Newest active fighter squadron, & where it's going

Yesterday, the United States Marine Corps officially declared "IOC" status (Initial Operational Capability) for the first squadron of F-35s, VFMA-121 (the Green Knights). That means not only that the plane's abilities are proven satisfactorily but also that the squadron has enough of them, the pilots and mechanics are trained and experienced enough at working with them, and their hangars are equipped to keep them running on an ongoing basis. So there are now three different kinds of armed stealth planes in the active inventory (although F-35s in other squadrons still continue testing & development). If the Green Knights were sent on a mission now, they'd fly that mission with F-35s; they have no other planes to do it with. (B-2s were actually sent on real missions against real targets before IOC, but F-22s appear to have gone about 8 years after IOC before they first faced an enemy, as least as far as the public has been aware.)

So, what's the next step in the plan for the first active F-35 squadron? Currently, it's in Arizona, but it's preparing to permanently relocate to Japan in a couple of years. That puts it right next door to China and Korea. F-22s have been there for several years (but possibly not continuously/permanently), and there have long been B-2s in Guam. Compare that to the Middle East, which only had F-22s assigned there in about the last year or so, has had no B-2s any closer than England in about a decade, and is not yet scheduled for any F-35s.

via International Skeptics Forum http://ift.tt/1KFNwqR