MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, CALIF. – A steady chorus of thumps reverberated through the air as a U.S. Marine Corps CH-53 Super Stallion delivered fuel to a Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP) at Inyokern Airfield, California. The Marines swiftly seized the delivery and made quick work of preparing the FARP for sustained operations as part of exercise Steel Knight, an annual training event that sharpens the skills and lethality of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) and 1st Marine Division.

The leadership of Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 16 has made significant efforts to develop the capabilities of their Marines, Sailors and assets in response to guidance from the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General David H. Berger. One such capability is the establishment of FARPs in austere environments.

Nestled under the larger Steel Knight 23 exercise, MAG-16 established FARPs at Inyokern and Laguna Airfields, allowing them to successfully refuel a variety of aircraft, including the fifth-generation F-35B Lightning II joint strike fighter.

“In future conflicts, the Navy and Marine Corps will be challenged to achieve sea denial and control in close, contested, and confined maritime regions,” Berger said. “Our war games highlight the real threat of long-range missiles; to succeed, we must possess the capability to persist within the arc of…