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F-35C makes history with first combat strikes by U.S. Marine Squadron
November 20, 2024 (by
Lieven Dewitte) -
U.S. Marine Corps F-35C Lightning II saw its first combat use in November 2024. U.S. Marine Corps squadron VMFA 314, operating aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), conducted strikes on Houthi weapons facilities in Yemen.
The Marine Fighter Attack Squadron conducted multiple strikes on Houthi weapons storage facilities within Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen. The facilities housed conventional weapons, including anti-ship missiles. The Iranian-backed Houthis used these weapons to target U.S. and international military and civilian vessels navigating international waters in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
In addition to the F-35C strikes, US Navy destroyers USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and USS Spruance (DDG 111), supported by Air Force and Navy aircraft, successfully destroyed several Houthi weapon launchers in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
US forces also successfully neutralized:
With foldable wings, a larger wingspan, reinforced landing gear, and enhanced control surfaces, the F-35C is tailored for carrier operations.
Other variants of the aircraft include the F-35A and the F-35B. The F-35B first saw combat in 2018 when units assigned to the Essex Amphibious Ready Group conducted airstrikes against the Taliban in Afghanistan and ISIS in Syria. Air Force F-35A’s first combat mission was completed the year after against ISIS targets in Iraq.
The “Black Knights” of VMFA-314, based out of Miramar, Calif., transitioned from the F-18 to the F-35C in 2020, making them the first fleet squadron in both the Navy and Marine Corps to operate the 5th Generation fighter aircraft. VMFA 314 was also the first operational Marine squadron to fly the F-4 Phantom and F-18 Hornet.
VMFA 314, part of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, is the only deployed F-35C squadron in the Marine Corps.
An F-35C Lightning II, attached to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, prepares to launch from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) on Nov. 11, 2024. [Photo by U.S. Navy]
In addition to the F-35C strikes, US Navy destroyers USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and USS Spruance (DDG 111), supported by Air Force and Navy aircraft, successfully destroyed several Houthi weapon launchers in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
US forces also successfully neutralized:
- 8 kamikaze drones
- 5 anti-ship ballistic missiles
- 4 anti-ship cruise missiles
With foldable wings, a larger wingspan, reinforced landing gear, and enhanced control surfaces, the F-35C is tailored for carrier operations.
Other variants of the aircraft include the F-35A and the F-35B. The F-35B first saw combat in 2018 when units assigned to the Essex Amphibious Ready Group conducted airstrikes against the Taliban in Afghanistan and ISIS in Syria. Air Force F-35A’s first combat mission was completed the year after against ISIS targets in Iraq.
The “Black Knights” of VMFA-314, based out of Miramar, Calif., transitioned from the F-18 to the F-35C in 2020, making them the first fleet squadron in both the Navy and Marine Corps to operate the 5th Generation fighter aircraft. VMFA 314 was also the first operational Marine squadron to fly the F-4 Phantom and F-18 Hornet.
VMFA 314, part of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, is the only deployed F-35C squadron in the Marine Corps.
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