F-35 performs first expeditionary tests

A Marine Corps F-35B performed a vertical landing at Red Beach, on Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, followed by a hot refueling, and take off as part of Exercise Steel Knight 16. The exercise is a combined arms training exercise to prepare the 1st Marine Division as the ground element of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force.

Aircraft from VMFA-121 supported the exercise in a Close Air Support role, as well as brief operations from Red Beach. This was the first field test of the F-35 in an expeditionary role. The aircraft has been tested at MCAS Yuma, but this is the smallest vertical landing pad used to date by the aircraft.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 conducted the F-35B Lightning II’s first-ever expeditionary test in support of exercise Steel Knight 16, Dec. 10, 2015.

Exercise Steel Knight is a combined arms live-fire exercise that implements a combination of air and ground assets to complete a wide range of military operations to prepare 1st Marine Division for deployment as the ground combat element of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force.

VMFA-121’s role in the exercise was to conduct close air support drills and expeditionary missions in support of the MAGTF.

www.marines.mil...

I hope everything works out better than imagined with these airframes. I just love the way they look, they almost look grown rather than built. I'm sure they have better behind closed doors but at least we get this eye candy for a few years :-D

a reply to: NewsWorthy

They have a very distinct look to them when you see them in person. That tail really stands out as an F-35. Nothing else looks like it.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Such a beautiful bird. It's comforting to know any enemy it engages will have it's final visions be of something so wonderful. Then again they will probably be eliminated without ever laying eyes on her, ah well.