USS Wasp (LHD 1) Crash and Salvage

JAPAN
01.23.2019
Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sean Galbreath
USS WASP 

190123-N-SA412-0152 PHILIPPINE SEA (Jan 23, 2019) -- Sailors assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) crash and salvage team monitor flight operations as a F-35B Lightning II aircraft assigned to the “Flying Tigers” of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Reinforced) takes off from the flight deck. Wasp, flagship of Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, with embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force for any type of contingency. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Sean Galbreath)

Camp Lejeune feels the burn

John Magnus, forestry technician, observes a prescribed burn as the wind guides it causing it to grow larger in the LE training area, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Jan. 30., 2019. Prescribed burns are used to effectively restore the native ecosystems and to reduce risk of an uncontrolled wildfire. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ashley Gomez)

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, UNITED STATES

02.06.2019

Story by Lance Cpl. Ashley Gomez 

Marine Corps Installations East        

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. –The faint smell of smoke in the air may cause uneasiness for commuters and residents, but when it comes to training, protecting and maintaining the environment, the reason for the smoke is extremely important. Prescribed burns, also called controlled burns, are essential for maintaining the ecological balance of the woodland encompassing the base. 

Prescribed burning is the process of planning and applying fire to a predetermined area, under specific environmental conditions, to achieve a desired outcome according to the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

“On Camp Lejeune, our main focus is to support training,” said Josh Cumbo, a forestry technician on MCB Camp Lejeune. “We do that by doing a lot of our burning around the ranges to reduce the risk of a wildfire getting out of hand and becoming unmanageable.”

Periodically conducting these burns also helps with safety. Areas around the ranges and training areas are susceptible to wildfires, but if the forest is already burnt, the wildfires won’t have any fuel on the ground to thrive off of making them less dangerous.

“A lot of folks think prescribed burns are bad for the environment, but they don’t know how they actually work,” Cumbo said. “They not only clean the forest bed up, but they release nutrients back into the soil and it helps promote (new growth).”

Prescribed burns start with a backing fire placed strategically windward of an area of trees. The trees are similar in nature and have common characteristics and are collectively referred to as a stand.

After the backing fire is set, forestry technicians will go into the forest and light the area around the perimeter so that the entire stand in which they planned to burn will be clear.

“The reason we do this is to maintain training (areas), keep people safe, maintain biodiversity and benefit plant and animal species,” said John Magnus, a forestry technician on MCB Camp Lejeune. “The more we burn, the more control we have to help keep the Marines training.”

USS WASP (LHD 1) OPERATIONS AT SEA

JAPAN
01.23.2019
Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sean Galbreath
USS WASP 

PHILIPPINE SEA (Jan 23, 2019) -- Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman Jonathan Pasquel-Bederak, from Queens, New York, monitors flight operations as a member of the crash and salvage team onboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp, flagship of Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, with embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force for any type of contingency. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Sean Galbreath)

JBMDL Airmen load Fire Truck bound for Nicaragua

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NJ, UNITED STATES

01.31.2019

Photo by Staff Sgt. Sean Evans  

514th Air Mobility Wing/Public Affairs  

U.S. Airmen with the 305th Aerial Port Squadron and 732nd Airlift Squadron, guide a fire truck onto a C-17 on Joint Base Mcguire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Jan. 31, 2018. The 732nd transported a fire truck, donated by the Hamilton Twp., District 8 Fire Department, to the volunteer fire department in Managua, Nicaragua. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sean M Evans)

Photo by Staff Sgt. Sean Evans

Photo by Staff Sgt. Sean Evans

Lockheed Martin to go over crash recovery procedures for the F-35 Lightning II

Photo By Kenji Thuloweit | The 461st Flight Test Squadron’s F-35 aircraft AF-04 sits in Hangar 1600 as a test team verifies crash and disabled aircraft recovery procedures Dec. 12, 2018. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit) 

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, CA, UNITED STATES

01.25.2019

Story by Kenji Thuloweit 

412th Test Wing Public Affairs  

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Even the most advanced aircraft in the world may not always have a successful landing. Or, it can just simply get stuck somewhere.

That’s why a team of testers from Edwards AFB linked up with representatives from Lockheed Martin to go over crash recovery procedures for the F-35 Lightning II recently. 

The two-day event was to verify measures on the aircraft for what is referred to as crash, damage, disabled aircraft recovery, or CDDAR.

Members from the 412th Maintenance Squadron performed the actual procedures on the aircraft. Different methods were verified such as using an aircraft sling attached to the F-35 to be lifted by a crane; “belly bands” that can be placed underneath the jet and attached to a crane; and inflatable airbags or lifting bags that can be used to raise a crashed or disabled F-35.

“Each item used can be tailored to the incident,” said Robert Miller, 412th Logistics Test Squadron, F-35 Joint-Service Technical Order Development, Edwards Verification Site lead. “For example, if the right main landing gear is collapsed, there are procedures using any of the above items to lift the disabled side.”

Miller said the 412th MXS is responsible for local crash recovery response and are the subject matter experts for all things CDDAR. At the verification event, there were also members from the 412th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron who assisted in aircraft access, cover removal and aircraft preparation before and after the event.

Miller added his and the 412th Logistics Test Squadron’s F-35 responsibility is performing oversite of all things verification for any maintenance procedures performed on the fifth-generation fighter. Lockheed Martin sent an engineer and the crash recovery procedures author from Fort Worth, Texas, to the event.

“These are procedures we have in the F-35 operating community we hope are never used,” Miller said. “However, in the event of an incident, the CDDAR team needs well vetted and tested procedures in order to recover the aircraft. If the aircraft is still on the runway, it may become time sensitive to remove the aircraft. There are so many variables and there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ when it comes to recovering a disabled aircraft.”

Miller concluded the F-35 technical order verification team works with all variants of the F-35 and the CDDAR procedures will be adapted to a great extent for the use on ships for the Marine and Navy versions now being developed.