Tag Archives: Maj. Gen. Michael Rocco

USS Wasp to Japan Next Year in Support of Marine F-35B Squadron Next Year; USS Bonhomme Richard to San Diego

USS Wasp to Japan Next Year in Support of Marine F-35B Squadron Next Year; USS Bonhomme Richard to San Diego

Sailors celebrate the U.S. Navy's 241st birthday aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) on Oct. 12, 2016. US Navy Photo

Sailors celebrate the U.S. Navy’s 241st birthday aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) on Oct. 12, 2016. US Navy Photo

CORRECTION: A previous version of this post had the incorrect unit number for the first Marine Fighter Attack Squadron to field F-35Bs in Japan. It’s Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 (VMFA-121) “Green Knights,” no VMFA-211.

Next year the Navy will relocate big deck amphib USS Wasp (LHD-1) from Naval Station Norfolk, Va. to a new homeport in Sasebo, Japan, U.S. Fleet Forces announced on Monday. Read More

3rd MAW Preparing To Deploy F-35B While Struggling To Keep Older Planes Ready: An Operational Perspective

3rd MAW Preparing To Deploy F-35B While Struggling To Keep Older Planes Ready: An Operational Perspective

An F-35B Joint Strike Fighter from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 takes off from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., launching the squadron's first orientation flight, Feb. 21, 2013. US Marine Corps photo.

An F-35B Joint Strike Fighter from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 takes off from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., launching the squadron’s first orientation flight, Feb. 21, 2013. US Marine Corps photo.

This article is part of a two-story package on the current state of Marine Corps aviation. Please read USMC Emphasizing Spare Parts, Maintainer Training To Regain Aviation Readiness: A Headquarters Perspective for the headquarters perspective.

The flight line at Yuma Marine Corps Air Station, Ariz., got busier on Monday when two operational F-35B Joint Strike Fighter jets arrived at their new West Coast home. The single-seat jets are the first to join Marine Attack Squadron 211, which has flown the AV-8B Harrier II jump jet as part of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW). Read More