wrote:
Mike Weeks wrote:

This might be "splitting hairs", but from what I can determine, even
when the TAIP was announced & introduced, the Marines didn't actually
have the assets available.

And it's gone downhill from there ... g

Even less assets now, when two VMFA(AW) squadrons are expected to be
practically gone soon...

Actual VMFA(AW) outfits -- flying the D Hornet that is, were not part
of TAIP. Of course if that means standard VMFAs will have to fill the
resulting gap ... g

The Marines got a real break with the withdraw of JFK (and thusly one
CVW) from active deployment rotation.

For me the status of CVW-17 now seems to be unclear. Maybe it will
become a kind of "warehouse of spare Hornet squadrons" for other air
wings - with reference to gossips about additional Super Hornet
squadrons to compensate the growing shortage of F/A-18C/A+ airframes...

Officially, CVW-17 (short squadrons and all) is attached to George
Washington. Watch to see how it changes when GW starts to workup
seriously for deployment -- then the picture will be clearer. As of
now, as I understand it, there's to be no axing of a CVW even when JFK
goes away.