Defense Line

U.S. Marines with Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461 and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 261 conduct carrier qualifications aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) during Type Commander’s Amphibious Training (TCAT), June 19, 2026. 🇺🇸⚓

Type Commander’s Amphibious Training (TCAT) is a key military exercise designed to enhance mobility, readiness, and integration between the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy. It focuses on strengthening coordinated operations between aviation units, ship crews, and command elements operating in complex maritime environments.

As part of the training, Carrier Qualifications ensure that aircrews from HMH-461 and VMM-261 are fully certified to conduct safe and effective flight operations from amphibious assault ships. These qualifications are essential for maintaining the readiness of rotary-wing and tiltrotor assets, including CH-53 heavy-lift helicopters and MV-22 Osprey aircraft, in shipborne expeditionary missions.

The amphibious force represents a fully integrated sea-based combat capability, enabling air, land, and sea operations from a single platform. This provides geographic combatant commanders with a highly flexible and rapidly deployable force capable of conducting operations across the full spectrum of military and humanitarian missions worldwide.

Together, USS Kearsarge and embarked Marine aviation units demonstrate the continued evolution of expeditionary warfare and the enduring strength of the U.S. Navy–Marine Corps team. 🌊✈️⚓