Military

2d Marine Aircraft Wing (2d MAW)

The 2d Marine Aircraft Wing (2d MAW) is headquartered at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, with subordinate units located at MCAS New River, NC and MCAS Beaufort, SC.

The 2d Marine Aircraft Wing is equipped with fighters, attack jets, electronic countermeasures aircraft, helicopters, and refueling and transport aircraft. In total, 2d MAW has nearly 400 aircraft. The three main aviation groups at Cherry Point that make up the 2d MAW include Marine Aircraft Group 14, Marine Wing Support Group 27 and Marine Air Control Group 28. Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2 provides command, administrative and support for a Marine Wing Headquarters and certain elements of the Marine Air Control Group. The 2d Marine Aircraft Wing also includes MAG-31, with its F/A-18 Hornets stationed at MCAS Beaufort, S.C., and two helicopter groups, MAG-26 and MAG-29, are stationed at MCAS New River, N.C.

The 2d Marine Aircraft Wing (2d MAW) was originally commissioned in July 1941. Its first home base was San Diego, with two squadrons there as well as four others in Hawaii. The squadrons based in Hawaii sustained extensive damage during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941. The 2d MAW retained its fighting spirit during events following the attack. It contributed to 83 South Pacific combat operations, including major events at Wake Island, Okinawa, Midway, Saipan, Guadalcanal, Tinian and Guam. After fighting Japanese forces in WWII, the wing made Cherry Point its home in April 1946.

Its subsequent history includes activities across the globe. The Mediterranean and Caribbean have seen the wing active in contingency operations and exercises. The 2d MAW also participated in Vietnam, supplying combat ready units and personnel to other Marine Wings deployed on land. During the 1980s, the 2d MAW was active in Lebanon, Cuba, Grenada, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and more recently, the Middle East.

The first V-22 aircraft were delivered to the V-22 Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) during fiscal years 2000 and 2001, at which point that squadron will reach Initial Operating Capability. The V-22 FRS squadron will receive 20 V-22 aircraft during the first five years of the program. The first four 2d MAW CH-46E tactical squadrons will be transitioned to the V-22 by about fiscal year 2006, and will each receive 12 V-22s, for a total of 48 V-22 aircraft. Ultimately, by about fiscal year 2008, the six 2d MAW tactical squadrons that presently use the CH-46E helicopters will be re-equipped with the V-22. These Fleet squadrons are part of Marine Aircraft Group 26 and 29, currently stationed at MCAS New River. Initiating deployment through MCAS New River will therefore allow the DoN to take advantage of the existing facilities and organizational structure at the site.