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F-35B Lightning II marks an aviation first at JBER
USMC F-35B Lightening II #169293 from VMFA-121, 3rd MAW out of MCAS Yuma, stopped at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska en route to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan on January 12th, 2017. VMFA-121 was the first operational F-35B squadron in the Marine Corps. [USAF by SSgt. Mike Campbell]
Jan 18, 2017 - On any given day at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, you can hear the sound of freedom as F-22 Raptors circle the mountains and come in for landing. There was a different tone to that sound Jan. 9, as the Marine F-35B Lightning II joined the orchestration. [Read more...]
F-35 Lightning II has first operational air-to-air missile fire
A USMC F-35B from VMFA-211 taxis down the Tyndall flightline during a 53rd Weapon Evaluation Group Combat Archer training mission on September 16th, 2016. During this Weapon System Evaluation Program, VMFA 211 preformed the first operational firing of the F-35’s air-to-air missile weapons system. [USAF photo by SrA. Solomon Cook]
Sep 21, 2016 - Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 became the first operational F-35 Lightning II squadron to fire an air-to-air missile September 15, during a 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group Weapons System Evaluation Program at Tyndall AFB. [Read more...]
'Rhinos' support Steel Knight 2016
USMC F-35B #169167 from VMFA-121 performs a conventional take-off at the Strategic Expeditionary Landing Field during Exercise Steel Knight 2016 aboard the Combat Center on December 11th, 2015. [USMC photo by LCpl. Levi Schultz]
Dec 14, 2015 - The F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter personifies great strides in modern air dominance capability. Among its characteristics of radar-evading stealth, supersonic speeds, fighter agility and advanced logistical support comes the capability to perform vertical take-off and landings. [Read more...]
Marines declare first F-35 unit operational
USMC F-35B #168723 with VMFA-121, based out of MCAS Yuma performs a vertical landing as part of required flying field carrier landing practices (FCLP) at the station’s auxiliary landing field on April 27th, 2015. [DoD photo by Cpl. Travis Gershaneck]
Jul 31, 2015 - The U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft reached initial operational capability July 31, 2015 with a squadron of 10 F-35Bs ready for world-wide deployment. [Read more...]
Marines receive first F-35C Lightning II carrier variant
Lt. Col. J.T. 'Tank' Ryan, Marine VMFAT-501 detachment commander and F-35 pilot, delivers the first Marine Corps F-35C Lightning II #169031 a carrier variant to VFA-101 at Eglin AFB on January 13, 2015. Ryan flew the aircraft from the Lockheed Martin plant, Fort Worth, Texas, as the first of five Marine Corps F-35C model aircraft to be delivered to the VFA-101. [USAF photo by SSgt. Marleah Robertson]
Jan 23, 2015 - The first F-35C Lightning II, carrier variant, for the U.S. Marine Corps touched-down on the flight line at Eglin AFB on January 13, from the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth, Texas, to begin training in support of carrier-based operations. [Read more...]
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