Beaufort-based Marine Corps fighter jets are headed to eastern Europe
Fighter jets and personnel from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort are among three aviation units based in the Carolinas being deployed to Eastern Europe to bolster the defenses of NATO in response to uncertainty in Ukraine, the Pentagon said Wednesday.
U.S. Marines from 2d Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW), II Marine Expeditionary Force, have deployed to enhance Eastern Europe’s collective defense posture and NATO’s capabilities, according to a news release.
The mission of 2nd MAW, which has resources and personnel at Marine Corps air stations in Beaufort and Cherry Point and New River, N.C., is to conduct air operations in support of Marine forces.
Marine Air Control Group (MACG) 28, a command and control unit based at Cherry Point, has been repositioned to Lithuania, the Pentagon said. MACG-28 provides multi-domain command and control, air defense, air traffic control, and communications support.
In addition to MACG-28’s repositioning to Lithuania, F/A-18C Hornets from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron in Beaufort and KC-130J Hercules from Aerial Refueler Training Squadron 252, at Cherry Point will deploy to Eastern Europe.
The Marine Times reported that the three aviation units will join more than 10,000 U.S. troops mobilized to Eastern Europe and Germany in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It also reported that 10 F/A-18 Hornets from the Beaufort air station are being deployed, along with “some” C-130 Hercules transport planes and 200 personnel. The location of the deployment, it reported, is undetermined at this time.
The Marine Times also reported that 200 personnel were deploying with the Cherry Point command and control unit.
This story was originally published March 30, 2022 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Beaufort-based Marine Corps fighter jets are headed to eastern Europe."
