A CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter lands on the flight deck of amphibious assault ship USS America during flight operations, April 18. - A CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter lands on the flight deck of amphibious assault ship USS America during flight operations, April 18.

Ordnance Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, load an AIM- 9X Sidewinder missile onto an F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft prior to a defensive combat air patrol rehearsal aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, Pacific Ocean, August 7, 2019. Wasp, flagship of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, with embarked 31st MEU, is operating in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as ready-response force for any type of contingency, while simultaneously providing a flexible and lethal crisis response force ready to perform a wide range of military operations. - Ordnance Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, load an AIM- 9X Sidewinder missile onto an F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft prior to a defensive combat air patrol rehearsal aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, Pacific Ocean, August 7, 2019. Wasp, flagship of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, with embarked 31st MEU, is operating in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as ready-response force for any type of contingency, while simultaneously providing a flexible and lethal crisis response force ready to perform a wide range of military operations.

A pilot with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, waits to take off during an aerial gunnery and ordnance hot-reload exercise aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, Solomon Sea, August 4, 2019. Wasp, flagship of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, with embarked 31st MEU, is operating in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as ready-response force for any type of contingency, while simultaneously providing a flexible and lethal crisis response force ready to perform a wide range of military operations. - A pilot with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, waits to take off during an aerial gunnery and ordnance hot-reload exercise aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, Solomon Sea, August 4, 2019. Wasp, flagship of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, with embarked 31st MEU, is operating in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as ready-response force for any type of contingency, while simultaneously providing a flexible and lethal crisis response force ready to perform a wide range of military operations.

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 13th Fighter Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan, taxis out during Exercise Northern Edge 2017, at Eileson Air Force Base, Alaska, May 4, 2017. Northern Edge is Alaska’s largest and premier joint training exercise designed to practice operations, techniques and procedures as well as enhance interoperability among the services. Thousands of participants from all the services—Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Coast Guard personnel from active duty, Reserve and National Guard units—are involved. - A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 13th Fighter Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan, taxis out during Exercise Northern Edge 2017, at Eileson Air Force Base, Alaska, May 4, 2017. Northern Edge is Alaska’s largest and premier joint training exercise designed to practice operations, techniques and procedures as well as enhance interoperability among the services. Thousands of participants from all the services—Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Coast Guard personnel from active duty, Reserve and National Guard units—are involved.

A MK-58 Hawker Hunter prepares to take off at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, June 27, 2017. The aircraft is visiting Fightertown to participate in training operations with tenant squadrons. The Hawker Hunter is with the Airborne Tactical Advantage Company. Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron utilized ATAC to train their pilots in anti-aircraft warfare. ATAC provided the adversary air presentation for VMFAT-501. The Hawker is with ATAC. - A MK-58 Hawker Hunter prepares to take off at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, June 27, 2017. The aircraft is visiting Fightertown to participate in training operations with tenant squadrons. The Hawker Hunter is with the Airborne Tactical Advantage Company. Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron utilized ATAC to train their pilots in anti-aircraft warfare. ATAC provided the adversary air presentation for VMFAT-501. The Hawker is with ATAC.

Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 load ordnance on an F-35B Lightning II aircraft during hot-reload training at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 6, 2017. This signified the first time the squadron loaded ordnance onto a running F-35B Lightning II aircraft at the air station in order to prepare for real-world scenarios. - Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 load ordnance on an F-35B Lightning II aircraft during hot-reload training at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 6, 2017. This signified the first time the squadron loaded ordnance onto a running F-35B Lightning II aircraft at the air station in order to prepare for real-world scenarios.

Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 prepare to conduct a hot load on an F-35B Lightning II at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., April 4. Marines with VMFA-211 along with Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron (MAWTS) 1, conducted hot loads during the semiannual Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course (WTI) 2-17. Lasting seven weeks, WTI is a training event hosted by MAWTS-1 that provides standardized advanced and tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness. - Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 prepare to conduct a hot load on an F-35B Lightning II at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., April 4. Marines with VMFA-211 along with Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron (MAWTS) 1, conducted hot loads during the semiannual Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course (WTI) 2-17. Lasting seven weeks, WTI is a training event hosted by MAWTS-1 that provides standardized advanced and tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness.

The F-35B made its first trans-Atlantic flight June 29, 2016. Three F-35’s flew from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina and landed at Royal Air Force Base Fairford in Gloucestershire, England. They were assisted by two KC-10’s, and refueled 15 times over the Atlantic. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Brian Burdett/Released) - The F-35B made its first trans-Atlantic flight June 29, 2016. Three F-35’s flew from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina and landed at Royal Air Force Base Fairford in Gloucestershire, England. They were assisted by two KC-10’s, and refueled 15 times over the Atlantic. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Brian Burdett/Released)

An F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, performs a conventional take-off at the Strategic Expeditionary Landing Field during Exercise Steel Knight 2016 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Dec. 11, 2015. This year’s iteration of Exercise Steel Knight works to advance 1st Marine Division’s warfighting capabilities, to include interoperability between the ground and air forces and integration of the F-35B. - An F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, performs a conventional take-off at the Strategic Expeditionary Landing Field during Exercise Steel Knight 2016 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Dec. 11, 2015. This year’s iteration of Exercise Steel Knight works to advance 1st Marine Division’s warfighting capabilities, to include interoperability between the ground and air forces and integration of the F-35B.

Marines perform a weapons functional test on an F-35B Lightning II aircraft during Exercise Steel Knight at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Dec. 10, 2015. The F-35B is a single seat, single engine stealth multi-role fighter bringing the Marine Corps into a whole new generation of aircraft. Exercise Steel Knight allowed for Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 and Marine Operational and Test Evaluation Squadron 22 to train on integrating the F-35B and find its place in the Marine Air Ground Task Force, while giving the ground forces of 1st Marine Division the ability to become familiar with it. - Marines perform a weapons functional test on an F-35B Lightning II aircraft during Exercise Steel Knight at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Dec. 10, 2015. The F-35B is a single seat, single engine stealth multi-role fighter bringing the Marine Corps into a whole new generation of aircraft. Exercise Steel Knight allowed for Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 and Marine Operational and Test Evaluation Squadron 22 to train on integrating the F-35B and find its place in the Marine Air Ground Task Force, while giving the ground forces of 1st Marine Division the ability to become familiar with it.

Maintenance is performed on an F-35B Lightning II on the flight deck of USS Wasp (LHD-1) during routine daylight operations, a part of Operational Testing 1, May 22. OT-1 is serving the purpose of evaluating the full spectrum of F-35B measures of suitability and effectiveness, as well as assessing the integration of the aircraft into the spectrum of flight operations. The F-35B is with Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. - Maintenance is performed on an F-35B Lightning II on the flight deck of USS Wasp (LHD-1) during routine daylight operations, a part of Operational Testing 1, May 22. OT-1 is serving the purpose of evaluating the full spectrum of F-35B measures of suitability and effectiveness, as well as assessing the integration of the aircraft into the spectrum of flight operations. The F-35B is with Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Matthew Kelly, military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, provides background on the Marine Corps’ F-35B program to Air Marshall Bollam, Chief of Defence Material Air, United Kingdom, aboard USS Wasp while embarked in the Atlantic Ocean May 20, 2015. The current Marine Corps operational test, scheduled to continue through the end of May, will assess the integration of the F-35B while operating across a wide array of flight and deck operations, maintenance operations and logistical supply chain support in an at-sea environment. A former test pilot and career Marine aviator, Kelly participated in the earlier shipboard developmental tests of the F-35B. Royal Navy and Royal Air Force pilots are scheduled to begin flying the F-35B from the UK in 2018, and are on track to operate from the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers in 2020. - U.S. Marine Corps Col. Matthew Kelly, military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, provides background on the Marine Corps’ F-35B program to Air Marshall Bollam, Chief of Defence Material Air, United Kingdom, aboard USS Wasp while embarked in the Atlantic Ocean May 20, 2015. The current Marine Corps operational test, scheduled to continue through the end of May, will assess the integration of the F-35B while operating across a wide array of flight and deck operations, maintenance operations and logistical supply chain support in an at-sea environment. A former test pilot and career Marine aviator, Kelly participated in the earlier shipboard developmental tests of the F-35B. Royal Navy and Royal Air Force pilots are scheduled to begin flying the F-35B from the UK in 2018, and are on track to operate from the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers in 2020.

A sailor aboard the USS Wasp (LHD-1) signals to the pilot of an F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter to land as it arrives for the first phase of operational testing, May 18, 2015. The short take-off, vertical landing capabilities of the F-35B are crucial to the mission of the Marine Corps and necessary for operation aboard a Navy amphibious ship. The aircraft are stationed with Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Beaufort, South Carolina and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, Marine Aircraft Group 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Yuma, Arizona. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Remington Hall/Released) - A sailor aboard the USS Wasp (LHD-1) signals to the pilot of an F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter to land as it arrives for the first phase of operational testing, May 18, 2015. The short take-off, vertical landing capabilities of the F-35B are crucial to the mission of the Marine Corps and necessary for operation aboard a Navy amphibious ship. The aircraft are stationed with Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Beaufort, South Carolina and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, Marine Aircraft Group 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Yuma, Arizona. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Remington Hall/Released)