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San Diego, California. (March 4, 2025): A rare sight appeared above the skies of San Diego as Marines assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11 (MAG-11), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, fly in formation as a team. In this photo by Lance Corporal Jennifer Sanchez, seven aircraft conduct this historic flight as part of Project Legacy 2025. The exercise gave Marine pilots a chance to practice flying in tight formations together as a unit. The flight included three FA-18C/D Hornets, three F-35 Lightning IIs, and one KC-130J Super Hercules transport plane.
MAG-11, based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, is currently composed of two F-35C squadrons, one F-35B squadron, and two F/A-18C squadrons. The unit has a long and storied history in Marine Corps aviation. In the early stages of World War II, MAG-11 shipped off to the Pacific where two of its squadrons took part in the bloody Battle for Guadalcanal. The unit helped relieve the famous “Cactus Air Force” that was desperately fending off Japanese counterattacks. America’s victory in this battle is considered a major turning point in the war.
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Pohang, South Korea. (March 5, 2025): It is a barge that turns into a pier which then converts to a causeway capable of delivering hundreds of troops and equipment ashore. In this photo by Corporal Nicholas Martinez, a Sailor with Beachmaster Unit 1, Naval Beach Group 1, offloads a Humvee using the Navy’s Improved Navy Lighterage System (INLS) from a waiting ship. Beachmaster Unit 1 controls landing craft and coordinates movement of equipment, troops, and supplies to the beach.
The INLS is used when the water is too shallow for the ship to deliver supplies via traditional port facilities. In the past, commanders had few options when dockside berths were unavailable. Often landing craft or small boats would be used to ferry supplies but this was a complicated and slow process.
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Oceanside, California. (March 12, 2025): When surfers “check out” the waves, it is for entertainment. For the Marines, knowing exact beach conditions can be a matter of life and death. In this photo by Michael Walls, scientists from the Naval Research Laboratory’s Ocean Science Division and Global TechSolutions demonstrate the new Marine Corps Surf Observation Tool (SUROB).
During the massive amphibious assaults in World War II, the Marines encountered unexpected wave conditions, currents, and man-made obstructions. Landing craft were thrown off course, capsized, or were trapped on hidden reefs resulting in high casualties. The only option then to obtain beach conditions was by dispatching special operations troops on extremely dangerous missions to check for uncharted reefs or man-made obstacles. Unfortunately, it took hours to gather this information and get it to decision-makers aboard ships.
Instead of hours, today’s commanders can receive vital information in real time. The SUROB system consists of an unmanned waterborne vehicle and a drone that can hover over the beach to take imagery. Combined with surface measurements, the system presents a comprehensive picture of the landing zone.
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San Diego, California. (March 11, 2025): In this photo by Lance Corporal Janell B. Alvarez, Sergeant Angel Felix, a drill instructor, recites Marine Corps knowledge to recruits during a 2-kilometer introduction hike at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. For these Marines, the marching has just begun. Before their training is over, these recruits will have marched hundreds of miles in a series of progressively longer hikes.
But why all the marching?
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Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia. (March 3, 2025): In militaries down through the centuries, the most persistent complaint from the troops has always about the chow. American commanders are keenly aware of how the quality and quantity of food effects morale and unit performance. That is why they strive to make American servicemembers the envy of every other military in the world when it comes to cuisine.
In this photo by Calvin Reimold, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christine Stanley listens to judges during a pastry event at the Army’s 49th Joint Culinary Training Exercise. This is the Army’s largest culinary competition among military chefs from all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. International teams representing France, the United Kingdom, and Germany also competed in the American-led exercise.
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Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. (March 10, 2025): After forty-two years of reliable service, the Air Force is beginning to retire its aging F-16 jet fighters to prepare for a new generation of attack aircraft. In this photo by Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Ress, commander of the 309th Fighter Squadron, fastens his oxygen mask as he readies to captain his F-16 Fighting Falcon for its final flight. While the 56th Fighter Wing will continue to support the F-16 for international partners, the wing is switching its focus to the latest fifth-generation fighter, the F-35A Lightning II.
Nicknamed the “Viper,” the F-16 made its first flight in 1974 and entered service in 1988 as the first all-day/all-weather fighter with night capability. Produced by General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin, the F-16s were revolutionary due to their “fly by wire” technology which used computers to assist pilots for first time. The new technology gave American pilots the edge in dogfights against the nimble Soviet MIG series of jets. The term “Viper” comes from its resemblance to the snake design of the Colonial Viper starfighter from the television series Battlestar Galactica.