Marine equipment on display

One of the defense industry’s most important annual events, the Modern Day Marine Military Exposition, will be hosted by Marine Corps Base Quantico from Tuesday through Thursday on the Lejeune Hall Parade Deck.
The 29th edition of the exposition will again provide Marines, members of the United States and allied forces, and civilian defense officials with up-close and personal views of current and future Marine Corps equipment and systems. Among the highlights of the event will be pavilions spotlighting Marine Corps aviation and the Untied King-dom’s defense industry, and there will be a strong Australian presence. Representatives from more than 400 companies will display products that support the ground, air and sea operations of expeditionary forces.
The event is sponsored by the Marine Corps League, a 70,000-member Marine Corps’ veterans
organization, and is co-sponsored by Marine Corps Systems Command and Marine Corps Base Quantico. It is endorsed by the Marine Corps Aviation Association.
Much of the equipment now being employed by Marines in Afghanistan and Iraq 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.
New to the exposition this year will be an Expeditionary Force Aviation Pavilion spotlighting Marine Corps air assets — with emphasis on modernization of the service’s air combat element for its worldwide missions. The Aviation Pavilion will present equipment, services and systems designed and produced specifically for Marine air-ground task forces.
Also for the first time, there will be a pavilion sponsored by the Defense Manufacturers Association, at which member firms from the United Kingdom will showcase their equipment and systems.
Australia’s defense industry will be well represented throughout the exhibit halls by eight of that nation’s leading companies.
The 2009 edition of the expo will again feature special demonstrations in which ground robotics manufacturers will present real-time operations of their equipment over the Robotic Rodeo Demonstration Course.
Another special activity is the colorful Enlisted Awards Parade, honoring distinguished Marines and sailors with awards sponsored by the Marine Corps League. Additionally, a black-tie Grand Banquet and Awards Dinner will be held at the Ritz-Carlton in the Pentagon City section of Arlington.
The 2009 Modern Day Marine Military Exposition is not open to the general public, but will have its traditional Family Day Thursday — a day during which family members of Department of Defense military and civilian personnel may tour the exhibits to learn more about today’s and tomorrow’s military equipment and technology.