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F-35 LIGHTNING II F-35B into service
n the last day of July 2015, the
US Marine Corps declared initial
operational capability (IOC) for its
short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL)
F-35B Lightning IIs. In other words, the
expeditionary warfare specialists had a
first squadron of ten F-35Bs ready for
deployment anywhere in the world.
The achievement was recorded by
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA)
121 ‘Green Knights’, which was then
based at MCAS Yuma, Arizona, and it
became the first squadron to become
operational with any F-35 variant.
The ten VMFA-121 jets were in Block 2B
configuration “with the requisite performance
envelope and weapons clearances, to include
the training, sustainment capabilities, and
infrastructure to deploy to an austere site
or a ship,” said Gen Joseph Dunford, the
commandant of the Marine Corps at that time.
The declaration meant that the squadronLEADING FRO M THE FRONTLEADING FRO M THE FRONT
O
LEADING FRO M THE FRONT
ABOVE: A VMFA-121 pilot gives the thumbs-up prior to engine start. Jamie Hunter
BELOW: An F-35B of VMFAT-501 prepares to land on the ight deck of the amphibious assault
ship USS ‘Wasp’ (LHD 1) during the rst phase of embarked operational testing (OT-1) in May- US Navy/MCSS Zhiwei Tan