Two US Marine Corps KC-130J Super Hercules tanker crews refueled six MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft during a 2,800 mile flight from Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, to Souda Bay, Greece, on 8 April 2011. This was the longest Osprey transfer to date. The mission was conducted to return Marines, cargo, and the MV-22s from Afghanistan to the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which had been tasked to the Mediterranean region in support of operations in Libya. The KC-130J crews were from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 (VMGR-252) at Cherry Point, North Carolina, deployed to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) in theater.
