YUMA, Ariz. - When Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 was first activated on March 18, 1986 here at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, it was thought to be the very beginning of a new era in Marine aviation history.
VMFT-401 was one of the first Marine Corps adversary squadrons, first flying Israeli F-21A Kfirs and later transitioning to the F-5E Tiger II.
Now, over 25 years later, they are the only adversary squadron in the Marine Corps, still flying the F-5E Tiger and still based at MCAS Yuma. Although VMFT-401’s path was not what many people predicted when it was first activated, it still plays a major role in today’s Marine Corps.
For VMFT-401, their mission today is to provide instruction to active and reserve Fleet Marine Forces and fleet squadrons. They train with all of the other squadrons at MCAS Yuma as well as other squadrons at MCAS Miramar and MCAS Camp Pendleton, helping train other squadrons on the art aviation warfare.
“We do everything from large force exercise to attacking helicopters, C-130’s, Harriers and even tanks at times,” said Lt. Col. Rian Cook, an F-5 pilot and historian for VMFT-401, and a native of Boise, Idaho. “We train and help provide support for any air station in the United States Military.”
Even though the United States Military stopped making the F-5E in 1988 they have still somehow managed to survive. With the survival of the F-5E the value of VMFT-401 still remains important to the Marine Corps.
“The F-5E is different from any aircraft I’ve ever worked on,” said Sgt. John Mathwig an aviation ordnance technician for VMFT-401 and a native of Detroit. “It can only fly for about 45 minutes and is very maneuverable but I think the big part is it saves the Marine Corps lots of money on fuel.”
Today, VMFT-401 continues to show it is still valuable to the Marine Corps by training its squadrons for combat and also saving money. The squadron was even recognized by the Commandant of the Marine Corps for flying more than 50,000 mishap-free flight hours. They broke the 50,000 hour mark in early July 2010 and have not had a mishap since October 1995.
“I don’t see this squadron going away any time soon,” said Cook. “The Marine Corps keeps us quite busy and we know there isn’t really any other way to train the squadrons for warfare the way we can.”
Although VMFT-401 is one of the smaller non-deployable squadrons it has kept its importance to the Marine Corps and helps do its part in the overall mission.
| Date Taken: |
02.01.2013 |
| Date Posted: |
02.08.2013 12:06 |
| Story ID: |
101690 |
| Location: |
YUMA, ARIZONA, US |
| Hometown: |
BOISE, IDAHO, US |
| Hometown: |
DETROIT, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: |
319 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
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This work, The Past, Present, and Future of VMFT-401, by PFC Brendan King, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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