Ten F/A-18C Hornet fighter jets from 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 323 arrived at Lask Air Base, Poland on June 10, 2022, to replace VMFA 312 from 2nd M.A.W.
VMFA 323 – The Death Rattlers – is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California.
VMFA 312 initially deployed to Europe in support of Exercise Cold Response 2022, with F/A-18 and KC-130 aircraft before repositioning to Poland in support of European Command’s request of the United States to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank.
Throughout their 3-month rotating deployment, the U.S. Marines executed NATO’s Enhanced Air Policing mission in the Baltic Sea region and throughout Poland. They regularly integrated with allied partners supplementing the coalition force’s defensive operations across Europe.
VMFA 323 will continue the mission of VMFA 312, which demonstrates the United States’ commitment to NATO allies and European partners in protecting NATO territory from aggression.
VMFA 312 is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, SC
Since 2014, the NATO Alliance has implemented assurance measures with the aim of ensuring regional stability and reassuring Allies. Enhanced Sky Policing, or eAP, is essential to this effort and demonstrates NATO’s collective resolve and solidarity. Recently, this enduring mission has been combined with a proven ability to evolve defensive missions in response to an evolving security situation.
