Helis, January 06, 2020 - On December 31, 2019 hundreds of pro-Iranian militia and supporters began an assault on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq.
Although no deaths or serious injuries occurred during the attack and protesters never breached the main compound located in the so-called green zone, the U.S. sent approximately 100 Marines to reinforce its security.
The U.S. Marine Corps maintains quick reaction forces which specializes in reinforcing embassies under siege, tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel (TRAP) or any other critical situation that requires reinforcing troops.
The Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command (SPMAGTF-CR-CC) is one of such units.
Based in Kuwait, deployed MV-22B Ospreys tiltrotors refueled by KC-130 Hercules tankers to reinforce the embassy.
Other units already present in the area, particularly AH-64 Apaches from 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment (1-227 AVN) of the 34th Combat Aviation brigade (34th CAB) also provided support.
The SPMAGTF are 1000-strong Marine units formed under a rotational basis with four crucial elements: Command Element (CE), Ground Combat Element (GCE), Logistics Combat Element (LCE) and the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) making it a self-mobile, self-sustaining force capable of responding to a range of crises.
The first of such units was Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Africa (SPMAGTF-CR-AF) based in Moron, Spain and created in 2013 following the Benghazi attack.
The speed and range of the MV-22 Osprey compared to standard helicopters make this aircraft especially suitable for such a mission.
Although no deaths or serious injuries occurred during the attack and protesters never breached the main compound located in the so-called green zone, the U.S. sent approximately 100 Marines to reinforce its security.
The U.S. Marine Corps maintains quick reaction forces which specializes in reinforcing embassies under siege, tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel (TRAP) or any other critical situation that requires reinforcing troops.
The Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command (SPMAGTF-CR-CC) is one of such units.
Based in Kuwait, deployed MV-22B Ospreys tiltrotors refueled by KC-130 Hercules tankers to reinforce the embassy.
Other units already present in the area, particularly AH-64 Apaches from 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment (1-227 AVN) of the 34th Combat Aviation brigade (34th CAB) also provided support.
The SPMAGTF are 1000-strong Marine units formed under a rotational basis with four crucial elements: Command Element (CE), Ground Combat Element (GCE), Logistics Combat Element (LCE) and the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) making it a self-mobile, self-sustaining force capable of responding to a range of crises.
The first of such units was Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Africa (SPMAGTF-CR-AF) based in Moron, Spain and created in 2013 following the Benghazi attack.
The speed and range of the MV-22 Osprey compared to standard helicopters make this aircraft especially suitable for such a mission.
See also |
MV-22 in US Marine Corps
34th Combat Aviation Brigade US Army Aviation
1-227th AVN 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment US Army Aviation