The deployment to Sweden as part of Exercise Nordic Response 24 marked the first overseas exercise for Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 542 since achieving Initial Operational Capability (IOC) on Feb. 5. The historic landing of a U.S. F-35B on Swedish soil took place on March 13, 2024.
In the skies above the volatile Red Sea, U.S. Marine Corps Captain Earl Ehrhart V has become a silent guardian against Houthi drone threats. As an AV-8B Harrier pilot with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162 (Reinforced), attached to the elite 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)), Captain Ehrhart has amassed an impressive record: seven confirmed Houthi drones intercepted since December 2023.
The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) has announced a significant milestone with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542 (VMFA-542) achieving Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. This achievement marks a major step forward for the U.S. Marine Corps’ operational deployment of the F-35B on the East Coast, solidifying its role as a vital asset in expeditionary warfare.
In a bittersweet ceremony at the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit, the curtain closed on an era as the final class of AV-8B Harrier II power plant mechanics graduated on Jan. 29. These five Marines, armed with 60 days of rigorous training on the Harrier’s jet engine and gas turbine starter, will now report to Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 14, the last remaining Harrier unit in the U.S. Marine Corps.
For the first time, U.S. Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighters touched down at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s Nyutabaru Base in Shintomi Town for the first time. This marks the first-ever landing of the F-35B at Nyutabaru Base, signifying a new chapter in joint training between Japan and the United States.