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Text and photography by Robert L. Lawson
In training exercises, playing the role of airborne adversary is a tough job, but someone has to do it. No one does it better than the Snipers.
“Unique” is probably the best word to describe Marine Fighter Training Squadron (VMFT) 401, based in the arid desert at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, Arizona. Why is it unique? For starters, it is the only Marine Reserve adversary squadron; it is the only Marine Corps squadron dedicated solely to adversary training. It is also the only Marine squadron to have flown U.S. Air Force and foreign aircraft. The fact that these aviators are good at their jobs, however, is not unique—it is expected.
VMFT-401 originated at Yuma on 18 March 1986 under the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, established for the sole purpose of providing adversary services to active and reserve Fleet Marine Forces and Navy fleet units. Primary recipients of this all-important training in the art of aerial combat are VMFAT-101, the MCAS El Toro-based F/A- 18 Hornet replacement training squadron, and Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron (MAWTS) One at Yuma.
With MAWTS, the “Snipers” train fixed-wing as well as helicopter aviators in the skills of air combat maneuvering, with evasive maneuvering for the helo pilots.
At this writing, VMFT-401 is led by two regular Marine Corps officers: Lieutenant Colonel Edward P. Hay and Major David W. Sadler. The squadron consists of seven active-duty reserve officers augmented by ten Selected Marine Corps Reserve pilots and 12 active-duty reserve enlisted personnel, backed by 108 Israeli Aircraft Services contract maintenance personnel.
Sniper pilots are required to attend the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School (Topgun) adversary course at Naval Air Station Miramar. Originally, the squadron was equipped with 13 Israeli Aircraft Industries F-21A Kfirs (Lion Cub). It operated the Israeli fighters until 22 September 1989, at which time the Kfirs were transferred to Norfolk for return to Israel. Replacing the F-21As are 12 F-5E Tiger IIs and one two-seat F-5F. The squadron had flown the agile Israeli fighters on 9,184 sorties for 7,892 hours with less than a 1% abort rate. VMFT-401 is proud of its accident-free safety record and its reputation of providing services on time and on budget.
There is no “weekend warrior” attitude at the Snipers. This title no longer has any meaningful application to either the Marine or Naval Air Reserve programs. The squadron’s heavy commitments require Snipers pilots to be available for extra drills on virtually a daily basis. For example, the squadron last year provided the majority of “Red Air” threats for Gallant Eagle ’89 and is the primary provider of MAWTS-l’s Weapons and Tactics Instructors (WTI) course held twice annually for one month at Yuma. VMFT-401 averages 800 annual sorties for WTI alone.
Yuma’s close proximity to its Tactical Aircrew Combat Training System range is a valuable asset for VMFT-401’ s training, and it enhances its record of cost-effectiveness that is ever so important in today’s budgetary climate. Snipers pilots can call “Fight’s on!” five minutes after wheels are in the well. Colonel Hay expresses the squadron’s attitude well: “We’ve got a good mission. We do it properly and safely, or we don’t do it at all.”
Mr. Lawson is a retired Navy senior chief photographer’s mate and editor of Tailhook magazine.
104
Proceedings / September 1990
The primary mission of VMFT-401 is to simulate potential adversaries in combat situations. Clockwise from left: An F-5E taxis from a shelter that holds temperatures 20-30° lower than those on the ramp. Two F-5Es take off from Yuma; an F/A-18 turns into two “adversaries,” an F-21A Kfir (since returned to Israel) and an F-5E; an AV-8B Harrier II and an F-5E pass by the trademark Picacho Peak on the way back home.
MARINES