US officials confirmed to the MIlitary Times that the Marine Corps F-35B fighters successfully conducted the first combat mission over Afghanistan.
The F-35B, assigned to the thirteenth unit, according to a statement released by the Central Command of the US naval forces, were engaged on Thursday morning against a fixed objective "to support the operations of removal from the ground" concluding the mission successfully.
Scott Stearney, commander of the US Naval Forces Central Command, said “The F-35B is a significant improvement in amphibious and air combat capabilities, operational flexibility and tactical supremacy, as part of the Essex Amphibious Ready. Group, this platform supports field operations from international waters, all allowing for maritime superiority ”.
Col. Chandler Nelms, commander of the 13th MEU, said that “The opportunity for us to be the first Navy, Marine Corps team to use the F-35B in support of the maneuvering forces on the ground demonstrates a aspect of the capabilities that this platform offers to the region, our allies and our partners ”.
Before the United States, the F35s had been used by the Israeli air force. The news was directly confirmed by Israeli Defense Forces officials who said the fighters had been deployed in two air strikes.
The F-35, operational since 2015, is the most expensive program in Pentagon history, designed to cost approximately $ 1 trillion to develop, manufacture, and upgrade / maintenance. The F-35B is the STOVL (Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing) variant was developed for use by aircraft carrier units not equipped with catapult and arrest cables which allows the pilot to hover and land vertically like a helicopter - a necessity for the Marines, who typically operate from amphibious ships with smaller decks than aircraft carriers.