The Green Knights Return to the Pacific as Fifth Generation Fighting Force

01/20/2017
2017-01-18 While Prime Minister Abe was traveling this week around the Pacific shaping effective means to enhance defense and security cooperation in the region, the Marines were bringing new capabilities to reinforce U.S. and allied capabilities to execute the mission. The first time the Green Knights came to the Pacific was to…

USMC About USS America: The Future is Now

12/09/2016
2016-12-09 : PACIFIC OCEAN (NOV. 17, 2016) The F-35 Lightning II Pax River Integrated Test Force (ITF) wrapped up its third and final developmental test phase (DT-III) of the F-35B Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant aboard amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) on November 17. The Pax River…

Marine Corps Proof of Concept Demo

11/23/2016
11/23/2016: Twelve F-35B Lightning II's embarked on USS America (LHA 6) November 19, 2016. The demonstration is the first shipboard Marine Corps F-35B integration demonstration alongside other Marine Corps Air Combat Element assets. With over 22,500 flight hours logged, the F-35B is the most versatile aircraft in the skies today.…

An Overview on the F-35 as a Flying Combat System

10/12/2016
2016-10-12 In this video produced by Lockheed Martin, a video overview on the F-35 as a game changer is discussed. It is the synergy of the F-35 with evolving combat approaches which is shaping and will shape  transformational capabilities. As Rear Admiral Manazir, N-9 for the US Navy has put…

F-35Cs Aboard the USS George Washington, August 2016

09/10/2016
2016-09-10 This video was shot by Todd Miller when he was onboard the USS George Washington on August 15, 2016. The video shows VX-23 “Salty Dogs” and VFA-101 “ Grim Reapers” pilots and crew working on carrier qualifications. The video shows 3 wires, touch and go and a great late…

Marines and RAF Bring the F-35B to the UK

07/10/2016
Marines with Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One and a Royal Air Force pilot with Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 successfully conducted the first ever trans-Atlantic flight of the F-35B Lightning II, June 29, 2016. The piliots highlight the ground up experience of the two services bringing the…

F-35B First Transatlantic Flight

07/02/2016
07/02/2016: F-35B making its first transatlantic flight. Three F-35’s flew from MCAS Beaufort in South Carolina and landed at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England.  They were assisted by two KC-10’s. Footage courtesy of Cpl. Brian Burdett: 6/29/16

An Italian First: The F-35 Crosses the Atlantic

02/06/2016
At 1430 on February 5th, the first Italian made F-35A flew into the pattern at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Maryland and touched down. Known to all Naval Aviators as “Pax” this historic flight of an Italian fighter pilot, wearing his cold water survival suit, flew the single seat, single engine F-35A…