Tag Archives: F-35B Lightning

Marianas Lightning Storm

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Exercise Cope North 2025 has seen at least four different F-35 fifth-gen fighter operators conducting combined operations from Guam. These include the U.S. Air Force (134th Fighter Squadron), Royal Australian Air Force No. 75 Squadron, Japan Air Self Defense Force F-35As, and U.S. Marine Corps F-35B STOVL variants of VMFA-121.

Allies from the United States, Japan, and Australia come together for a group photo on the flight-line in front of three F-35A Lightning IIs to celebrate the end of exercise Cope North 2025 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 21, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tala Hunt)

Japan Air Self-Defense Force Col. Takeshi Okubo, flight group commander, 3rd Air Wing, poses for a photo in front of an F-35A Lightning II during exercise Cope North 25 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Jan. 30, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tala Hunt)

A Royal Australian Air Force maintainer prepares to work on a F-35A Lightning II for exercise Cope North 25, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Jan. 29, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tala Hunt)

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II is flanked from top to bottom by a Royal Australian Air Force F-35A, a Japan Air Self Defense Force F-35A, and a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II during a formation over the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility, Feb. 7, 2025, as part of exercise Cope North 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Thomas Hansford)

From left to right, a Royal Australian Air Force F-35A, a U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II, a Japan Air Self Defense Force F-35A, and a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II fly together over the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility during exercise Cope North 2025, Feb. 7, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Caleb Roland)

Also joining the fun were RAAF 33 Squadron’s KC-30 tanker transports and a 2 Squadron E-7A Wedgetail, JASDF E-2D Hawkeyes and a KC-46 refueling tanker, U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers, and USMC F/A-18C Hornets. Meanwhile, the USAF also had F-16CMs, KC-135s, and E-3s in the air with MH-60S running SAR. In all, some 62 aircraft and 2,300 personnel were surged to Anderson AFB from across the Pacific– with some USAF units coming from as far away as Tinker and Tyndal.

A Royal Australian Air Force E-7 Wedgetail is flanked from top to bottom by a U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon, a RAAF F-35A Lightning II, a USAF F-35A, a Japan Air Self Defense Force F-35A, U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II, a USMC F/A-18C Super Hornet, and followed by a U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler during a formation over the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility, Feb. 7, 2025, as part of exercise Cope North 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Thomas Hansford)

A Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail is flanked from left to right by a U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon, a RAAF F-35A Lightning II, a USAF F-35A, a Japan Air Self Defense Force F-35A, a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II, and a USMC F/A-18C Hornet, with a U.S Navy EA-18G Growler in the center rear during a formation flight over the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility as part of exercise Cope North 2025, Feb. 7, 2025.  (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Thomas Hansford)

As noted by the USAF:

CN25 showcases the importance of cooperation and partnership in maintaining a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region and highlights the U.S. commitment to working with Allies and partners to promote peace and prosperity. The F-35A provides next-generation stealth, enhanced situational awareness, and reduced vulnerability to the realistic combat training and scenarios in CN25.

Meanwhile, B-1B Lancers from the South Dakota-based 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron showed up for the fun as well. Formed up as Bomber Task Force 25-1, they are visiting the Philippines and other countries in the Rim.

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is parked at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, in support of Bomber Task Force 25-1, Feb. 10, 2025. Bomber missions provide opportunities to train and work with our Allies and partners in joint and coalition operations and exercises. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brittany Kenney)

Half a Deck

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Here we see a good overhead shot of a modern Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA) ship, essentially a straight-decked aircraft carrier (USS America does not have a well deck) with berthing for 1,687 embarked Marines.

CORAL SEA (July 27, 2021) The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) conducts a fueling-at-sea with Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat (FFH 155) during Exercise Talisman Sabre 21. Australian and U.S. Forces combine biennially for Talisman Sabre, a month-long multi-domain exercise that strengthens allied and partner capabilities to respond to the full range of Indo-Pacific security concerns. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew Cavenaile)

Note she has nine MV-22B Ospreys, five F-35B Lightnings, three CH-53E Super Stallions (soon to be replaced by CH-53K King Stallions), and a pair of MH-60 Knighthawk/Seahawks parked on her deck well forward of the island while both of her elevators and five vertical landing spots are open. Out of sight but surely nearby are a handful of UH-1Y Venom liaison helicopters and AH-1Z Viper gunships.

The aircraft shown can put 400~ Marines ashore 180 miles away (unrefueled) in a single lift while the fighters run a CAP and the Seahawks prowl for surface contacts and mines. Keep in mind that the MEUs of old were hamstrung by shorter-range CH-46D/Es and CH-53Ds while strike was left to Harriers.

With a deck that greatly resembles the old WWII Essex-class fleet carriers, America is a stepping stone between the five Tarawa-class LHAs of the 1970s, eight follow-on Wasp-class LHDs, and the next-gen of big-deck ‘phibs that will hit the fleet when USS Bougainville (LHA-8) commissions in 2024. Unlike America and her sister USS Tripoli (LHA-7), Bougainville will have an AN/SPY-6 phased array volume air search radar, a small well deck, and be built from the keel up with F-35s and MV-22s in mind whereas LHA 6/7 had to be retrofitted.

In the sky…

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Although Fox Sports only gave it about 2 seconds of coverage, the military flyover at SuperBowl LIV over Miami on Sunday was historic, flown by a four-ship Navy/Marine group that included an EF-18G Growler of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129, an F-18E Rhino of the Argonauts of VFA 147, an F-35B Lightning of the Vigilantes of VFA-151, and an F-35C STO/VL variant of Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 501.

In short, the combat aircraft lineup of the seagoing forces for at least the next 20 years or so.