Reference News Network reported on December 5 that US media said that the US Marine Corps announced that the first squadron equipped with F-35C "Lightning" II stealth fighters is ready for combat.
According to the US "Forbes" biweekly website reported on December 3, Lockheed Martin has installed larger wings for the F-35C than the conventional F-35A and vertical take-off and landing F-35B, making the C-type "Lightning" II can take off and land on the 1,000-foot (305 meters) deck of a US Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
reported that as part of the carrier-based aircraft wing, the F-35C squadron is responsible for carrying out deep strike missions, breaking through the air defense system and attacking enemy bases, supply lines and command facilities.
The 3rd Aviation Wing of the Marine Corps in Miramar, California announced on Tuesday that the Marine Corps 314th Combat Attack Aircraft Squadron (VMFA-314)-part of the 3rd Aviation Wing-has preliminary combat capabilities. The Navy plans to deploy VMFA-314 Squadron on a West Coast aircraft carrier in early 2022.
reported that the U.S. Navy’s first F-35C squadron-VFA-147-will follow the "Carl Vinson" aircraft carrier stationed in San Diego for its first cruise next year. The
report pointed out that by the 1930s, all 9 carrier-based aircraft wings of the US Navy will have F-35C fighter squadrons. This large-wing stealth fighter will be combined with F/A-18E/F fighters, EA-18G electronic fighters, E-2 early warning aircraft, MQ-25 unmanned tankers, CMV-22 tilt rotor aircraft and carrier-based aircraft wings. MH-60 helicopters fly together.
The US Marine Corps plans to purchase about 70 F-35Cs and transform four squadrons into this type to support the Navy’s carrier-based aircraft wing. The Marine Corps will also purchase hundreds of F-35B vertical take-off and landing jet fighters, which can take off from land bases and the Navy’s nine large-deck assault ships. The
report pointed out that the F-35B and F-35C use the same technology, but the body is completely different. Compared with the F-35B, the large-wing F-35C is sluggish but can carry more fuel. The F-35C’s weapon bay has a larger capacity than the F-35B, so the former can carry a joint out-of-zone weapon glide bomb without sacrificing its stealth performance. In short, the F-35C is more suitable for long-range strike missions under the strong defense of the enemy. F-35B is more suitable for close combat. The
report also pointed out that the integration of the Marine Corps and the Navy Squadron on the aircraft carrier can be traced back to the 1990s. Its purpose is to integrate the Navy and Marine Corps fighter jets to achieve economies of scale. The Marine Corps will fight alongside the Navy's carrier-based aircraft wing at sea. The navy will take off from the ground to support the marines on the ground.
According to reports, this was a controversial plan. Naval analyst and writer Norman Polmar said in an interview with Air Force Magazine in 2007: "If integration is carried out, what does the Marine Corps air power do?"
But F-35C highlights the benefits of integration. As the Marine Corps perfects its "expeditionary forward base operations" concept, the F-35C as a part of the carrier-based aircraft wing performs deep strike missions that are increasingly important to the entire Marine Corps.
