Photo By Lance Cpl. Samantha Devine | U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 373, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd...... read more read more
Subscribe
SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND, Calif. — In the opening phases of exercise Steel Knight 25, the “Aces” of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing were on the ground, mapping terrain and building the foundation for the missions to follow. Marine Wing Support Squadron 373, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd MAW, received the nickname “Aces” to represent the squadron’s tradition of excellence and innovation in aviation ground support. Steel Knight 25, which began on Dec. 1, 2025, is an annual exercise that strengthens the Navy-MarineCorps team's ability to respond forward, integrate across domains, andsustain Marine Air-Ground Task Force readiness.
“Marine Wing Support Squadron 373’s role in Steel Knight is to establish a node on San Clemente Island to enable fuel generation for rotary-wing aircraft. We’re specifically going to accomplish this by establishing a four-point Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP),” said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Cody Hubbard, Headquarters and Support Company commander with MWSS-373.
A FARP enables aircraft to refuel from distributed environments in order to increase survivability and operational reach of aviation assets. At the start of the exercise, engineers with MWSS-373 conducted reconnaissance on San Clemente Island, California, to identify locations to establish the FARP. Once established, the unit will begin to function as a node.
Distributed aviation operations rely on the hub–spoke–node concept to sustain aviation combat power across dispersed locations. The hub serves as the primary command center, positioned outside the adversary’s weapons engagement zone to maintain continuity of command and logistics. Spokes extend from the hub and operate closer to the fight, providing intermediate sustainment and communication between the hub and forward nodes.
Nodes, such as the one established on San Clemente Island, are the most forward, short-duration sites, typically established for 72 to 96 hours, to minimize their digital signature, enable rapid displacement and increase survivability. This framework directly supports the FARP training on San Clemente Island by creating an expeditionary location for fuel sustainment, allowing aircraft to continue their mission across significant distances with speed and efficiency.
Hubbard further described how this concept is being employed during Steel Knight 25. “The hub-spoke-node concept drives us to build a layered FARP network,” he said. “Hubs retain a bulk of the logistics, command and control, spokes provide intermediate sustainment, and FARP nodes are small, mobile, and closest to the enemy area of operations to support missions. This requires them to establish and displace fast, which extends operational reach and increases survivability.”
This networked approach relies on effective command and control to ensure each element works together and adapts as the mission evolves. Command and control in the Marine Corps focuses on commanders understanding the situation, making quick decisions, and directing forces, while empowering Marines at lower levels to act and accomplish the mission. In the context of establishing the node, the Aviation Ground Support Reconnaissance Team utilizes Marines from several sections of the support squadron to conduct various surveys of the locations to determine their suitability before passing the information and recommendations back to the hub and spoke commands.
Prior to selecting a site, Marines assess multiple factors, such as ground slope, approach and departure paths, and placement for personnel and equipment. The assessments use aerial data collected from a Sky Raider R80D drone, walking wheels, and other equipment to capture data about the location. This data is consolidated into reports, one being the Marine Survey Assault Zone Assessment (MSAAZA) conducted by the expeditionary airfield Marines, and another compiled by the combat engineers on the ground.
“Our mission here was to identify locations best used for a FARP, and we used our EnFIRE system. It's been implemented with combat engineers since about 2019,” said Sgt. Andres Osborn, a combat engineer with MWSS-373. “This system allows us to do engineer reconnaissance, such as our for routes, roads, helicopter landing zones, etc.”
The locations data collected locations by the AGSRT is essential for determining a safe and effective FARP location, in both training and in contested environments, ensuring the Marine Corps maintains the ability to close with and destroy the enemy.
Together, the Aces’ detailed reconnaissance, engineering expertise, and precise coordination ensure that every aircraft supported during Steel Knight 25 launches from a foundation built on accuracy and readiness. By shaping the battlespace before the first mission begins, MWSS-373 enables the Marine Corps to remain mobile, resilient, and ready to project combat power whenever or wherever the fight demands. Their work on San Clemente Island demonstrates how disciplined preparation and innovative command and control practices, directly contribute to the Corps’ ability to sustain operations across a contested environment.
| Date Taken: | 12.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.10.2025 15:35 |
| Story ID: | 553686 |
| Location: | SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 20 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Steel Knight 25: ‘Aces’ establish node to extend aviation combat power, by LCpl Samantha Devine, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
