Marines Eye V-22 Basing Consolidation

Feb 19, 2009
By Michael Bruno



The U.S. Marine Corps is initiating a public comment period, and has scheduled three public comment meetings, over a proposed action to base up to 10 MV-22 squadrons (120 aircraft) on the West Coast to replace nine squadrons with 114 aircraft in California.

The nine to be replaced are currently authorized for basing at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, MCAS Camp Pendleton, and Edwards Air Force Base.

The proposed MV-22 squadrons would be co-located at a single installation, called full basing, or split between two aviation facilities, according to a Feb. 17 notice in the Federal Register.

The preferred alternative is partial basing at Miramar (eight squadrons) and MCAS Camp Pendleton (two squadrons). Regardless, Miramar should lose four existing squadrons of CH-46Es while Pendleton loses three squadrons, with the preferred alternative resulting in an increase of 48 aircraft and 746 personnel at Miramar and a loss of 18 aircraft and 257 personnel at Pendleton.

Photo: Ted Carlson