Avengers and the F-35B

04/09/2018
F-35B Lighting IIs assigned to the "Avengers" of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 participate in a Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training (SWATT) exercise and Maj. Chris Brandt, F-35B pilot assigned to VMFA 211, conducts an interview on the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) in the Pacific…

F-35B Lightning II Onboard the USS Essex

12/03/2017
12/03/2017: U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II pilots assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211, Marine Aircraft Group 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, participate in carrier qualifications aboard the USS Essex (LHD-2) during Exercise Dawn Blitz, Oct. 22, 2017. Dawn Blitz is a scenario-driven amphibious exercise conducted between Expeditionary Strike…

F-35B Lightning II Carrier Qualifications

12/01/2017
12/01/2017: U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II pilots assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211, Marine Aircraft Group 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, participate in carrier qualifications aboard the USS Essex (LHD-2) during Exercise Dawn Blitz, Oct. 22, 2017. Dawn Blitz is a scenario-driven amphibious exercise conducted between Expeditionary Strike…

VMFA 211 Distributed STOVL Ops with F-35Bs

10/26/2017
10/26/2017: U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 conduct a hot load exercise in support of Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course (WTI) 2-17 at Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz., April 13, 2017. [maxgallery id="101800"] Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) conducted the first independent Distributed STOVL Operation (DSO)…

The Marines at Red Flag 17-3: The F-35B Returns to Red Flag

08/09/2017
2017-07-29: Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 "Wake Island Avengers," 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, participate in Red Flag 17-3 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 10 to 28. Red Flag 17-3 is a realistic combat training exercise involving the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps and this iteration…

Looking at Red Flag 17-3 from a Marine Corps Point of View

08/07/2017
2017-08-07: Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 "Wake Island Avengers," 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, participate in Red Flag 17-3 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 10 to 28. Red Flag 17-3 is a realistic combat training exercise involving the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps and this iteration…

Marines Conduct Hot Load Distributed STOVL Operation with F-35B

04/25/2017
04/25/2017: U.S. Marines with Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) and U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 conducted the first independent Distributed STOVL Operation (DSO) by flying all ordnance, personnel, and fuel in on mission aircraft at Yuma, Ariz., April 13,2017. Marines employed the manual drive…