Marine Aircraft Group 12 from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan deployed Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122, Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 and other elements to Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, Jul. 22 to participate in Exercise Pitch Black 2016.
An F/A-18C Hornet with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 122, forward deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, taxis into an ordnance loading area after landing at Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, July 21, 2016. VMFA-122 traveled to RAAF Base Tindal for the first time to participate in Pitch Black 2016 and unit level training known as Southern Frontier. Pitch Black affords Marines with VMFA-122 the opportunity to integrate and increase interoperability with regional joint and coalition partners, while developing operational concepts for conducting sustained combat operations. Southern Frontier will help the squadron gain experience and qualifications in low altitude, air-ground, high explosive ordnance delivery at the unit level. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Nicole Zurbrugg)
