Marine Corps prepares for annual Winter Fury training

Winter is coming to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma!

The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is based in MCAS Miramar, has announced that it is preparing for an annual training known as Winter Fury.

Held in conjunction with the 1st Marine Division (MARDIV) and Marines from the 1st Marine Logistics Group (MLG) the exercise will be conducted from Jan. 19 to Feb. 19, and will take place at training locations across Southern California, Arizona and the surrounding coastal islands.

Winter Fury is designed to test 3rd MAW’s ability to fight a “near-peer adversary using all of the aircraft within its inventory, including F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters, AH-1Z Viper gunships, UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters, F/A-18 Hornet jets, CH53H Super Stallion transport helicopters, MV-22B Osprey tiltrotors and the KC-130J Super Hercules tankers.

During the exercise, Marines will conduct longrange strikes, deploy and support troops, transport artillery, and provide logistical support to Marines on the ground.

Additionally, the wing will work closely with the Navy to conduct expeditionary advanced base operations, including the establishment of forward arming and refueling points.

MCAS Yuma is a premier location for the training to take place due to the aerial gunnery ranges that surround it such as the Barry M. Goldwater Complex and Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range.

The air station is also home to multiple squadrons from the 3rd MAW.

BY U.S. MARINE CORPS A U.S. MARINE ASSIGNED TO MARINE HEAVY HELICOPTER SQUADRON (HMH) 465, sits at the rear of the CH-53E Super Stallion as it taxis off the flight line at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma during Winter Fury 2017.HMH-465 was at MCAS Yuma to conduct training in support of Exercise Winter Fury. Exercise Winter Fury allows Marines to exercise the skills needed as the combat element of the Marine Air Ground Task Force during a combat deployment.