Page 12 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, December2019

12 December 2019 http://www.luke.af.mil
Thunderbolt
www.aerotechnews.com/lukeafb
Air Force pilots make history when first to

fly Marine Corps F-35Bs aboard assault ship

While not operating the short Air Force Capts. Spencer and there is no better Navy-
take off vertical landing variant Weide, left, and Justin Marine Corps training than living
of the Joint Strike Fighter, the Newman, F-35B Light- together, briefing together, and
U.S. Air Force got a taste of F-35B ning II pilots with Marine flying off of Navy ships where we
Lightning II’s shipborne opera- Aircraft Group 13, 3rd can strengthen our relationships,
tions thanks to two operational Marine Aircraft Wing, mature our tactics, and exercise
pilots flying with the U.S. Marine pose with an F-35 aboard the capabilities of the present for
Corps Marine Fighter Attack the amphibious assault the challenges of the future.”
Squadron 122 out of Marine Air ship USS America dur- Interestingly, the U.S. Air Force
Corps Station Yuma, Arizona. ing routine operations was also part of the team, part-
Capts. Spencer Weide and Oct. 6 in the eastern nering with naval forces and
Justin Newman, from Kunsan Pacific. Amphibious as- integrating the MAW’s combat
Air Force Base, South Korea, sault ships, such as the capabilities.
were the first operational U.S. America, provide flex- “This is a unique opportunity
Air Force pilots to fly the F-35B ibility to the joint force by for the Air Force to integrate with
aboard USS America as part of supporting a spectrum of Marines and sailors overseas,”
an integrated training exercise air operations from fifth Weide said in a PACAF release.
in the Eastern Pacific on Sept. generation jets to heavy Integrated training like this is
27, 2019. Lance Cpl. Juan Anaya lift helicopters. important because we operate off
Thirteen F-35Bs assigned to of a ship, Newman said.
VMGA 122, 3rd Marine Aircraft the largest number of F-35s ever us successful in any combat envi- well. We were able to sustain a “We get to learn the naval and
Wing, I Maritime Expeditionary put to sea, and for two weeks we ronment, anywhere in the world, high sortie rate, with a high Marine warfare functions. This
Force are currently aboard the put sortie rates to the test, deck as a joint Navy-Marine Corps condition of readiness, while in- will allow us to return the knowl-
amphibious assault ship in what cycles to the test, and multiship team,” said Lt. Col. John Dirk, teroperating with multiple ships edge back to the Air Force for bet-
is the largest deployment of the control to the test, all while commanding officer, VMFA 122, and aircraft across a range of ter future integration.”
Lightning II at sea. stressing the communication in a Navy public release. mission sets,” Dirk said. “To fight Courtesy of David Cenciotti,
“This was the deployment of links and tactics that will make “The training went exceedingly together we have to train together, theaviationist.com

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