USMC F-35Cs Begin First Land-Based Combat Deployment, Moving Toward Middle East via UK

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 311 'Tomcats' deployed 10 F-35Cs from MCAS Miramar to RAF Lakenheath, England, with five aircraft arriving March 24 and five more en route. This is the first land-based combat deployment of the carrier-variant F-35C. The squadron will transit to the CENTCOM area of responsibility to augment existing F-35 operations during Operation Epic Fury, complementing carrier-based aircraft from USS Abraham Lincoln.