (tailcode CY) was relieved in place by VMAQ-4 "Seahawks", MAG-14, 2nd MAW, MCAS Cherry Point (tailcode RM) in January 2008 for another six-month or seven-month deployment at Al Asad Airfield, Iraq.
But at least currently, I have some problems with VMAQ-3 "Moon Dogs", MAG-14, 2nd MAW, MCAS Cherry Point (tailcode MD).
According to their official public website
http://www.2maw.usmc.mil/MAG14/vmaq3/default.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, in March 2008 Brigadier General Timothy Hanifen, assistant wing commander, wished VMAQ-3 good luck for their deployment to Iraq. But in fact, they cant´t really deployed to Iraq, because VMAQ-4 is already deployed to Al Asad. And at least in the past, there were no two VMAQ squadrons at the same time.
In this case, it´s possible that VMAQ-3 will be deploy not to Iraq but to Afghanistan, at least related to the announcements posted by Brian (see above).
The background info of all of that could be the following:
http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/mcn20 ... endocument" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000. ... enDocument" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I´m not sure, but it looks to me like USMC could deploy some additional ground-based air assets (including a detachment of Harriers) to support their deployed 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (24th MEU).