US Marine Corps releases long-term aviation strategy with additional F-35C purchases

An F-35C Lightning II assigned to VMFA-314 takes off from MCAS Miramar, California. The USMC is set to purchase more F-35Cs than previously planned. (3rd Marine Aircraft Wing)

The US Marine Corps (USMC) released its 2025 Marine Aviation Plan on 3 February, which details long-term changes the service seeks for its aviation portfolio. The report details tweaks to planned aircraft and helicopter squadron structures, as well as a change in procurement of Lockheed Martin F-35s.

Although the total number of F-35s the service intends to operate stands at 420, the USMC now intends to purchase more catapult-assisted take-off barrier arrested recovery (CATOBAR) F-35Cs versus short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35Bs. Two active-duty fighter squadrons – Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 (VMFA-232), based at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina, and VMFA-323 at MCAS Miramar, California – will convert to C-models instead of Bs, as will reserve squadrons VMFA-134 at MCAS Miramar and VMFA-112 at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. The complete F-35 fleet is set to top out at 280 Bs and 140 Cs.

In addition, many USMC F-35 squadrons are to receive additional aircraft. Most USMC squadrons each have 10 assigned aircraft, but under the new Marine Aviation Plan, they will receive two more aircraft each. The exceptions are the two MCAS Iwakuni, Japan-based F-35B squadrons, VMFA-121 and VMFA-242, which were reorganised to field 12 aircraft each in fiscal year (FY) 2024.

The service's F-35 funding priorities include developing and integrating new weapons such as the Lockheed Martin AGM-158 series of weapons, the Raytheon AIM-9X Block II, and the Northrop Grumman AGM-88G.