F-35B Lightning lands at Beaufort’s Marine Air Station. Why is this warplane special?
One of the most advanced fighter jets in the world will have a new home in Beaufort.
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort is transitioning from the F/18 Hornet to the supersonic F-35Bs whose technological advances include improved warfare technology and the capability for vertical landings and short takeoffs from amphibious assault ships.
The first F-35B Lightning II jet arrived at the Marine air station in Beaufort Friday to much fanfare and it will be part of the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 533, which is the first operational F-35B squadron at the base and the 2nd on the East Coast.
“This arrival marks the new era in the Marine Corps’ employment of the F-35,” Lt. Col. Zachary Hartnett, the squadron’s commanding officer, who was the pilot of the first F-35B Lightning II to arrive at the base, said in a news release. “The year long process of preparing for our first Block 4 F-35 demonstrates the patience and perseverance of the Marines in this squadron.”
These new jets, known for their “advanced stealth and agility,” have “Block 4” modernization, giving them increased missile capacity, advanced electronic warfare capabilities and improved target recognition.
The F-35B Lightning II also has the capability for short takeoffs, allowing it to operate from amphibious assault ships and airstrips less than 2,000 feet long. One of its most notable features may be its hovering capability, which allows for vertical landings.
Military.com says the F-35B can reach speeds of 1,200 mph. The Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation puts the cost at $135.8 million per F-35B. Lockheed Martin, which makes it, says the F-35B Lightning II fighter has “become arguably the most coveted fighter jet across the globe.”
Col. Michael Cassidy, commanding officer of Marine Aircraft Group 31, said the delivery of the first Block 4 F-35B “is a major steppingstone to increasing the lethality of MAG-31 and our ability to contribute to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force and joint force.”
The new squadron of F-35Bs in Beaufort will be known as “American’s Squadron” because of its red, white and blue insignia.
It will replace the F/A-18 Hornet Squadron, the fighter jet at the base for 31 years.
MCAS Beaufort, long known as Fighter Town East, is already home to Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, which is considered the premiere F-35 training squadron on the East Coast.
However, the purpose of the new F-35B squadron is not training but rather supporting Marine Corps and Department of Defense operations. The squadron is part of a transition at the base from legacy fixed-wing tactical aircraft to the fifth-generation F-35 with advanced stealth, agility and maneuverability.
In May, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort welcomed the first three F-5N Tiger IIs as part of a new squadron that is providing simulated air-to-air combat training for Marine F-35 pilots to prepare them for “the next high fight” with real foreign enemies. It’s the first adversary jet fighter squadron based on the East Coast, according to the Marines.