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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.

MCTSSA conducts systems operability testing aboard USS Wasp - Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity engineers and technical experts tested various command and control systems in the afloat environment aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) Jan. 11, while in port at Commander Fleet Activities Sasebo. (From left to right: Capt. Caleb Wu, MCTSSA naval systems integration officer; Patrick Truxillo, George Scott, Joe St. Onge, Carl Bell). (Photo courtesy of U.S. Marine Corps) (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Benjamin F. Davella III)

An MV-22B Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264 (Reinforced), 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), boards the USS Wasp (LHD-1), to bring Marines back from a tactical recovery of aircraft and personal mission May 19, 2016. The 22nd MEU and Amphibious Squadron Six (PHIBRON-6) are underway for composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX). - An MV-22B Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264 (Reinforced), 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), boards the USS Wasp (LHD-1), to bring Marines back from a tactical recovery of aircraft and personal mission May 19, 2016. The 22nd MEU and Amphibious Squadron Six (PHIBRON-6) are underway for composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX).

Marines load ordnance onto an F-35B Lightning II during Operational Testing 1 aboard USS Wasp at sea, May 27. Marines and sailors have been working together since May 18 to assess the integration of the F-35B Lightning II, which is currently on track to replace the F/A-18 Hornet, AV-8B Prowler, and the AV-8B Harrier. By the end of the testing period on May 29, U.S. Marine pilots had flown 110 F-35B sorties from USS Wasp, racking up more than 85 flight hours. - Marines load ordnance onto an F-35B Lightning II during Operational Testing 1 aboard USS Wasp at sea, May 27. Marines and sailors have been working together since May 18 to assess the integration of the F-35B Lightning II, which is currently on track to replace the F/A-18 Hornet, AV-8B Prowler, and the AV-8B Harrier. By the end of the testing period on May 29, U.S. Marine pilots had flown 110 F-35B sorties from USS Wasp, racking up more than 85 flight hours.

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)

British Royal Navy Petty Officer Marine Engineer Elliott Watson, a refrigeration engineer with the HMS Lancaster, looks through the viewing display of a Javelin shoulder-fired anti-tank missile during a tour aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) while out at sea April 30, 2015. U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy sailors with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, participated in Navy Week 2015 in New Orleans April 23-29 and Fleet Week Port Everglades, Florida, May 4-10. The purpose of Navy Week was to showcase the strength and capabilities of the Navy-Marine Corps team through tours, static displays and community relations events, providing the public the opportunity to meet and interact with Marines and sailors. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. James R. Smith/Released) - British Royal Navy Petty Officer Marine Engineer Elliott Watson, a refrigeration engineer with the HMS Lancaster, looks through the viewing display of a Javelin shoulder-fired anti-tank missile during a tour aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) while out at sea April 30, 2015. U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy sailors with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, participated in Navy Week 2015 in New Orleans April 23-29 and Fleet Week Port Everglades, Florida, May 4-10. The purpose of Navy Week was to showcase the strength and capabilities of the Navy-Marine Corps team through tours, static displays and community relations events, providing the public the opportunity to meet and interact with Marines and sailors. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. James R. Smith/Released)