2009 Modern Day Marine Exposition to Spotlight Marine Aviation

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- An Expeditionary Force Aviation Pavilion at the 2009 Modern Day Marine Military Exposition, next September 29 through October 1, will spotlight Marine Corps Aviation, with emphasis on modernization of the service's air combat element for its role in the Global War on Terror. The pavilion will showcase aviation equipment, services and systems designed and produced specifically for the air combat element of Marine air ground task forces.

Held at Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA, the annual exposition provides Marines, members of other U.S. and allied forces, and civilian defense officials with an up-close look at the future of Marine Corps equipment and systems. Representatives from more than 400 companies will exhibit products that support all of the ground, air and sea operations of expeditionary forces. The new Expeditionary Force Aviation Pavilion will be a special display area emphasizing modernization of the Corps's air arm.

Marine Corps aviation dates to 1912. Since its earliest days, Marines serving as pilots, in other flying roles, and in aviation maintenance and logistics support have become renown as innovators. They pioneered many procedures that have become doctrine for close air support by fixed-wing aircraft, defense of airspace, aerial reconnaissance, and employment of helicopters in combat and peacetime support missions.

In the recent past, the Marine Corps introduced vertical takeoff and landing fixed-wing aircraft into the U.S. Armed Forces and the tilt-rotor aircraft now in service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, as Marine Corps planners develop methods for transitioning their current 13 "legacy" aircraft types to seven new platforms, U.S. and allied industries are working to assure the result will be an expeditionary fighting force of Marine air-ground task forces better equipped and even more formidable than those now serving around the world.

The Modern Day Marine Military Exposition is sponsored by the Marine Corps League, a Marine Corps veterans' organization, and co-sponsored by Marine Corps Systems Command and Marine Corps Base, Quantico. The event is endorsed by the Marine Corps Aviation Association.

Much of the equipment now being employed by Marines in the air and on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan was first seen by military leaders, operations planners, acquisition managers, and the end users -- air and ground combat Marines -- at previous editions of the exposition.

The Expeditionary Force Aviation Pavilion will feature visual displays of people and events from Marine Corps aviation history -- a virtual time-tunnel covering the past -- and a look into the future through the displays of hardware and systems, videos and computer simulations by the world's leading producers of aviation and aviation support equipment and systems.

Companies interested in exhibiting at the 2009 Modern Day Marine Military Exposition (September 29 - October 1), or Marine West 09 (February 4-5), or Marine South 09 (April 22-23) may call Mr. Charlie Baisley (703) 812-2741, or may visit the expo web site: http://www.marinemilitaryexpos.com