USMC conducts training at Northrop Grumman’s DTC

Northrop Grumman’s Distributed Training Center (DTC) at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia has been used by the US Marine Corps (USMC) for the first time to conduct training for close air support combat missions.

The multi-service close air support training closely replicated scenarios in theatres where forces are currently deployed.

During two training events, eight F-15E aircrew based at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho trained with four marines from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State via the DTC.

The marines, trained as Joint Tactical Air Controller (JTAC)/Joint Forward Observers, are part of the 6th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO) tasked with calling-in air strikes and artillery fire in support of their attached formation. ANGLICO JTACs support Special Operations Forces and typically deploy to the battlefield in small teams.

The DTC has provided live, virtual and constructive training for the US Air Force for nine years, but this was the first time the USMC used the DTC to train for their missions. In 2018, the Army Rangers utilised the DTC for the first time to train for deployment.