U.S.
Marine Corps AV-8B Harriers from USS Kearsarge LHD Join Fight
Against ISIL
Naval
Aviation rejoined the fight against ISIL Nov. 19 when AV-8B Harriers
from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM)162(Reinforced)launched from
the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) to conduct their first
missions over Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR).
ARABIAN GULF (Nov. 19, 2015) An AV-8B Harrier assigned to Marine Medium
Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary
Unit (26th MEU), launches from the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge
(LHD 3) to conduct their first missions over Iraq in support of Operation
Inherent Resolve. Kearsarge is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet, supporting
Operation Inherent Resolve, the effort to degrade and ultimately destroy
ISIL; maritime security operations; and regional theater security cooperation
efforts. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice
Ryre Arciaga/Released)
The last
Naval Aviation missions in support of OIR were Oct. 17, from USS Essex
(LHD 2).
"We will continue to work with our coalition partners to drive
ISIL out of Iraq and Syria," said Lt. Col. Brian T. Koch, commanding
officer of VMM-162(REIN). "We operate around the clock to defend
America, and to keep our families at home safe."
VMM-162(REIN) is the aviation combat element of the 26th MEU, currently
embarked with the Kearsarge ARG.
Capt. Augustus P. Bennett, commander, Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group
(ARG), said the Sailors and Marines under his charge are prepared for
what lies ahead.
The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group with the embarked 26th MEU along
with our coalition partners are here to degrade and destroy ISIL's current
operations under OIR," Bennett said. "The combined ARG-MEU
team is an expeditionary Navy/Marine Corps force that stands ready and
has been trained for these types of operations. We're here to assure
our allies, deter any adversaries and provide a persistent U.S. presence
here in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations."
In addition
to Naval Aviation missions against ISIL in support of OIR, the Marines
and Sailors of the ARG-MEU team are deployed throughout the region conducting
various missions including theater security cooperation and maritime security
operations.
The Kearsarge ARG arrived in the U.S. 5th Fleet Nov. 1. The U.S. 5th Fleet's
area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of the Middle
East's maritime reaches and includes the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of
Oman, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.