Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The integration of U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters onto the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) represents a massive operational leap in naval aviation. In February 2026, the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship reached a historic milestone by conducting its first-ever F-35B flight operations in the Atlantic Ocean. The aircraft involved belonged to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542 (VMFA-542), the Marine Corps' first East Coast operational F-35B squadron.
The integration of U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters onto the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) represents a massive operational leap in naval aviation. In February 2026, the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship reached a historic milestone by conducting its first-ever F-35B flight operations in the Atlantic Ocean. The aircraft involved belonged to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542 (VMFA-542), the Marine Corps' first East Coast operational F-35B squadron.
