Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501),

Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501), the Marine Corps' only F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter training squadron, completed their first F-35B Lightning II takeoff supported entirely by Marine maintainers aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., Sept. 4. The squadron's F-35B Lightning II aircraft, designed by Lockheed Martin, is normally maintained by both Marine maintainers and Lockheed Martin technicians making the squadron's 100 percent Marine maintenance paramount for aircraft operations in deployed environments. The F-35B Lightning II JSF will replace the Marine Corps’ aging legacy tactical fleet. In addition to replacing the F/A-18A-D Hornet, the Marine Corps will replace the AV-8B Harrier and EA-6B Prowler, essentially necking down to one common tactical fixed-wing aircraft. The integration of the F-35B/C strike fighters will provide the dominant, multi-role, fifth-generation capabilities needed across the full spectrum of combat operations to deter potential adversaries and enable future naval aviation power projection.

lockheed martin 2nd maw f 35 joint strike fighter marine aviation jsf beaufort training aviation marine fighter attack training squadron 501 f 35 b mcas beaufort mag 31 marine corps air station beaufort center of excellence vmfat 501 cpl sarah cherry first full marine maintenance f 35 b lightning ii takeoff dvids ultra high resolution high resolution us marine corps strike fighter jet aircraft military aircraft fighter jet aircraft lockheed martin aircrafts public domain aircraft photos aircraft

04/09/2014

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