Posted on 04/06/2010 7:50:21 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Military history was made when the first-ever Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II training squadron, Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, stood up here April 2.
The occasion also marked the first time a Marine Corps squadron was embedded in an Air Force wing.
"And they couldn't have picked a better place to start," said Lt. Col. James Wellon, VMFAT-501 commander, referring to the 33rd Fighter Wing and Eglin AFB.
The "Warlords" squadron was redesignated from the VMFAT-451, a 13-year retired squadron that was reactivated April 1 for the ceremony.
"This is truly a historic event," said Maj. Gen. James F. Flock, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing commander, who also addressed the crowd of military, civilians and community leaders. "It has taken a lot of hard work to move toward joint-basing. It's been a genuine grass roots effort here at Eglin to make joint-basing a possibility."
The general said this is the next chapter in the future of Marine aviation toward the "direction of an all-STOVL (Short Take Off and Vertical Landing) force." The ceremony took place with the three current Marine aircraft, the AV-8B Harrier, F/A-18 Hornet and the EA-6B Prowler displayed in the distance.
The Marine F-35 variant will be equipped with the STOVL capability. Just two weeks prior to the stand up, the first vertical landing of the F-35B STOVL took place March 18.
The general said the JSF mission rested on the shoulders of the 37 "hard-charging" Marines currently assigned to the new squadron who are tasked with training the future pilots and maintainers.
"You Marines are the plank-holders to the future," the general said. "You were hand-selected for this duty with the highest potential and performance. I'm confident you'll do well in your mission."
(Excerpt) Read more at aetc.af.mil ...
Ping
I enthusiastically support and pray for the initial and continued success of the squadron.
But I have some serious reservations about whether the F-35 JSF can be the MRF desired. It became very expensive and very complex — the opposite of the F-16 and F-18 it is designed to replace.
But Godspeed to Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501!
Why Eglin?
I think Eglin was chosen as the training base for the F-35.
The 33rd Fighter wing was probably the most successful one in the world flying the F-15s. I know they shot down more Iraqi planes than all other squadrons combined. I don’t know if they are still a combat outfit. Probably not.
Lots of flying room over the gulf of mexico, good bombing ranges nearby, and the Marines heard that even navy pilots could get laid at Destin.
ping
Thanks for posting. I worked with a very proud mom whose son was one of the test pilots for the JSF.
Thanks for the ping!
Milcraft are all interrelated these days.
And/but our F-16 continues to be the standard which has yet to be beaten.
But I have peeked over at the F-18 and it is a pretty good MRF as well. But the profiles are different.
It is also fascinating to see the Marines (semper fi!) driving the process.
I suspect the F-16 (and F-18) will be around until they equip MRFs with antigravs and warp drive. The price/performance point is too sweet to release. And it isn’t like American Airlines which keeps recycling physical airframes. The F-16s delivered are physically as new as the 2010 Prius the next door neighbor has.
You are very welcome. I really like people responding postitively about my postings.
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Click on pic for past Navair pings.
Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
The only requirement for inclusion in the Navair Pinglist is an interest in Naval Aviation.
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Has Congress bought ANY F-35’s? If not, I doubt they will now.
See my Post on the f-35
Heh... and cities around the base are suing to keep the F-35 out.
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