Operation Carolina Guardian

A news story on WTOC News this evening identified the activity heard over and around Beaufort yesterday and today. It is a joint training exercise between the USMC and SC Army National Guard training for Iraq operations. The story and associated video can be found here.

Activity from this morning and this afternoon consisted of HAWK 81 controlling entry and exit of airborne assets into the area. Once the assets checked in, they were put in holding until needed by the Convoys. Once HAWK 81 ascertained the needs of the convoy from their Forward Air Controller, he assigned a flight to the convoy. The F/A-18s would use targeting pods, ROVER (Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver) and the good old fashioned Mk. I eyeball to provide ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) for the convoys. They were also employing weaponry to defend the convoy and support it's mission. The F/A-18s were also acting as FAC-A for the AH-64s. Throughout the operations, HAWK 81 would also pass mission reports to command element KAISER.

258.900 - TAN, Check In and Command-Control
336.225 - NUDE, Tactical for CHARLIE 1
327.475 - GREEN, Tactical for CHARLIE 2
256.250 - TEAL, Tactical for CHARLIE 3

320.200 - VMFA-115 Tac 2, BLADE 2# air-to-air
283.400 - VMFA-122 Tac 1, NIKEL 3# air-to-air
269.700 - VMFA-122 Tac 3, NIKEL 3# air-to-air
301.950 - VMFA-312 Tac 1, CHECK 6# air-to-air
299.300 - VMFA(AW)-533 Tac 2, HAWK 8# air-to-air

HAWK 8# - F/A-18D, VMFA(AW)-533
BLADE 2# - F/A-18A+, VMFA-115
NIKEL 3# - F/A-18C, VMFA-122
CHECK 6# - F/A-18A+, VMFA-312
MARAUDER 4# - AH-64, SC ARNG
BOOGER - Convoy Forward Air Controller
BUSTER - Convoy Forward Air Controller
CAESAR - Convoy Forward Air Controller
KAISER - MAG-31


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Harris Neck NWR Monitoring Trip, 11 July 2007

This morning I took a trip down to the Harris Neck Wildlife Refuge area in an attempt to identify some repeater sites for the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge Complex linked repeater system. Unfortunately, I did not hear the system in use the entire three hours I was in the area! Just my kind of luck. Some monitoring from last week led to some web research that has led me to tentatively ID one of the repeater sites: 169.825 is most likely in the area of Harris Neck. The only other repeater in the group I've been able to determine a location on is 172.450, which correlates to the Skidaway location that users have mentioned.

The trip itself, however, was not a total loss. Harris Neck NWR is not all that from Townsend Range. I was able to get excellent signals on activity from F/A-18Ds from VMFA(AW)-533 and from F-16CJs from the 169th Fighter Wing.

228.400 and 252.900 - Townsend Range Control
HAWK 81/82 (F/A-18D, VMFA-533) using 348.825 Tac 3 worked a simulated JTAC callsign METRO and also acted as FAC-A for HAWK 83/84 flight (F/A-18D, VMFA-533) using 299.300 Tac 2.

VIPER 21/22 (F-16CJ, 169 FW) using 140.125 V17 and VIPER 23/24 (F-16CJ, 169 FW) using 138.025 air-to-air did air-to-ground and air-to-air combat training with support from an AWACS using the callsign BANDSAW.

VFA-201 in the Southeast

F/A-18s from VFA-201 at NAS Fort Worth are currently working on the east coast. I caught them working with F-15s from the 125th Fighter Wing out of Jacksonville IAP and with STEALTH, the 117th ACS at Hunter AAF in the South TACTS Range (SEALORD's airspace).
They were using 319.500 for air-to-air, which I would assume is one of their TAC frequencies and were using the static callsign HUNTER with air traffic control and the tactical callsigns PUCK and TOUGH GUY while fighting with the F-15s.

Based on an email I received from a fellow radio enthusiast in Florida, they could possibly be in the area for a Speedweeks flyover at the Daytona International Speedway.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

The Future of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort

It looks like the community around MCAS Beaufort is working to protect the base from future cuts. It is even a possibility that the Air Station could grow, absorbing squadrons from NAS Oceana. This is great news for MilCom monitors in the SC/GA/FL area, as it helps ensure future F/A-18 activity to monitor and offers the possibility of even more activity in the future.


http://www.beaufortgazette.com/local_news/story/6276551p-5475899c.html


South Carolina lawmakers are trying to lure the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets from NAS Oceana to MCAS Beaufort. It is looking like the Super Hornets are short lived at NAS Oceana due to the area's inability to meet BRAC standards for keeping the base open. Two of the front runners for relocation of NAS Oceana's aircraft are Cecil Field in Florida and MCAS Beaufort. During the November elections, the voters in Jacksonville overwhelmingly voted down an attempt to reopen Cecil Field as a Naval Air Station.


http://www.beaufortgazette.com/local_news/story/6281374p-5479552c.html


Beaufort County and municipalities surrounding MCAS Beaufort, on the other hand, have just approved a buffer zone around the Air Station that will protect it from the type of encroachment that has endangered NAS Oceana. This buffer zone can be enlarged in the event the more powerful (and therefore noisier) Super Hornets move to MCAS Beaufort. Stay tuned for more information and hope for the best!