Marines increase readiness through MISTEX and OAAW

Photo By Chief Warrant Officer Daniel Kujanpaa | Marines from Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), conducted simulated air traffic control during Marine Air Command and Control System Integrated Simulated Training Exercise (MISTEX) at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Az., on Sept. 30, 2017. MISTEX was conducted in conjunction with Weapons and Tactics Instructors course 1-18. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1 cadre which emphasizes operational integration of the six functions of Marine Corps Aviation in support of a Marine Air Ground Task Force. MAWTS-1 provides standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine Aviation Training and Readiness and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Daniel Kujanpaa)  

YUMA, AZ, UNITED STATES

10.13.2017

Story by Lance Cpl. Ethan Pumphret 

Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. – Marines from Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 conducted a MACCS (Marine Air Command and Control System) Integrated Simulated Training Exercise and Offensive Anti-Air Warfare Exercise for Weapons and Tactics Instructors course 1-18 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Az. MISTEX was conducted Sept. 30 and OAAW was conducted on Oct. 13.
WTI is a seven week-long course that provides standardized tactical training for pilots, air crew, aviation command and control personnel, aviation ground support personnel, intelligence specialists and ground combat element personnel across the Marine Corps, Joint and Coalition Services.
MISTEX is a one-day exercise that simulates all the different mission sets the MACCS Marines will have to command and control throughout the conduct of WTI. The MISTEX is centered on an assault support mission. The scenario also simulates Anti-Air Warfare and Air Interdiction missions on simulated enemy targets that have radar and anti-air capability. The exercise was separated into two different sections requiring some of the students to plan the overall simulation for MACCS training, while the remainder facilitated the overall conduct of the exercise. MISTEX is conducted in preparation of OAAW.
MISTEX combines Marine Air Control Squadrons, Communication squadrons and Low-Altitude Air Defense Battalion assets with computers running simulations provided by Capt. James Wuestman, the Division Head for the Tactical Air Operations Center at MAWTS-1.
“MISTEX is an exercise specifically designed to warm up all those different agencies and work with one another,” said Wuestman. “I want them to get an understanding of how to integrate and to pass information rapidly between each MACCS agency, information is the MACCS’ weapon and the faster we can push and pull information to and from decision makers the better we can support the six functions for Marine Aviation and MAGTF operations.”
Wuestman said that they can make mistakes in MISTEX, and he wants them to so that during de-brief, the students can learn from them and move forward. MISTEX is their chance to get a feel for it so once it comes to real-world operations they won’t make those mistakes again.
OAAW is an exercise that splits the MAGTF in half and has them fight each other. The MACCS is augmented with two PATRIOT batteries, F-5E TIGER II aircraft from VMFT-401, and FA-18 Hornets from the fleet. FA-18s, AV-8Bs, F-35Bs, KC-130s and EA-6Bs from the TACAIR department and AH-1 Cobras from the Assault Support Department (ASD) team up to fight the MACCS. Prospective WTIs (PWTIs) in the MACCS are charged with planning to defend Yuma, while the PWTIs in TACAIR plan to attack Yuma from the East.
“This exercise gives our PWTIs varsity level training,” said Maj Anthony Koehl, a FA-18 Hornet Instructor Pilot with MAWTS-1. “If you look at the six functions of Marine aviation, all are executed in OAAW.”
“It’s the only force on force exercise that we do during WTI. Normally, adversary squadrons do their best to replicate a threat for our PWTIs. In this exercise, PWTIs are fighting PWTIs. This exposes them to a living, breathing, thinking adversary with capabilities that none of our adversaries have.”

• Date Taken: 10.13.2017
• Date Posted: 10.19.2017 15:24
• Story ID: 252317
• Location: YUMA, AZ, US