DECEMBER 15, 2025 – U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 372, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, established and operated a Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP) at Sacramento Mather Airport, California, Dec. 8, 2025, where they continue to sustain forward aviation operations for Steel Knight 25.
Steel Knight is an annual exercise that tests I Marine Expeditionary Force’s ability to conduct large-scale, integrated operations. For 3rd MAW, FARP employment remains a key component in sustaining aviation assets across extended distances and austere environments. Steel Knight 25 included integrated training across multiple locations in California, with aviation, ground, and logistics units conducting decentralized missions linked through mission-type orders. FARP operations represented a critical sustainment function within that framework.
Early in the training evolution, the ‘Diamondbacks’ of MWSS-372 positioned fuel bladders, ordnance staging, and refueling equipment across a remote landing zone. The setup allowed fixed-wing aircraft to rapidly rearm and refuel without requiring aircraft to return to main airfields.
At Mather, the “Diamondbacks” lived up to their motto, “Support Within Striking Distance.” Operating nearly 400 nautical miles from Camp Pendleton, the squadron demonstrated its ability to extend aviation sustainment far beyond traditional support ranges. By placing a fully capable FARP at that distance, MWSS-372 proved it can keep Marine aircraft lethal and mission-ready wherever the fight requires.
“In a future conflict, we won’t have the luxury of operating from a handful of major air stations. Establishing a FARP at Mather, nearly 400 nautical miles from our spoke at Camp Pendleton, shows that 3rd MAW can create aviation sustainment anywhere we need it. That flexibility is what keeps our aircraft survivable, lethal and always in the fight ” U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Vincent Galvan, operations officer of MWSS-372
Throughout the exercise, various fixed-wing aircraft from the joint force departed their home stations, including Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California; MCAS Yuma, Arizona; and Air Force bases across California, received fuel and ordnance at Mather, and then returned to support maneuver forces across the training areas.
As the exercise progressed, MWSS-372 refined FARP setup times, improved fuel flow rates, and validated procedures for operating under simulated threat conditions. These efforts supported the Marine Corps’ broader emphasis on expeditionary and distributed aviation concepts.
The sustainment effort at Mather relied heavily on the Tactical Aviation Ground Refueling System, or TAGRS, MWSS-372’s primary capability for rapidly delivering fuel to aircraft in austere environments. TAGRS allowed Marines to move large volumes of fuel efficiently, maintain quality, and support back-to-back refueling evolutions with minimal delay. By employing TAGRS, F-35C Lightning II aircraft with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 311, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd MAW, received fuel prior to a simulated Maritime Strike.
The F-35C’s internal fuel capacity is approximately 19,200 pounds, giving it a flight range of more than 1,200 nautical miles. By enabling the aircraft to refuel and rearm at Mather, the “Diamondbacks” extended the F-35Cs’ operational reach, increased their time on station and allowed pilots to launch with full fuel capacities. This demonstrated how mobile, scalable refueling systems enable 3rd MAW to project combat power across extended ranges without relying on established infrastructure.
“With the introduction of the tactical aviation ground refueling system into the fuels community, small-team FARPs are becoming significantly more efficient and capable,” said U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Marlon Rivero, an expeditionary fuel technician with MWSS-372. “The TAGRS greatly enhances our ability to support distributed aviation operations. I am confident we are moving in the right direction to ensure our forces can sustain operations and effectively contest adversaries for air superiority.”
The Mather FARP showcased what makes distributed aviation operations possible: Marines sustaining aircraft at speed, at distance, and under austere conditions. That capability allowed 3rd MAW to push its aircraft deeper into the fight and train for the demands of the modern maritime battlespace.
“You’re not just extending flight time, you’re extending the MAGTF’s ability to sense, shoot and maneuver across the maritime domain. That’s the future fight,” Galvan said.
Sgt. Brian Stippey
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing