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USN and USMC aviation

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PhatFarmer35

Registered User
Hello:

I had some questions about the different roles of military aviation, specficly with the Navy and Marine Corps.

As I understand it there are three types of bombing: stratgic, interdiction and close air support.

My question is, do Navy aircraft do all three types of bombing? For example, would an F/A-18 squadron aboard an aircraft carrier serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom be attacking the Iraqi infrastructure (stratgic bombing), bridges and Iraqi military forces (interdiction) and supporting advancing Army and Marine ground units (close air support)? Also, are most USN squadrons on carriers at sea or at shore bases?

My second question is the same except for the Marine Corps. I know that the Marine Corps does a lot of close air support, but would a Marine Corps F/A-18 squadron participating in OIF be doing stratgic and interdiction bombing?

Also, are most Marine Corps aircraft and helicopters onboard ships at sea or at air stations on shore? Does the Marine Corps only have F/A-18 and EA-6 squadrons on Navy aircraft carriers? In so, about how many USMC F/A-18 squadrons are there when compared to USN F/A-18 squadrons onboard Navy carriers?

Thank you for replying.
 
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HornetDrvr

Registered User
Navy aircraft participate in all types of missions. As you have described them Navy aircraft do participate in all three as do Marine Corps aircraft. All Navy and Marine Corps squadrons are homeported at some shore station from which they will deploy either aboard ship or to a forward deployed base. While in a squadron your are considered to be on a sea tour whether you happen to be at home at the time or aboard the ship.

Marine hornet squadron that deploy as part of a carrier air wing do everything that their sister navy squadrons on the carrier do. The differences come when you see a Harrier detachment on a amphib.

When a Marine hornet squadron does get attached to a carrier air wing they are typically the only one. Not all carrier air wings have a Marine squadron.
 
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PhatFarmer35

Registered User
Thank you for replying.

Would a Marine Corps F/A-18 squadron onboard am aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean be bombing stratgic (factories, ect) targets in a country right along side Navy F/A-18 squadrons?

Thank you again for replying.
 
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beau

Registered User
I've also heard the MC is trying to push that at every Carrier have a VMFA (MC F-18 squadron) when deployed. Thats not nes. good news for the Navy I would think, because it means less Navy F-18 squadrons.....damn service politics!!! :)
 
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PhatFarmer35

Registered User
Around how many F/A-18 squadrons are deployed on aircraft carriers (both Navy and Marine Corps)?

Also, as of now, about how often do Marine Corps F/A-18 squadrons deploy onboard aircraft carriers? And can a pilot request to be deployed onboard an aircraft carrier? Or would the whole squadron just be assigned there?

Thank you for replying.
 
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