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The latest news and the coverage of news, events, videos, tweets and more from the U.S. Marine Corps.

U.S. Marines with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 26, walk to the opening ceremony of Exercise Southern Jackaroo in Townsville Field Training Area, Australia, May 29, 2026. Exercise Southern Jackaroo is a trilateral training event between the armed forces of Australia, Japan, and the United States that builds combined combat readiness and interoperability in the Indo-Pacific through joint operations and live-fire training. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kyle Chan) - U.S. Marines with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 26, walk to the opening ceremony of Exercise Southern Jackaroo in Townsville Field Training Area, Australia, May 29, 2026. Exercise Southern Jackaroo is a trilateral training event between the armed forces of Australia, Japan, and the United States that builds combined combat readiness and interoperability in the Indo-Pacific through joint operations and live-fire training. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kyle Chan)

U.S., Australia, Japan begin Exercise Southern Jackaroo 2026

Exercise Southern Jackaroo 2026 officially commenced today following an opening ceremony that brought together forces from the United States, Australia, and Japan. Scheduled from May 29 to July 3, 2026, the exercise serves as a premier training venue to build a cohesive, multi-national force capable of operating seamlessly across the Indo-Pacific's complex environments.

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The “sundown” of the AV-8B Harrier II, an iconic aircraft that has supported joint and Marine Corps operations for over 40 years, also represents the dawn of a new era; it paves the way for 2nd MAW’s full transition to the F-35B and C Lightning II. VMA-223 is the U.S. Marine Corps' last operational Harrier squadron. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Bryan Giraldo) - A U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II with Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 223, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, sits in front of a crowd at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, June 3, 2026. The “sundown” of the AV-8B Harrier II, an iconic aircraft that has supported joint and Marine Corps operations for over 40 years, also represents the dawn of a new era; it paves the way for 2nd MAW’s full transition to the F-35B and C Lightning II. VMA-223 is the U.S. Marine Corps' last operational Harrier squadron. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Bryan Giraldo)

VMA-223 celebrates sundown as Marine Corps’ final Harrier squadron

Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 223, known as “the Bulldogs”, celebrated the conclusion of nearly 40 years of operational history with the AV-8B Harrier II during a public ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Wednesday. The ceremony marked an important moment in time for VMA-223 and also signaled the end of an era for Marine Corps aviation as the service continues its transition to an all-5th generation tactical aircraft fleet.

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The 39th Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Eric M. Smith, and the Commandant of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, Lt. Gen Ju II-Seok, stand for colors during an honors cordon at Arlington, Virginia, June 2, 2026. - The 39th Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Eric M. Smith, and the Commandant of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, Lt. Gen Ju II-Seok, stand for colors during an honors cordon at Arlington, Virginia, June 2, 2026.