The first F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter assigned

The first F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501) lands aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, July 17. The aircraft is the first to join VMFAT-501 at MCAS Beaufort since relocating from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. late last week. 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 F-35B will replace the AV-8B Harrier and EA-6B Prowler, essentially necking down to one common tactical fixed-wing aircraft and providing 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.