Marine Aircraft Group 26

Marine Aircraft Group 26, commonly abbreviated MAG-26, is a United States Marine Corps aviation organization headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina. It is assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and operates within II Marine Expeditionary Force. Rather than being a commercial brand, MAG-26 is a military formation whose identity represents an operational command, its subordinate squadrons, and the aviation capabilities it delivers to Marine, joint, and coalition forces. The group was commissioned on 16 June 1952 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. Its early purpose was to help maintain an expeditionary and amphibious aviation force capable of moving with Marine formations and supporting operations from ships, austere airfields, and other forward locations. The group moved to MCAS New River in July 1954. During its earlier decades, it operated or supported aircraft of many different types as Marine Corps aviation evolved from a largely helicopter-centered force toward a broader expeditionary aviation system. MAG-26 has supported a wide range of contingency operations, disaster-relief missions, peacekeeping activities, and major exercises. Historical deployments and missions associated with the group include activities connected with the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Dominican Republic, the attempted rescue of American hostages in Iran, the Multinational Peacekeeping Force in Beirut, Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada and the Carriacou Islands, Hurricane Hugo relief, and Operation Sharp Edge in Liberia. In the 1990s, elements participated in operations involving northern Iraq and Turkey, Guantanamo Bay, the former Yugoslavia and the Adriatic Sea, and Haiti. These activities reflected MAG-26's role as a frequently deployed aviation combat element supporting Marine Expeditionary Units, the United States Sixth Fleet, and United States Central Command-related operations. During Operation Desert Storm, the group moved in December 1990 to the expeditionary airfield known as Lonesome Dove near Jubail, Saudi Arabia. A composite aviation organization drawing on units from MAG-26, Marine Aircraft Group 29, and the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing supported I Marine Expeditionary Force and the 2nd Marine Division during the liberation of Kuwait. In the following years, MAG-26 units carried out additional deployments and exercises associated with operations such as Provide Comfort, Provide Promise, Southern Watch, Southern Support, Support Democracy, Sharp Guard, Continue Hope, and Uphold Democracy. The group's published historical record describes a particularly high operational tempo, including extensive exercises, training deployments, and more than 60,000 mishap-free flight hours during the 1993–1994 period. The organization also contributed to the development and operational testing of Marine aviation techniques. In 1995, a helicopter squadron associated with MAG-26 conducted an early fleet demonstration of hover in-flight refueling astern of a naval vessel, while another unit became the first to employ the Night Targeting System on the AH-1W SuperCobra. In 1999, the group participated in a large-scale aircraft evacuation ahead of Hurricane Floyd, moving flyable aircraft away from Marine Corps Air Station New River and securing grounded aircraft in station hangars. MAG-26 supported the Iraq War as well. On 28 January 2009, it assumed primary aviation-support command responsibilities in Al Anbar Province from Marine Aircraft Group 16. The year-long deployment supported Operation Iraqi Freedom and concluded in November 2009 when 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing headquarters transferred its aviation combat-element mission for Multi-National Forces West. In its current configuration described by the referenced encyclopedia material, MAG-26 comprises seven MV-22 Osprey squadrons, including a fleet replacement squadron, together with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26 and a wing support squadron. Its mission is to exercise tactical command and control and provide responsive combat assault support, aviation logistics, and aviation ground support for amphibious and expeditionary operations. Its principal operational value is therefore flexibility: it combines aircraft, training, maintenance, supply, and support functions so that Marine forces can deploy and sustain aviation capability in varied environments.

Marine Aircraft Group 26 was commissioned on 16 June 1952 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, and assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. Its creation reflected the Marine Corps requirement for an aviation organization able to support an expeditionary and amphibious force. The group moved to Marine Corps Air Station New River in July 1954. The referenced historical account also records a formal designation as Marine Aircraft Group 26 on 1 March 1959. Across its early history, the organization operated ten different aircraft types as Marine aviation technology and mission requirements changed. During the Cold War and the following decades, elements of MAG-26 supported contingency operations in the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa, and the Mediterranean. Missions and deployments included activity connected with the Cuban Missile Crisis, intervention and disaster relief in the Dominican Republic, the attempted Iranian hostage rescue, the multinational peacekeeping mission in Beirut, Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada and the Carriacou Islands, Hurricane Hugo relief, and Operation Sharp Edge in Liberia. These assignments demonstrated the group's ability to provide aviation support beyond a fixed home base. In December 1990, MAG-26 deployed to the Lonesome Dove expeditionary airfield near Jubail, Saudi Arabia, for Operation Desert Storm. The composite aviation force included squadrons from MAG-26, Marine Aircraft Group 29, and the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing. It supported I Marine Expeditionary Force and the 2nd Marine Division during operations to liberate Kuwait. During the 1990s, MAG-26 elements were also associated with Operation Provide Comfort in northern Iraq and Turkey, Operation Victor Squared at Guantanamo Bay, Operation Deny Flight in the former Yugoslavia and Adriatic Sea, and later operations involving the Balkans, Iraq, and Haiti. From January 1992 onward, the group participated in or supported operations including Provide Promise, Southern Watch, Southern Support, Support Democracy, Sharp Guard, Continue Hope, and Uphold Democracy. The group's historical record emphasizes its high deployment tempo and its role in providing aviation combat elements for Marine Expeditionary Units and naval or regional commands. Between 1 January 1993 and 31 December 1994, garrison squadrons reportedly completed an average of ten major exercises, twelve local exercises, and twelve training deployments per year, while recording 60,455 mishap-free flight hours. The mid-1990s included notable aviation milestones. In cooperation with USS O'Bannon, HMH-461 became the first fleet squadron identified in the source material as performing hover in-flight refueling while hovering astern of a naval vessel. HMLA-167 became the first squadron to employ the Night Targeting System on the AH-1W SuperCobra. These developments illustrated MAG-26's connection to the testing and fielding of techniques intended to improve expeditionary helicopter operations. In September 1999, ahead of Hurricane Floyd, personnel evacuated flyable aircraft from New River and other nearby Marine aviation units to safer inland locations. MAG-26's flyable CH-53E aircraft went to Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, while flyable CH-46E, UH-1N, and AH-1W aircraft were moved to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Grounded aircraft were secured in station hangars. The group later supported Operation Iraqi Freedom. On 28 January 2009, MAG-26 replaced MAG-16 in primary aviation-support command responsibilities in Al Anbar Province. The deployment lasted approximately one year and concluded in November, when 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing headquarters transferred its aviation combat-element mission for Multi-National Forces West. The referenced current description presents MAG-26 as an MV-22 Osprey-centered organization based at MCAS New River. It includes seven Osprey squadrons, one of them a fleet replacement squadron, along with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26 and a wing support squadron. Its continuing mission is to command and control tactical aviation and provide combat assault, logistics, and ground support to Marine, joint, and coalition forces engaged in amphibious and expeditionary operations.

• 2009

  Iraq aviation-support command

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 26en.wikipedia.org

  MAG-26 assumed primary aviation-support command in Al Anbar Province on 28 January during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

• 1999

  Hurricane Floyd aircraft evacuation

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 26en.wikipedia.org

  MAG-26 aircraft were evacuated inland and grounded aircraft were secured as Hurricane Floyd approached the United States East Coast.

• 1995

  Helicopter operational milestones

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 26en.wikipedia.org

  Associated squadrons conducted an early fleet hover in-flight refueling demonstration and employed the AH-1W Night Targeting System.

• 1990

  Deployment for Operation Desert Storm

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 26en.wikipedia.org

  MAG-26 moved to the Lonesome Dove expeditionary airfield near Jubail, Saudi Arabia, to support the liberation of Kuwait.

• 1959

  Designation as MAG-26

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 26en.wikipedia.org

  The unit was designated Marine Aircraft Group 26 on 1 March.

• 1954

  Relocation to MCAS New River

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 26en.wikipedia.org

  The group relocated to Marine Corps Air Station New River in July.

• 1952

  Group commissioned

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 26en.wikipedia.org

  Marine Aircraft Group 26 was commissioned on 16 June at MCAS Cherry Point and assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.

An expeditionary Marine aviation command optimized for responsive combat assault support, aviation logistics, tactical command and control, and sustained operations with Marine, joint, and coalition forces.

• Tiltrotor aviation capability

  MV-22 Osprey operations

  The referenced current organization is centered on seven MV-22 Osprey squadrons. These units provide expeditionary combat assault and transport capability, combining vertical-lift flexibility with the Osprey's longer-range and higher-speed characteristics. The group also includes a fleet replacement squadron for aircrew and unit transition training.

• Military logistics

  Marine aviation logistics support

  Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26 supports the readiness and sustainment of the group's aircraft and subordinate aviation units. Its function includes the logistics infrastructure required to keep deployed and garrison aviation forces supplied, maintained, and operational.

• Expeditionary support

  Aviation ground support

  MAG-26 provides aviation ground support alongside aircraft operations and logistics. This capability helps establish, operate, and sustain aviation activity in expeditionary environments and supports the wider Marine air-ground task force.

• 2009Operation Iraqi Freedom

  Al Anbar Province, Iraq

  MAG-26 assumed primary aviation-support command in Al Anbar Province for a year-long deployment.

  Outcome. The mission concluded in November 2009 with transfer of the aviation combat-element role for Multi-National Forces West.

  Source
• 1993Operations in the Balkans and Haiti

  Former Yugoslavia · Adriatic Sea · Haiti

  Elements supported operations including Deny Flight, Sharp Guard, Support Democracy, Continue Hope, and Uphold Democracy.

  Source
• 1992Operation Southern Watch

  Persian Gulf region

  MAG-26 squadrons self-deployed rapidly and subsequently embarked aboard ship in support of the operation.

  Source
• 1990Operation Desert Storm

  Kuwait · Saudi Arabia

  MAG-26 deployed to an expeditionary airfield near Jubail, Saudi Arabia, as part of a composite Marine aviation force supporting I Marine Expeditionary Force and the 2nd Marine Division.

  Outcome. The deployment supported coalition operations for the liberation of Kuwait.

  Source
• 1990Operation Provide Comfort

  Northern Iraq · Turkey

  Elements of the group participated in aviation activities connected with the humanitarian and security operation in northern Iraq and Turkey.

  Source

• 2009

  Assumption of Al Anbar aviation-support commandStrategy

  Background

  During Operation Iraqi Freedom, MAG-26 was assigned primary aviation-support command responsibilities in Iraq's Al Anbar Province.

  Action taken

  The group took over the mission from Marine Aircraft Group 16 on 28 January 2009.

  Aftermath

  After approximately one year, the aviation combat-element mission for Multi-National Forces West was transferred by 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing headquarters.

  Source

1. 1Marine Aircraft Group 26en.wikipedia.org