ABOVE: An F-35B conducts operations on
board USS ‘America’ during the third and
final phase of developmental test (DT-III)
conducted in the Pacific in November 2016.
Lockheed Martin/Andy Wolfe
LEFT: A VMFA-211 F-35B lands on the USS
‘Essex’ during an amphibious squadron and
Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) integration
exercise in March 2018. US Navy/MCSS
Jacob Owen
RIGHT: The commanding officer of
VMFA- 12 2 ‘Flying Leathernecks’ conducts the
squadron’s first F-35B mission on March 29,
- USMC/Sgt Allison Lotz
BELOW RIGHT: With Picacho Peak in the
background, Maj Jack Cronan flies a VMX-1
F-35B from MCAS Yuma. Jamie Hunter
59
before the 31st MEU deployed under the
Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group for
follow-on operations in the Indo-Asian-
Pacific region as part of a routine patrol.
VMFA-121 loaded live GBU-32s onto
its jets aboard the Wasp on March 24.
The milestone marked the first time
that live munitions had been loaded
onto a Lightning while underway
during an operational deployment.
A second deployment will commence
in July when a detachment from VMFA-
211 embarks aboard the USS Essex
(LHD 2) as part of the 13th MEU.
Meanwhile, VMFA-122 conducted its
first mission as an F-35B unit at Yuma
on March 29, 2018, having begun its
conversion from the F/A-18C in October- As part of the transition, VMFA-122
relocated from Beaufort to Yuma. VMFA-
314 will be the first Marine squadron to
equip with the F-35C when it stands up
at MCAS Miramar in 2019. The squadron
is expected to begin deployment workups
with CVW-11 by the end of 2021.
Under the 2018 Marine Aviation Plan,
VMFA(AW)-225 will begin its transition
from the F/A-18D to the F-35B in 2020 and
the second FRS will stand up at Beaufort
when VMFAT-502 is activated in early
FY 2021. In addition, a reserve squadron
augment unit (SAU) will be established
with VMFAT-501 to support FRS
flight operations during FY 2018.
F-35Bs of VMFA-121 ‘Green Knights’ arrive
aboard the USS ‘Wasp’ (LHD 1) in March 2018.
US Navy/MC3 Michael Molina
F-35