U.S. Marine Corps successfully deployed F-35C Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314 of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) for the first time.
According to Marine Corps release, the MAW achieved a key milestone on January 3 as they departed San Diego Bay with Carrier Air Wing Nine aboard the aircraft carrier.
The 3rd MAW commanding general, Major General Bradford J. Gering said, “The Black Knight’s deployment of F-35C Lightning II aboard USS Abraham Lincoln is the newest chapter in the Marine Corps’ long history of naval integration.”
“The upcoming deployment represents years of hard work and innovation by the Marines and Sailors of VMFA-314, MAG-11, and 3rd MAW. It also reinforces our commitment to fielding the most lethal and ready Navy-Marine Corps force as we project warfighting capabilities throughout the Indo-Pacific region, or globally wherever our nation calls,” Maj. Gen. Gering added.
According to the Lockheed Martin release, “The Marine Corps possessing the capability to deploy the F-35C is significant as the F-35C was designed and built specifically for aircraft carrier operations and brings with it the ability to enhance the inherent battlespace awareness of all naval aircraft it operates alongside. Deploying this asset in a contested maritime region provides the Marine Corps a flexible, mobile force that provides security to the United States and allied nations abroad, contributes to regional stability and expands the U.S. military advantage at sea.”
“3rd MAW has recently demonstrated the F-35’s strike capabilities by utilizing its F-35 squadrons in long-range aerial strike exercises. During Exercise Summer Fury 21, a 3rd MAW squadron flew the F-35 from Miramar to Washington State, a distance of more than one thousand miles, to deliver long-range precision fires on a designated target. Significant technological developments of aircraft and aggressive military training such as this have contributed to the Marine Corps’ ability to uphold free and open international order by deterring potential adversarial aggression,” the statement read.
The VMFA-314 commanding officer, Lt. Col. Brendan M. Walsh said, “Our ability to operate the F-35C in the Pacific greatly increases the Marine Corps’ naval expeditionary force capabilities by providing us the capacity to employ the most advanced electronic warfare capabilities on any aircraft today in support of fleet operations. In addition, having this asset available greatly increases the Marine Corps’ ability to provide security to our allied nations and preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
In January 2020, VMFA-314 became the first Marine Corps squadron to transition to the F-35C variant of the joint strike fighter after retiring its legacy F/A-18A/C aircraft and receiving its first F-35C.
In July 2021, the Marine Corps unit Black Knights became the first squadron to declare full operational capability for the F-35C.
