MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- U.S. Marines based out of Okinawa with Marine Air Traffic Control Detachment Alpha, Marine Air Control Squadron 4, deployed to Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Nov. 9, 2017.
The unit will be providing air traffic control operations for the installation while the air station’s current radar equipment is under maintenance.
“The corrosion eats away at a lot of the parts due to being so close to the ocean,” said Sgt. Patrick Corona, a radar technician with MATC Detachment Alpha. “They get one of the biggest problems that we face with our gear being exposed to the elements. It just got to the point where they needed to do heavy maintenance on it that unfortunately takes the radar out of service.”
Corona said it’s important to keep the air station operating while their radar is down.
“It’d be a huge hit to the Marine Corps if they weren’t able to sustain this airfield and keep all the unit’s aircraft going,” Corona said. “Our main purpose here is to provide surveillance and approach services and be able to keep this station operational.”
Cpl. Philip Cyr, a radar technician with MATC Detachment Alpha, said the equipment they’re using can be moved easily.
“We’re actually using the ATNAVICS, or Air Traffic Navigation, Integration, and Coordination System,” Cyr said. “It has the ability to go to any kind of expeditionary airfield, land, and able to establish an airspace for air traffic controllers to manage.”
Cyr said the ATNAVICS can be set up within a short amount of time as well.
“If we can go in, land our gear, and within four hours our systems should be fully set up to provide services for aircraft in the area of operations.”
Staff Sgt. Corey Platman, a radar technician with MATC Detachment Alpha, said not every air station has a detachment.
“Generally speaking every single air station in the Marine Corps aside from MCAS Kaneohe Bay and Quantico has an air traffic control detachment that can easily move their radar systems,” Platman said. “This is actually a very unique situation since they don’t have their own detachment, so we’re here to provide our service while their equipment is undergoing maintenance.”
“Platman said conducting operations aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii gives their detachment an opportunity.
“Overall this is a really good experience for the detachment to come out here,” Platman said. “This is the very first time that this upgraded version of our system has been in a full-fledged operation, and shows what this radar’s capabilities are for future operations.”
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