Page 7 - F-35B and USMC

The Integration of the F-35B into USMC Operations

The MV-22 is an incredible platform, it can go a long way at a high rate of speed, it can receive air refueling,
and it can be configured to provide air refueling.

It can move Marines, and (configured) it can pass fuel to other MV-22’s or F-35s. That is a tremendous
capability for the Marines and the Naval services.

These ships are designed for amphibious operations, MAGTF operations with the standard mix of Marine units
that will go out (Marine Expeditionary Units – MEU), but occasionally we need to configure this to be jet heavy or
helicopter heavy. In this case, this is a jet heavy deck. We could take up to 20 F-35Bs onboard, we put 12 on
this time.

This is a 5th Gen strike capability that the nation does not currently have from a sea base. It is a tremendous
capability. We had Vice Admiral Rowden (Vice Admiral Thomas Rowden, Commander Naval Surface Forces)
onboard today.

FIGURE 1 USMC LT. GENERAL JON "DOG" DAVIS, DEPUTY COMMANDANT OF AVIATION, ABOARD THE USS AMERICA DURING THE F-35 B PROOF
OF CONCEPT DEMONSTRATION, NOVEMBER 19,2016. CREDIT: TODD MILLER
One of the things we did as part of this test was the AEGIS integration with the F-35B. That’s a big deal. That’s
a big deal for our Nation, our Navy and our Marine Corps.

The Marine Corps is a force that fights across the range of the military operations, and this could be something
that a combatant commander, or a fleet commander decides that we need to be able to do for a time.

Like we did during Operation Iraqi Freedom, where I think we had 4 decks loaded up with Harriers. We sailed
over with helicopters on board and then flew Harriers in and flew off those ships because that was the best way
for us to operate.

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