thedrifter
08-11-08, 08:24 AM
1st MAW receives new mobile radar system
8/8/2008 By Lance Cpl. Ryan Wicks , III Marine Expeditionary Force
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, OKINAWA, Japan — The Army Navy Transportable Radar Navigational Aid 31-A, Air Traffic Navigation, Integration and Coordination System is the Marine Corps’ newest mobile air traffic control system and is used for precision approaches by aircraft in bad weather.
“It’s basically a miniature, mobile air traffic control system,” said 1st Lt. Michael Young, an air traffic control officer with MACS-4.
In times of bad weather planes usually don’t get to land and are turned back, but with this technology the aircraft can land without having to divert to another landing zone, according to Young.
The state-of-the-art, $8 million system was received by the squadron while deployed and put into action June 5 - July 22 during their participation in back-to-back exercises — Pitch Black in Australia and Air Warrior in Malaysia.
During the exercises, the air traffic controllers with MACS-4 helped 34 flights land safely. Ten of those flights were not training flights, and the aircraft actually needed assistance.
“Helping the aircraft land in poor weather meant training could continue,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Quentin Carrit, a maintenance officer with MACS-4. “If we weren’t there with the system, they would have had to cancel operations and divert 150 miles to Singapore (from Malaysia).”
Although the radar has been around for a while, it has never been this easy to transport, set up and operate, according to Young. The newer model surpasses the old in many aspects.
One of the biggest improvements is the ease of deployment.
“The old system is almost impossible to move,” Carrit said. “It is three times as heavy and would never fit onto a humvee (along with an external power source) like the new one does. The new one can be transported by one (KC-130 Hercules aircraft) as opposed to the 10-15 (the old system required).”
Along with mobility, the system beats its predecessor in the categories of saving man*power and time.
“The old system took 15-20 Marines almost nine hours to set up,” Carrit said. “The new one only takes four trained Marines two hours. This means those other Marines can be doing something else productive at the same time, expediting the entire process.”
Even in the area of maintenance and repairs, the new radar system has many improvements.
“The old system made replacing parts a huge hassle because they were so old, they had to be remade at the manufacturing company and shipped,” Young said. “The new system features parts that are all readily available and replaceable.”
Along with easily replaceable parts, the system also trouble shoots itself.
“It really puts us out of work,” Carrit said. “The only thing we have to do is press buttons on a laptop, and the system will pinpoint the problem via the laptop.”
Overall, the new system is the next step towards achieving the Marine Corps com*mandant’s goals, according to Carrit.
“When I first heard about the system, I was skeptical of its capabilities because I never thought you could put that kind a technology on a humvee,” Carrit said. “After using it, I realize it’s reliable and coincides with the commandant’s vision of a faster, more deployable Marine Corps.”
The system on Futenma is only one of four such systems in the Marine Corps and the only one currently being used outside of the continental United States.
Ellie
It is scheduled to deploy with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit during an exercise this year.
8/8/2008 By Lance Cpl. Ryan Wicks , III Marine Expeditionary Force
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, OKINAWA, Japan — The Army Navy Transportable Radar Navigational Aid 31-A, Air Traffic Navigation, Integration and Coordination System is the Marine Corps’ newest mobile air traffic control system and is used for precision approaches by aircraft in bad weather.
“It’s basically a miniature, mobile air traffic control system,” said 1st Lt. Michael Young, an air traffic control officer with MACS-4.
In times of bad weather planes usually don’t get to land and are turned back, but with this technology the aircraft can land without having to divert to another landing zone, according to Young.
The state-of-the-art, $8 million system was received by the squadron while deployed and put into action June 5 - July 22 during their participation in back-to-back exercises — Pitch Black in Australia and Air Warrior in Malaysia.
During the exercises, the air traffic controllers with MACS-4 helped 34 flights land safely. Ten of those flights were not training flights, and the aircraft actually needed assistance.
“Helping the aircraft land in poor weather meant training could continue,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Quentin Carrit, a maintenance officer with MACS-4. “If we weren’t there with the system, they would have had to cancel operations and divert 150 miles to Singapore (from Malaysia).”
Although the radar has been around for a while, it has never been this easy to transport, set up and operate, according to Young. The newer model surpasses the old in many aspects.
One of the biggest improvements is the ease of deployment.
“The old system is almost impossible to move,” Carrit said. “It is three times as heavy and would never fit onto a humvee (along with an external power source) like the new one does. The new one can be transported by one (KC-130 Hercules aircraft) as opposed to the 10-15 (the old system required).”
Along with mobility, the system beats its predecessor in the categories of saving man*power and time.
“The old system took 15-20 Marines almost nine hours to set up,” Carrit said. “The new one only takes four trained Marines two hours. This means those other Marines can be doing something else productive at the same time, expediting the entire process.”
Even in the area of maintenance and repairs, the new radar system has many improvements.
“The old system made replacing parts a huge hassle because they were so old, they had to be remade at the manufacturing company and shipped,” Young said. “The new system features parts that are all readily available and replaceable.”
Along with easily replaceable parts, the system also trouble shoots itself.
“It really puts us out of work,” Carrit said. “The only thing we have to do is press buttons on a laptop, and the system will pinpoint the problem via the laptop.”
Overall, the new system is the next step towards achieving the Marine Corps com*mandant’s goals, according to Carrit.
“When I first heard about the system, I was skeptical of its capabilities because I never thought you could put that kind a technology on a humvee,” Carrit said. “After using it, I realize it’s reliable and coincides with the commandant’s vision of a faster, more deployable Marine Corps.”
The system on Futenma is only one of four such systems in the Marine Corps and the only one currently being used outside of the continental United States.
Ellie
It is scheduled to deploy with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit during an exercise this year.