Radio Battalion
Encyclopedia
Radio Battalions are tactical electronic warfare
units of the United States Marine Corps
. There are currently three operational Radio Battalions in the Marine Corps organization: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. In fleet operations, teams from Radio Battalions are most often attached to the command element of Marine Expeditionary Unit
s.
equipped with similar electronic warfare equipment. MEWSS crews serve dual roles as electronic warfare operators and LAV crewmen. Radio Reconnaissance Platoon
s serve in a special operations
role where the use of standard collection teams is not possible, such as covert infiltrations or tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel (TRAP).
. The 3rd Radio Intelligence Platoon was also formed in June 1943 and took part in the Battles of the Kwajalein Atoll
and Okinawa
. From World War II until the early 1960s, various units performed radio intercepts, growing from platoon to company and, in 1964, to 1st Radio Battalion. Sub-units of the battalion were deployed to Vietnam
from 1967 to 1975, including participation in evacuation efforts during the Fall of Saigon
. In the early 1980s, 2nd Radio Battalion was part of the multinational peacekeeping force
in Beirut
, Lebanon. More recently, Radio Battalions served in Operation Desert Storm
, Somalia
, Kosovo, the 2003 Invasion of Iraq
, and the 2004 Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah
. Radio Battalions also send detachments to augment intelligence efforts at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
, Cuba, and at other bases throughout the world.
In Afghanistan Radio Battalion has proven especially effective against improvised explosive devices.
, California, and supports the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF). The battalion maintains four companies: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and H&S Companies. 1st Radio Battalion was first based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii
, Kāneohe Bay
, and operated out of there for several decades until it was reformed at Camp Pendleton.
2d Radio Battalion is the oldest Radio Battalion having been established as the 1st Radio Intelligence Platoon, Signals Company, Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division on 2 January 1943. 2d Radio Battalion (informally known as RadBn) based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
, North Carolina
, supports the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The battalion consists of three operations companies and a Headquarters and Support company. Alpha Company consists of Operation and Control Element's (OCE) 1 and 2 and an Operation Control and Analysis Center (OCAC). Company "A" is currently deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in support of OEF 11.2. Bravo company is charged with supporting the 22nd
, 24th
and 26th
Marine Expeditionary Units
. Bravo supplies Collection Teams, Analysts and also contains MEWSS Teams and Radio Reconnaissance Teams. Charlie Company currently has two OCEs and currently serves as an EAS
platoon for those Marines about to get out and a training platoon for new Marines arriving from MOS School.
in Kāneohe Bay
, traces its lineage to 1943 with the creation of the 3rd Radio Intelligence Platoon. Most recently, since August 2003, the Battalion has served in a dual support role of both I and III Marine Expeditionary Force
. Following the units return from Iraq in February 2006, 3rd Radio Battalion began focusing on supporting the Global War on Terrorism. In October 2008 3rd Radio Battalion deployed as part of SPMAGTF-A to Helmand Province
in Southern Afghanistan
as part of the ISAF troop surge. Since arriving they have participated in several major operations including the Battle of Now Zad
as well as the ongoing Operation Khanjar.
Electronic warfare
Electronic warfare refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly...
units of the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. There are currently three operational Radio Battalions in the Marine Corps organization: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. In fleet operations, teams from Radio Battalions are most often attached to the command element of Marine Expeditionary Unit
Marine Expeditionary Unit
A Marine expeditionary unit , formerly called Marine amphibious unit , is the smallest Marine air-ground task force in the United States Fleet Marine Force...
s.
Concept
A Radio Battalion consists mainly of signals intelligence and electronic intelligence operators organized into smaller tactical units with different roles. Basic collection teams consist of 4–6 operators using specialized equipment based in HMMWVs. A variation on this is the MEWSS (Mobile Electronic Warfare Support System), which is an amphibious light armored vehicleLAV 25
The LAV-25 is an eight-wheeled amphibious reconnaissance vehicle used by the United States Marine Corps. It was built by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada and is based on the Swiss MOWAG Piranha I 8x8 family of armored fighting vehicles....
equipped with similar electronic warfare equipment. MEWSS crews serve dual roles as electronic warfare operators and LAV crewmen. Radio Reconnaissance Platoon
Radio Reconnaissance Platoon
The Radio Reconnaissance Platoon is a specially trained element of a United States Marine Corps Radio Battalion. A Radio Reconnaissance Team was assigned as the tactical signals intelligence collection element for the Marine Corps Special Operations Command, Detachment One...
s serve in a special operations
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
role where the use of standard collection teams is not possible, such as covert infiltrations or tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel (TRAP).
History
In June 1943, 2nd Radio Intelligence Platoon was activated at Camp Elliott, California. The unit took part in the Battle of Guadalcanal and the Battle of PeleliuBattle of Peleliu
The Battle of Peleliu, codenamed Operation Stalemate II, was fought between the United States and the Empire of Japan in the Pacific Theater of World War II, from September–November 1944 on the island of Peleliu, present-day Palau. U.S...
. The 3rd Radio Intelligence Platoon was also formed in June 1943 and took part in the Battles of the Kwajalein Atoll
Battle of Kwajalein
The Battle of Kwajalein was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought from 31 January-3 February 1944, on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Employing the hard-learned lessons of the battle of Tarawa, the United States launched a successful twin assault on the main islands of...
and Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
. From World War II until the early 1960s, various units performed radio intercepts, growing from platoon to company and, in 1964, to 1st Radio Battalion. Sub-units of the battalion were deployed to Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
from 1967 to 1975, including participation in evacuation efforts during the Fall of Saigon
Fall of Saigon
The Fall of Saigon was the capture of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, by the People's Army of Vietnam and the National Liberation Front on April 30, 1975...
. In the early 1980s, 2nd Radio Battalion was part of the multinational peacekeeping force
Multinational Force in Lebanon
The Multinational Force in Lebanon was an international peacekeeping force created in 1982 and sent to Lebanon to oversee the withdrawal of the Palestine Liberation Organization...
in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon. More recently, Radio Battalions served in Operation Desert Storm
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, Somalia
Operation United Shield
Operation United Shield was the name given to a multinational military operation that was conducted from 9 January 1992 to 3 March 1995. The purpose of Operation United Shield was the safe evacuation of all United Nations peacekeeping troops from Somalia...
, Kosovo, the 2003 Invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, and the 2004 Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah
Fallujah
Fallujah is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jewish academies for many centuries....
. Radio Battalions also send detachments to augment intelligence efforts at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is located on of land and water at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba which the United States leased for use as a coaling station following the Cuban-American Treaty of 1903. The base is located on the shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the oldest overseas...
, Cuba, and at other bases throughout the world.
In Afghanistan Radio Battalion has proven especially effective against improvised explosive devices.
1st Radio Battalion
1st Radio Battalion, reformed in August 2004, is based at Marine Corps Base Camp PendletonMarine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...
, California, and supports the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF). The battalion maintains four companies: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and H&S Companies. 1st Radio Battalion was first based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii
Marine Corps Base Hawaii
Marine Corps Base Hawaii , formerly Marine Corps Air Station, Kaneohe Bay and originally Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay, is a U.S. Marine Corps base facility and air station located on the Mokapu Peninsula of windward O'ahu in the City & County of Honolulu. As of the 2000 Census, the base had a...
, Kāneohe Bay
Kane'ohe Bay
Kāneohe Bay, at 45 km², is the largest sheltered body of water in the main Hawaiian Islands. This reef-dominated embayment constitutes a significant scenic and recreational feature along the windward coast of the Island of Oahu...
, and operated out of there for several decades until it was reformed at Camp Pendleton.
2nd Radio Battalion
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is a United States military training facility in North Carolina. The base's of beaches make it a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports allows for fast deployments.The main base is supplemented by five satellite...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, supports the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The battalion consists of three operations companies and a Headquarters and Support company. Alpha Company consists of Operation and Control Element's (OCE) 1 and 2 and an Operation Control and Analysis Center (OCAC). Company "A" is currently deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in support of OEF 11.2. Bravo company is charged with supporting the 22nd
22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit
The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel...
, 24th
24th Marine Expeditionary Unit
The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel...
and 26th
26th Marine Expeditionary Unit
The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel. The MEU consists of four major parts: a command element,...
Marine Expeditionary Units
Marine Expeditionary Unit
A Marine expeditionary unit , formerly called Marine amphibious unit , is the smallest Marine air-ground task force in the United States Fleet Marine Force...
. Bravo supplies Collection Teams, Analysts and also contains MEWSS Teams and Radio Reconnaissance Teams. Charlie Company currently has two OCEs and currently serves as an EAS
End Of Active Service
End of Active Service or EAS is the conclusion of a military person's period of active duty commitment.This date can be changed by reenlistment, extension, retirement, renewal of active orders, and administrative separation, among other things. This is not to be confused with Expiration of Current...
platoon for those Marines about to get out and a training platoon for new Marines arriving from MOS School.
3rd Radio Battalion
3rd Radio Battalion, located aboard Marine Corps Base HawaiiMarine Corps Base Hawaii
Marine Corps Base Hawaii , formerly Marine Corps Air Station, Kaneohe Bay and originally Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay, is a U.S. Marine Corps base facility and air station located on the Mokapu Peninsula of windward O'ahu in the City & County of Honolulu. As of the 2000 Census, the base had a...
in Kāneohe Bay
Kane'ohe Bay
Kāneohe Bay, at 45 km², is the largest sheltered body of water in the main Hawaiian Islands. This reef-dominated embayment constitutes a significant scenic and recreational feature along the windward coast of the Island of Oahu...
, traces its lineage to 1943 with the creation of the 3rd Radio Intelligence Platoon. Most recently, since August 2003, the Battalion has served in a dual support role of both I and III Marine Expeditionary Force
III Marine Expeditionary Force
The III Marine Expeditionary Force is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps that is forward-deployed and able to deploy rapidly and conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to amphibious assault and high intensity combat. III...
. Following the units return from Iraq in February 2006, 3rd Radio Battalion began focusing on supporting the Global War on Terrorism. In October 2008 3rd Radio Battalion deployed as part of SPMAGTF-A to Helmand Province
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
in Southern Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
as part of the ISAF troop surge. Since arriving they have participated in several major operations including the Battle of Now Zad
Battle of Now Zad
The Battle of Now Zad is an ongoing battle since 2006 between ISAF coalition forces and Taliban insurgents in Nawzad at the center of Nawzad district, in the northern half of Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan....
as well as the ongoing Operation Khanjar.