They are senior naval aviators with about 25 years of experience in naval aviation communities that operate fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft from carriers.
The Navy organizes its most capable warfighting units around those vessels, each of which hosts about 90 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft launched from four-acre flight decks.
"Afghan National Army forces and U.S. soldiers operating in the area quickly moved to the site and cordoned off the insurgent forces by use of small-arms fire and support from coalition fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, " the military statement said.
He also ordered the Joint Vertical Aircraft Road Map Task Force to assess the V-22 production profile alternatives against the department's overall investment in the rotarywing industrial sector and the eventual needs to replace and or refurbish aging aircraft.