The U.S. Marine Corps deployed one of its most capable fighter jet squadrons in the Indo-Pacific to prepare for a potential conflict with China.
Marine F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jets based in the United States are now operating from Japan as part of a Marine Corps rotational program that seeks to expose different units to the rigors and realities of the Indo-Pacific area of operations.
The Marine Corps deployed Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 533, nicknamed the “Hawks,” from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, SC, to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan. The deployment is part of the service’s Marine Corps’ Unit Deployment Program (UDP), which rotates units based in the States to forward-deployed units.
In Japan, the Hawks will join Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. The F-35B squadron will replace the outgoing VMFA-232, an F/A-18 Hornet unit that also deployed to Japan as part of UDP.
During the deployment to Japan, the Hawks will conduct routine training and combat readiness operations alongside Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Japanese units. The F-35Bs will both operate over Japan and throughout the Indo-Pacific.
VMFA-533 recently transitioned from the F/-18 Hornet to the F-35B Lightning II. It received its first stealth fighter jet in 2024.
“The Unit Deployment Program provides continental U.S.-based units with experience operating in the Indo-Pacific through continuous and overlapping deployments to the region,” the U.S. military states about the program.
This is an excellent opportunity for aircraft that would not normally operate in the Indo-Pacific theater of operations to deploy there and get first-hand exposure to the intricacies of the region.
Marine F-35B Lightning IIs often train with the Japanese military. Last year, for example, four F-35B Lightning II fighter jets conducted flight operations on the JS Kaga, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force’s hybrid aircraft carrier-cruiser.
The F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter
The F-35 Lightning II is a multi-role stealth fighter jet. It comes in three different versions: A, B, and C. While each variant comes with its quirks and intricacies, all three are based on essentially the same airframe and have comparable capabilities.
The F-35A is the conventional variant. It takes off and lands on normal highways. This is the most popular with NATO and allied air forces, with more than 2,000 aircraft on order.
The F-35B is the Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing (STOVL) version of the aircraft. This version is unique due to its ability to take off and land like a helicopter but still fly like a fighter jet.
Finally, the F-35C is the carrier variant that is designed specifically for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Due to its specific capabilities, the “C” version is the least popular, with about 300 aircraft on order.
In terms of mission sets, all three versions of the stealth fighter jet can credibly conduct Strategic Attack, Air Superiority, Close Air Support, Electronic Warfare, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), and Destruction of Enemy Air Defense (DEAD).
Feature Image: U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 533, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, taxi the flight line at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Yamaguchi, Japan, Sep. 5, 2026. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Alejandra Vega)
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