Despite the diminishing use of Harriers, the USMC still needs new pilots. For this, El Centro in California provides specific conditions for weapons training, as Joe Copalman discovers
As part of the US Marine Corps’ (USMC) ongoing divestment of its AV-8B Harrier II fleet, the service stood down its Harrier Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), Marine Attack Training Squadron (VMAT) 203 on October 29, 2021 (see Beginning of the End, December 2021, p26-33). Since then, Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 214 has redesignated as an F-35B Lightning II squadron, and VMA-542 will redesignate as an F-35 unit later this year. This will leave only two USMC squadrons operating the Harrier – VMA-223 ‘Bulldogs’ and VMA-231 ‘Ace of Spades,’ both based at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point in North Carolina.
Though significantly downsized, the Harrier community will need to train new AV-8B pilots over the next few years to sustain the two remaining VMAs through the projected Harrier sundown in Fiscal Year 2028. To meet this continuing demand, the Marine Corps established a new unit to manage Harrier pilot production – the AV-8B Fleet Replacement Detachment (FRD) – the same day that VMAT-203 disestablished…
