US Sends New Osprey Tiltrotor Detachment For Africa Command Air Support - Marine Corps

The US military has sent a replacement squadron of Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to Moron Air Base in Spain to provide aviation support for operations in Africa, the US Marine Corps Forces in Europe and Africa announced in a press release on Thursday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st April, 2021) The US military has sent a replacement squadron of Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to Moron Air Base in Spain to provide aviation support for operations in Africa, the US Marine Corps Forces in Europe and Africa announced in a press release on Thursday.

"A new detachment of US Marine Corps aircraft has arrived at Moron Air Base, Spain, to support US Africa Command's (AFRICOM) ability to respond to crises in the African continent and to protect American facilities, personnel and interests," the release said.

Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 assumed the mission of providing aviation support to AFRICOM's North and West Africa Response Force on Thursday, the release said.

"We are going to work hard alongside the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team to accomplish our shared crisis response mission in North and West Africa, supporting our allies and partners in the region," VMM-261 Commanding Officer Travis Stephenson said in the release.

Both the incoming and outgoing squadrons deployed from the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and are home based at Marine Corps Air Station New River in the US state of North Carolina, the release said.